Long Beach Institutional (I) Zoning District Use Regulations
The Institutional (I) zoning district in the City of Long Beach is established to accommodate land uses of a public or institutional nature, such as schools, hospitals, and government offices. Most principal institutional uses are permitted by right, provided they adhere to a maximum lot coverage of 50% and a minimum lot size of 10,000 square feet [Section 21.34.205, Table 34-2]. Any use not specifically listed as permitted in the Institutional (I) district is considered prohibited by the City of Long Beach [Section 21.34.120].
Permitted Uses (Allowed by Right)
The following uses are permitted by right in the Institutional (I) district of Long Beach, provided they comply with the development standards of the zone [Table 34-1]:
- Educational Facilities: Colleges, universities, vocational training centers, and schools (public or private, excluding vocational).
- Civic and Public Services: Fire stations, government offices, police stations, and libraries.
- Cultural and Religious: Churches, cultural centers, historical landmarks, memorials, monuments, and museums.
- Healthcare: Hospitals, medical centers, medical office complexes, and convalescent hospitals.
- Parks and Recreation: Arboretums, botanical gardens, nurseries, country clubs (including golf courses), and marinas.
- Residential: Single-family residential dwellings.
- Utilities: Water tanks.
- Childcare: Daycare centers and preschools.
- Social Services: Social service offices of nonprofit organizations.
Uses Requiring Discretionary Approval
Certain uses within the Long Beach Institutional (I) district require special permits to ensure compatibility with the surrounding neighborhood.
Conditional Use Permit (CUP) Required
A Conditional Use Permit is required for the following activities and facilities [Table 34-1]:
- Cemeteries (crematoriums permitted as an accessory use only).
- Commercial parking lots and stadiums.
- Disabled and senior citizen housing.
- Special group residences (communal housing, board and care, etc.).
- Pistol or rifle ranges and police training academies.
- The sale of alcoholic beverages.
- Wireless telecommunications facilities [Chapter 21.56].
- Interim storage of vehicles and service yards (limited to 2 years).
- Outdoor sales events [Section 21.52.256].
Administrative Use Permit (AUP) Required
The following use requires an Administrative Use Permit [Table 34-1]:
- Caretaker’s residence.
Accessory and Temporary Uses
Accessory uses are allowed in the Institutional (I) district when they are subordinate and incidental to a permitted principal institutional use.
- Accessory Uses: Cafeterias and restaurants, unattended donation boxes, recreational facilities, and courtesy parking [Table 34-1].
- Temporary Uses: Carnivals, fiestas, or similar exhibitions/celebrations (limited to 10 days); construction trailers; and trailers used for offices or night-watchman’s quarters [Table 34-1, Section 21.53.100].
Prohibited Uses
The City of Long Beach explicitly prohibits the following uses in the Institutional (I) district [Table 34-1]:
- Cannabis: All subcategories of adult-use cannabis businesses.
- Commercial: General commercial uses (where they are the principal use).
- Industrial: Manufacturing.
- Advertising: Off-premises signs.
- Residential: Multiple-family residential developments (except for specialized housing like senior or disabled housing requiring a CUP).
- Other: Vocational schools.
Development Standards for the Institutional (I) District
All construction and land use in the Institutional (I) district must adhere to specific technical requirements regarding the size and placement of structures.
| Development Criteria | Standard |
|---|---|
| Minimum Lot Size | 10,000 square feet |
| Maximum Lot Coverage | 50% |
| Maximum Height (Principal Structure) | 30 feet, or 1 foot for each 2 feet of distance from an abutting residential district (whichever is greater) |
| Maximum Height (Accessory Structure) | 15 feet |
| Front Yard Setback | 20 feet |
| Side/Rear Setback (Adjoining Non-residential) | 4 feet |
| Side/Rear Setback (Adjoining Residential) | 15 feet |
| Corner Lot Setback | 10 feet |
[Table 34-2, Table 34-3]
Off-Street Parking Requirements
Parking requirements for the Institutional (I) district are determined by the specific use of the property [Table 41-1C].
| Use Category | Required Number of Spaces |
|---|---|
| Hospitals | 2 spaces per bed |
| Convalescent Hospitals | 1 space per every 3 beds |
| Library or Museum | 1 space per 1,000 sq. ft. GFA, plus 1 bus stall per 5,000 sq. ft. |
| Elementary/Secondary School | 2 per classroom, plus loading and unloading spaces |
| Public Assembly (Fixed Seats) | 1 space per every 3.3 fixed seats |
| Public Assembly (No Fixed Seats) | 1 space per 20 square feet of GFA |
[Table 41-1C]
Sections Cited
- Section 21.15.110 - Adult entertainment business
- Section 21.34.010 - Purpose (Institutional District)
- Section 21.34.110 - Permitted uses
- Section 21.34.120 - Prohibited uses
- Section 21.34.205 - Lot size
- Section 21.41.160 - New construction and uses (Parking)
- Section 21.45.110 - Special development standards for adult entertainment
- Section 21.52.256 - Outdoor sales events
- Section 21.53.100 - Temporary use regulations
- Table 34-1 - Uses in the Institutional District
- Table 34-2 - Development Standards (Institutional)
- Table 34-3 - Yard Requirements (Institutional)
- Table 41-1C - Required Number of Parking Spaces