Long Beach Planned Development District Setback Requirements

In the City of Long Beach, setback requirements for the Planned Development (PD) district are primarily governed by the specific ordinance adopted for each individual PD zone. For Residential Planned Unit Developments (PUDs), the Long Beach Municipal Code establishes default building setbacks including a 6-foot front yard from private streets, 3-foot interior side yards, and variable setbacks from public rights-of-way ranging from 15 to 100 feet depending on the street classification.

General Setback Provisions for Planned Development Districts

The Long Beach Municipal Code establishes the Planned Development (PD) and Specific Plan (SP) districts to allow for flexible development plans that benefit from unique land use and design controls not possible under conventional zoning [Section 21.25.701].

Because each PD is unique, the development standards—including setbacks—are generally those adopted by the City Council in the specific ordinance for each individual PD zone [Section 21.37.150]. If a specific PD ordinance is silent regarding a particular development standard, the Long Beach Zoning Administrator determines the standard that shall apply, selecting the requirement that is closest to the overall intent of that specific Planned Development district [Section 21.37.150].

Residential PUD Building Development Standards

For residential projects within a Planned Development area (specifically Residential PUDs), the City of Long Beach provides a specific schedule of building development standards. These standards ensure a high level of design quality while providing the flexibility inherent to the PD designation [Section 21.31.340].

Interior Setbacks for Residential PUDs

The following table outlines the minimum setbacks required for buildings located within the interior of a Long Beach Residential PUD:

Setback Type	Minimum Requirement
Front Yard	6 ft. from the edge of a private common street or the inner edge of a sidewalk, whichever is greater [Table 31-8].
Interior Side Yard	3 ft. to the property line, or 0 ft. (zero lot line) if there is a minimum of 6 ft. between buildings [Table 31-8].
Interior Rear Yard	Sited to maximize privacy between units; specific distances depend on building and wall openings [Table 31-8].
Side or Rear Yard (Adjacent to Private Street)	5 ft. from the edge of the private common street or the inner edge of the sidewalk, whichever is greater [Table 31-8].
Garage (Front Elevation)	Minimum 20 ft. if the door faces the street; however, a distance of no more than 6 ft. is encouraged to maintain urban character [Table 31-8].

Boundary and Edge Setbacks

Specific setback requirements apply to the edges of a Long Beach Planned Development district to ensure compatibility with adjoining land uses and public infrastructure.

Boundary Condition	Minimum Building Setback
Abutting another Zoning District	8 ft. to the property line (applies to PUD edges not adjacent to a right-of-way) [Table 31-8].
Adjacent to a Local Street	15 ft. [Table 31-8].
Adjacent to a Neighborhood Connector / Minor Avenue	20 ft. [Table 31-8].
Adjacent to a Major Avenue / Boulevard / Regional Corridor	30 ft. [Table 31-8].
Adjacent to a Freeway	100 ft. [Table 31-8].

Design and Flexibility

In the City of Long Beach, the Site Plan Review Committee may find that variations from these standards are appropriate during the review process [Section 21.31.255]. Furthermore, setbacks on irregular corner lots or gore-shaped lots within a Residential PUD may deviate from the standard table at the discretion of the approval body [Section 21.31.350, Note a].

For projects in the Long Beach Coastal Zone, any Planned Development must be found consistent with the resource protection policies of the certified Local Coastal Program (LCP) before concessions or incentives related to setbacks are authorized [Section 21.68.070].

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