Long Beach RM District: Mobile Homes, Modular, and Manufactured Housing

The RM District in Long Beach is a single-family residential zone specifically designated for manufactured housing, modular units, and mobile home parks on large sites. This district requires a substantial minimum lot area of 18,000 square feet and maintains a maximum building height of 30 feet or two stories, while providing a unique parking requirement limited to 1.5 spaces per unit.

Purpose and General Character of the RM District

The RM District is established in the City of Long Beach to serve as a single-family residential area dedicated specifically to mobile homes and manufactured housing. The primary intent of the Long Beach City Council in creating this district is to recognize the significant contribution these housing types make toward the City's overall diversity of housing choices [Section 21.31.020.Q].

The RM District is intended for application on large sites to encourage the orderly development of mobile home communities. In the hierarchy of the Long Beach General Plan, the RM District implements Land Use District No. 2 [Section 21.31.020.Q].

Permitted Land Uses in the RM District

The RM District is highly specialized; unlike other residential zones in Long Beach, it prohibits traditional "stick-built" single-family detached or attached dwellings. Instead, it focuses exclusively on factory-built housing types and supporting community uses.

Land Use Type	Permission Level
Modular or manufactured housing unit (on permanent foundation)	Permitted (Y)
Mobile home park (as to unsold spaces)	Conditional Use Permit (C)
Accessory dwelling unit (Conforming)	Accessory Use (A)
Home occupation	Accessory Use (A)
Passive parks	Permitted (Y)
Playgrounds	Interim Park Use Permit (IP)
Single-family detached/attached (traditional)	Not Permitted (N)
Duplex, Triplex, or Multi-family dwellings	Not Permitted (N)

[Table 31-1]

Development Standards

Development within the Long Beach RM District must adhere to specific site density and bulk regulations to ensure the district maintains its intended character.

Standard	Requirement
Minimum Lot Area (for subdivision)	18,000 sq. ft.
Minimum Lot Width	120 ft.
Minimum Lot Area Per Unit	2,400 sq. ft.
Maximum Building Height	30 ft. (Maximum 2 Stories)
Maximum Lot Coverage	65% of lot area
Minimum Front Yard Setback	10 ft.
Minimum Side Yard Setback	4 ft.
Minimum Rear Yard Setback	10 ft.
Minimum Usable Open Space	200 sq. ft. per unit

[Table 31-2A]

Parking Requirements

While most residential districts in Long Beach follow a strict bedroom-based parking count, the RM District has a specialized cap on required parking. Specifically, for residential uses within the RM District, the City of Long Beach does not require more than one and one-half (1.5) parking spaces per dwelling unit [Table 41-1A, Note (a)].

Specific Use Regulations for Mobile Home Parks

When a mobile home park is proposed in the RM District, it is subject to the following additional conditions under the Long Beach Municipal Code:

The overall density of the park must not exceed the density limits of the RM District.
The development must comply with all applicable subdivision standards regarding lot design and private streets [Section 21.52.243].

Sections Cited