Setback Requirements for the Long Beach R-3-S District
In the City of Long Beach, the R-3-S (Low-density Multi-family Residential, small lot) district requires a standard front setback of 15 feet and a rear setback of 20 feet. Side setbacks are determined by a percentage of the lot width, generally set at 10 percent for interior sides and 15 percent for street-facing sides on corner lots. These standards ensure adequate light, air, and privacy for multi-family developments on smaller parcels [Section 21.31.215].
Standard Setback Requirements
The primary development standards for the Long Beach R-3-S district are established in the residential development standards table. These numbers represent the minimum required distance between a building and the property lines [Section 21.31.205].
| Setback Location | Minimum Requirement for R-3-S District |
|---|---|
| Front Yard | 15 feet |
| Side Yard (Interior) | 10% of lot width (Minimum 3 feet; Maximum 10 feet) |
| Side Yard (Street Side) | 15% of lot width (Maximum 15 feet) |
| Rear Yard | 20 feet |
Front Yard Modifications
While the 15-foot front setback is standard for the City of Long Beach R-3-S district, specific lot configurations or building features may trigger different requirements:
- Garage Access: If a garage door faces the street and takes direct access from it, the garage portion of the structure must be set back at least 20 feet to allow for a parked vehicle in the driveway [Section 21.31.245.A.1.a].
- Key Lots: If a lot is a "key lot" (an interior lot positioned so its side property line abuts the rear property line of a corner lot), the front yard must be at least one-half of the depth required for the nearest interior lot in the same block [Section 21.31.215.C.1].
- Through Lots: On through lots (lots with frontage on two parallel streets), if all lots in a block front the same direction, only one front yard is required, typically on the side where primary pedestrian access is located [Section 21.31.215.C.2.b].
Side and Rear Yard Exceptions
The Long Beach Municipal Code provides flexibility for R-3-S properties that are unusually shallow or positioned on corners:
Shallow Lots
For R-3-S lots that are less than 100 feet in depth, the rear setback may be reduced. In these cases, the rear setback can be 20 percent of the total lot depth, provided the resulting setback is at least 10 feet [Section 21.31.215.D.2.d].
Reverse Corner Lots
For a reversed corner lot in the R-3-S district, the rear yard setback requirement is modified to be the same as the side yard setback requirement [Section 21.31.215.D.1].
Projections into Required Yards
Certain architectural features of a Long Beach residential building may project into the required setbacks, including:
- Awnings and Cornices: May project up to 2 feet, 6 inches into any required yard.
- Balconies: May project up to 5 feet into the front or rear yard, or one-half the required side yard setback.
- Chimneys: May project up to 2 feet, 6 inches into any yard, provided they do not exceed a 5-foot width [Section 21.31.215.B].
Sections Cited
- Section 21.30.010 - Districts designated.
- Section 21.31.205 - Units per lot and lot area per unit.
- Section 21.31.215 - Yard requirements.
- Section 21.31.245 - Accessory structures.
- Table 31-2A - Residential Development Standards.