Setback Requirements for the R-2-L Two-family Residential District in Long Beach

In the Long Beach R-2-L: Two-family Residential, large lot district, the standard setback requirements are 15 feet for the front yard, 4 feet for the interior side yard, and 10 feet for the rear yard. These distances must be maintained from the property line to the building wall after any required right-of-way dedications have been made. Specific circumstances such as front yard averaging, key lot locations, or the presence of an alley can adjust these required distances.

Standard Setback Requirements

The primary development standards for the R-2-L District in the City of Long Beach are established in Table 31-2A. These represent the minimum required distances for new construction and additions within the district.

Setback Type	Minimum Required Distance
Front Yard	15 Feet
Side Yard (Interior)	4 Feet
Rear Yard	10 Feet

[Table 31-2A]

Front Yard Setback Adjustments

The standard 15-foot front yard setback in the Long Beach R-2-L District is subject to several potential modifications based on the neighborhood's existing development pattern:

• Front Yard Averaging: If one or both adjoining lots already encroach into the required front yard setback, the required setback for the subject lot may be established by the average of the setbacks of the adjoining lots [Section 21.31.215.C.3].
• Key Lots: If an R-2-L property is designated as a "key lot" (an interior lot located to the rear of a reversed corner lot) and the abutting corner lot is built to the side yard line, the required front yard for the key lot is reduced to one-half of the distance required for the nearest interior lot on the same block [Section 21.31.215.C.1].
• Through Lots: On a through lot (a lot with frontage on two parallel streets), if all lots in the block front the same direction, only one front yard is required. This is typically the side from which primary pedestrian access is taken [Section 21.31.215.C.2.b].

Rear Yard and Side Yard Provisions

In the Long Beach R-2-L District, rear and side yard measurements are governed by specific calculation rules:

• Alley Measurements: If the rear property line of an R-2-L lot abuts a paved alley, the rear setback is measured from the centerline of that alley rather than the property line [Table 31-2A, Note k].
• Reversed Corner Lots: For reversed corner lots in the R-2-L District, the required rear yard setback must be the same as the required side yard setback for the zone [Section 21.31.215.D.1].
• Shallow Lots: If a lot in the R-2-L District is less than 100 feet in depth, the rear setback may be modified, though the code specifies that such reductions generally should not result in a setback of less than 15 feet for large-lot residential categories [Section 21.31.215.D.2.b].
• Corner Cutoffs: A 6-foot by 6-foot triangular area must be maintained at the intersection of streets or driveways where no structures or vegetation may impede visibility [Section 21.31.215.G].

Permitted Projections into Required Yards

The Long Beach Zoning Code allows certain architectural and functional structures to project into the required R-2-L setbacks, provided they maintain minimum clearances.

Structure	Front Yard Projection	Interior Side Yard	Rear Yard
Awnings	2 ft. 6 in.	2 ft. 6 in.	3 ft.
Chimneys	2 ft. 6 in.	2 ft. 6 in.	3 ft.
Balconies	5 ft. (max)	2 ft. 6 in.	3 ft.
Cornices/Eaves	2 ft. 6 in.	2 ft. 6 in.	3 ft.
Decks (at grade)	To property line	To property line	To property line

[Table 31-3]

Sections Cited

• Section 21.31.020 - Districts established
• Section 21.31.215 - Yard requirements
• Table 31-2A - Residential Development Standards
• Table 31-3 - Permitted Projections and Structures in Required Yards