Gardena, CA Zoning Ordinance

§ 18.36.010 Industrial zone (M-1).

Except as specifically provided elsewhere in this chapter, any and every building and premises or land in the M-1 industrial zone shall be used for, or occupied, and every building shall be erected, constructed, established, altered, enlarged and maintained in accordance with the regulations set forth in this chapter.

(Prior code § 10-3.1801)

§ 18.36.020 Uses permitted.

The following commercial, manufacturing, and industrial uses shall be permitted in the M-1 zone, provided all activities are conducted within an enclosed building, plus such other uses as the commission may deem, pursuant to the provisions of Section 18.42.040 of this code, to be similar and not more obnoxious or detrimental to the public health, safety, and welfare:

Adult-oriented businesses. Adult-oriented businesses shall be allowed to locate in the M-1 zone subject to obtaining an adult-oriented business permit in accordance with Chapter 18.62 of this code. In addition to an adult-oriented business permit, a business license must also be obtained prior to an adult-oriented business being allowed to operate.

Business offices.

Commercial uses customarily incidental and directly related to the services or operation of the permitted industrial uses.

Commercial printing, binding and kindred uses.

Industrial laundry, cleaning, and dyeing facilities.

Laboratories, other than medical and dental.

Machine shops.

Maintenance services.

Manufacturing and assembly of goods and products.

Parking lots.

Research and development facilities.

Restaurants.

Studios, artist, music recording or photography.

Repealed.

Emergency shelters, subject to the following requirements:

The maximum number of beds or clients permitted to be served nightly shall not exceed one per one hundred twenty-five square feet of floor area;

Parking at the rate of one space for every employee on the largest shift; provided, that the standards do not require more parking than other uses in the zone;

The waiting and client intake area shall be a minimum of one hundred square feet of gross floor area, plus an additional ten square feet for every person which the shelter can serve over ten persons;

Emergency shelters shall not be required to be more than three hundred feet of each other;

No person may stay in an emergency shelter for more than one hundred eighty consecutive days;

An on-site manager shall be required during all hours that the emergency shelter is in operation; an individual or individuals who do not utilize the homeless beds and/or services may be eligible as on-site manager(s);

The emergency shelter shall prepare and file a management plan with the city that includes clear operational rules and standards;

Lighting shall be provided in all parking, exterior, intake and waiting areas, outside common areas, and along the periphery of the building and facility.

Medicinal cannabis delivery service as defined in Chapter 18.66, subject to the following requirements:

The owner of the medicinal cannabis delivery service has obtained a medicinal cannabis delivery service permit prior to the commencement of operations in accordance with Chapter 5.80, as well as a business license as required by Chapter 5.04.

The medicinal cannabis delivery service businesses shall be located at least six hundred feet from the following sensitive receptors. All measurements shall be taken from the closest property line of the medicinal cannabis delivery service business to the closest property line of the sensitive receptor.

A lot containing a single-family residential dwelling unit;

Public or private schools;

Daycare centers as defined by Health and Safety Code Section 1596.76;

Churches;

Public parks;

Libraries;

Youth centers, which for purposes of this section shall mean a public or private facility that is primarily used to host recreation or social activities for minors, including:

Private youth membership organizations or clubs;

ii.

Social service teenage club facilities;

iii.

Any facility used for youth activities at least sixty percent of the time in a calendar year;

iv.

A park, playground or recreational area located on a public or private school grounds or in a city, county or state park specifically designed to be used by children or which has play equipment installed, including public grounds designed for athletic activities including courts or fields; or

A similar facility to one of the above.

Any other medicinal cannabis delivery service business.

The medicinal cannabis delivery service businesses shall be located at least three hundred feet from any mobile home park. All measurements shall be taken from the closest property line of the medicinal cannabis delivery service business to the closest property line of the mobile home park.

(Prior code § 10-3.1802; Ord. 1498 § 12, 1996; Ord. 1517 §§ 20, 21, 1997; Ord. 1549 § 1, 1998; Ord. 1577 § 1, 1999; Ord. 1597 § 2, 2000; Ord. 1598 § 2, 2000; Ord. 1667 § 28, 2004; Ord. 1666 § 28, 2005; Ord. 1737 § 11, 2012; Ord. 1738 § 22, 2012; Ord. 1806 § 10, 2019; Ord. 1866 § 8, 2024; Ord. 1877 § 3, 2025)

§ 18.36.030 Uses permitted subject to a conditional use permit.

Provided all activities are within an enclosed building, unless otherwise provided, the following uses may be permitted in the M-1 zone, subject to the issuance of a conditional use permit in accordance with the procedures set forth in Chapter 18.46:

Ambulance services, provided they are not located on arterial and major collector streets.

Automobile repair facilities, provided they are not located on arterial and major collector streets.

Automobile service stations.

Building supply centers.

Car wash facilities.

Churches and related facilities, subject to the requirements set forth in Section 18.46.030(C)(16). Related facilities do not include day care facilities, schools (kindergarten through twelfth grade), and rectories, convents, parsonages, or ministers' residences.

Contractor businesses; provided they are not located on arterial and major collector streets.

Establishments selling or serving alcoholic beverages for off- or on-premises consumption.

Health facilities.

Hotels and motels, subject to the requirements set forth in Section 18.46.030(C)(15).

Amenity hotels, subject to the requirements set forth in Section 18.46.030(C)(29).

Recreational vehicle storage facilities, provided they are not located on arterial and major collector streets.

Self-storage facilities, at least five thousand feet from another similar facility and not located along a major collector or arterial street, subject to the requirements set forth in Section 18.46.030(C)(17).

Urgent care centers.

Warehouse uses subject to the requirements set forth in Section 18.46.030(C)(18).

Single room occupancy ("SRO") residential units subject to the following requirements in addition to the other requirements of Chapter 18.46:

Each room shall have a minimum floor area of one hundred fifty square feet and a maximum floor area of three hundred fifty square feet, which may include bathroom and/or kitchen facilities.

Dwelling units shall be offered for rent on a monthly basis or longer.

An SRO unit shall accommodate a maximum of two persons.

Each SRO development shall provide a minimum common area of ten square feet for each unit or two hundred fifty square feet, whichever is greater. All common areas shall be within the structure. Dining rooms, meeting rooms, recreational rooms, or other similar areas approved by the community development director may be considered common areas. Shared bathrooms, kitchens, janitorial storage, laundry facilities, common hallways, and other similar types of areas shall not be considered as common areas.

If a full kitchen is not provided in each SRO unit, common kitchen facilities shall be provided in the development. A full kitchen includes a sink, refrigerator, and a stove, range top and/or oven.

Each SRO unit shall have a private toilet in an enclosed compartment with a door and a sink, in addition to a kitchen sink if one is provided. The compartment shall be a minimum of fifteen square feet. If private bathing facilities are not provided for each unit, shared shower or bathtub facilities shall be provided in accordance with the most recent edition of the California Building Code for congregate residences. However, in no event shall there be less than one full shower or bathtub for every three units, and shower and bathtub facilities shall be located on each floor. Shared shower and bathtub facilities shall be accessible from a common area or hallway and shall be provided with an interior lockable door.

Each SRO unit shall have a separate closet.

Laundry facilities shall be provided in a separate room at the ratio of one washer and dryer for every ten units, with at least one washer and dryer per floor.

A cleaning supply room or utility closet with a wash tub with hot and cold running water shall be provided on each floor.

10.

Parking shall be provided for an SRO facility at the rate of one parking space per unit plus an additional two spaces for the resident manager.

11.

A management plan shall be submitted with the conditional use permit application for an SRO development, which shall be approved by the planning commission. The management plan must address management and operation of the facility, rental procedures, safety and security of the residents, and building maintenance. A twenty-four-hour resident manager shall be provided for any single-room occupancy with ten or more units. An on-site manager and a manager's office shall be provided for any SRO development with nine or less units; the manager must maintain hours in the office for at least thirty hours a week.

Cigar and hookah lounges in compliance with Section 18.46.030(C)(30).

(Prior code § 10-3.1802.1; Ord. 1517 § 22, 1997; Ord. 1526 § 1, 1997; Ord. 1549 § 2, 1998; Ord. 1550 § 7, 1998; Ord. 1577 § 2, 1999; Ord. 1597 § 4, 2000; Ord. 1598 § 4, 2000; Ord. 1667 § 29, 2004; Ord. 1666 § 29, 2005; Urg. Ord. 1682; Ord. 1683 § 42, 2006; Ord. 1737 § 12, 2012; Ord. 1825 § 8, 2021; Ord. 1871 § 10, 2024)

§ 18.36.040 Performance standards.

All uses shall comply at all times with the following limitations or performance standards:

Fire and Explosion Hazards. All activities involving, and all storage of, inflammable and explosive materials shall be governed by the provisions of the fire prevention code of the city and shall be provided with adequate safety devices against the hazard of fire and explosion and adequate fire-fighting and fire-suppression equipment and devices standard in the industry and required by the fire prevention code. All incineration shall be prohibited.

Radioactivity or Electrical Disturbances. Devices which radiate radio-frequency energy shall be so operated as not to cause interference with any activity carried on beyond the boundary lines of the property upon which the device is located. Radio-frequency energy shall be electro-magnetic energy at any frequency in the radio spectrum between ten kilocycles and three million megacycles.

Noise emitted from any use shall not exceed the standards set forth in Chapter 8.36.

Vibration emitted from any use shall not exceed the standards set forth in Chapter 8.36.

Smoke and Dust. The regulations of the Los Angeles Air Pollution Control District shall apply.

Emission of Dust, Heat and Glare. Every use shall be so operated that it does not emit dust, heat or glare in such quantities or degree as to be readily detectable on any boundary line of the lot on which the use is located.

Emission of Odors. No emission shall be permitted of odorous gases or other odorous matters in quantities which exceed those proportions shown in Table III "Odor Thresholds," in Chapter 5 of the "Air Pollution Abatement Manual," copyright 1951, by the Manufacturing Chemists' Association, Inc., Washington D.C. The regulations of the Los Angeles Air Pollution Control District shall also apply.

Outdoor Storage and Waste Disposal. All outdoor storage of facilities for fuel, raw materials, and products shall be concealed from view from adjacent property and public rights-of-way. No material or waste shall be deposited upon a subject lot in such form or manner that it may be transferred off the lot by natural causes or forces. All materials or wastes which might cause fumes or dust, or which constitute a fire hazard, or which may be edible by or otherwise be attractive to rodents or insects shall be stored outdoors only in closed containers.

Hours of Operation. For industrial uses which are adjacent to or abutting residential areas, hours of operation shall be established for such uses at the time of an application for a license to operate the use. Such hours shall be established in order to safeguard the health, safety and welfare of adjacent residential districts.

(Prior code § 10-3.1803; Urg. Ord. 1682; Ord. 1683 § 43, 2006)

§ 18.36.050 Uses prohibited.

All uses not listed in Sections 18.36.020 and 18.36.030 are deemed to be expressly prohibited, except those determined to be similar pursuant to the provisions of Section 18.42.040. No similar use determination may be made for the following specific uses, which are deemed to be incompatible with the uses permitted in the M-1 zone and are therefore prohibited:

Cocktail lounges;

Displays and sales of motor vehicles from vacant or unimproved lots;

Outdoor sales conducted on vacant lots and not related to the business on the premises;

Residential uses; and

Significant tobacco retailers.

(Prior code § 10-3.1804; Ord. 1483 § 6, 1994; Ord. 1498 § 11, 1996; Ord. 1667 § 30, 2004; Ord. 1666 § 30, 2005; Urg. Ord. 1682; Ord. 1683 § 44, 2006; Ord. 1738 § 23, 2012; Ord. 1871 § 10, 2024)

§ 18.36.060 Property development standards.

The property development standards set forth in this section shall apply to all land and buildings in the M-1 zone, except for lot width and lot area for such land and buildings which were of record on August 26, 1982.

Building height/FAR: Building heights shall in no case exceed sixty-five feet, shall not exceed thirty-five feet within one hundred feet of a zone boundary line between the M-1 zone and any R-1 and R-2 zones, and shall not exceed fifty feet within one hundred feet of a zone boundary line between the M-1 and R-3 or R-4 zones. The maximum gross floor area of buildings or structures on a lot or lots that comprise a project site shall not exceed 1.0 FAR, except for amenity hotels, which may have a FAR of up to 2.0.

Building Restrictions.

No opening in the exterior wall of a building shall be allowed on industrial buildings when the exterior wall of such building faces an R zone on the rear, side, or front property lines and is within sixty feet of such zone.

Exceptions:

Any openings may be allowed in exterior walls of such buildings if they are required by law, providing they are equipped with self-closers and are of solid material.

Solid panels of glass block shall be allowed regardless of the distance from the property line.

Noise emitted by any use shall comply with standards set forth in Chapter 8.36.

Building setbacks: See Sections 18.42.080 and 18.42.085.

Fences, hedges and walls: the provisions of Section 18.42.070 shall apply.

Landscape perimeters shall be provided on all street frontages except alleyways. The landscape perimeters shall be a minimum of ten feet and shall have automatic sprinkler systems.

Access: there shall be adequate vehicular access to off-street parking facilities from a dedicated street, service road, or alley. The design of the access shall conform to all the standards and specifications of the city.

Signs: the provisions of Chapter 18.58 shall apply.

Off-street parking and loading: the provisions of Chapter 18.40 shall apply.

All industrial uses shall adequately accommodate all of the truck and vehicular circulation, parking, storage, and loading operations on site.

In furtherance of this requirement, the following minimum standards must be met:

Loading/unloading activities shall take place in areas designed and permanently designated solely for such purpose,

Loading spaces shall be designed so as to permit vehicular and truck traffic to move into and out of the loading spaces without backing into or upon designated parking spaces or a street,

Truck loading areas shall be adequately screened from public view by an eight-foot high solid wall, accessory structures, or landscaping and foliage so arranged as to conceal the loading facility,

Landscape setbacks of at least ten feet shall be required along all street frontages, except alleys,

Barbed wire shall not be used in areas visible to the public,

Driveways must be at least forty-five feet wide and accommodate truck turning movements from the curb lane,

Customer parking must be separate from truck parking and loading areas,

The applicant shall be required to pay an annual service impact fee to be determined by resolution of the city council, to cover city costs for repairing excess wear and tear to streets resulting from the trucking operation,

Exceptions. The provisions of subsection I(1)(h) of this section shall not apply to:

Trucking uses with related manufacturing, industrial processing or retail businesses in city. For the purposes of this section, retail businesses shall mean any business that collects sales tax. Industrial processing shall mean any business that is engaged in the processing of materials/products, whereby the processing adds value to the product(s),

Any trucking use that operates only a business office and does not involve trucks operating within the city.

(Prior code § 10-3.1805; Ord. 1597 § 3, 2000; Ord. 1598 § 3, 2000; Ord. 1667 § 31, 2004; Ord. 1666 § 31, 2005; Urg. Ord. 1682; Ord. 1683 § 45, 2006; Ord. 1738 § 33, 2012; Ord. 1825 § 9, 2021)