Long Beach City Zoning Code

CHAPTER 21

39 - HIGH-RISE OVERLAY DISTRICT

21.39.010 - Purpose.

The purpose of this Chapter is to establish special building height limits to allow taller, highrise buildings to locate outside the downtown area.

(Ord. C-6533 § 1 (part), 1988)

21.39.020 - Building height restrictions.

Building height restrictions within the high-rise overlay district shall be indicated on the zoning map by the high-rise overlay designation followed by a number indicating the maximum allowable height in feet, a slash, and then a number indicating the maximum number of building stories allowed, such as "CO (HR-60/6)."

Where no numbers are indicated on the zoning map, the height in both feet and stories shall be determined and specified during site plan review.

(Ord. C-6533 § 1 (part), 1988)

21.39.030 - Applicable districts.

The Commercial office (CO), commercial corridor (CC), commercial tourist (CT), commercial storage (CS), and institutional (I) districts are the only districts appropriate for the high rise overlay zone.

(ORD-25-0011 § 1, 2025; Ord. C-6684 § 5, 1990)

21.39.110 - Permitted uses.

Any use permitted in the underlying zoning district shall be permitted in the high-rise overlay district.

(Ord. C-6533 § 1 (part), 1988)

21.39.210 - General provisions.

Section 21.39.220 sets forth special development standards for buildings in a high-rise overlay district permitted to exceed the height limits established for the underlying district.

(Ord. C-6533 § 1 (part), 1988)

21.39.220 - High-rise restrictions.

Building Height. Development shall not exceed the building height restrictions indicated on the zoning map as described in Section 21.39.020 above.

Lot Size. A minimum lot size of twenty thousand (20,000) square feet and a minimum lot dimension of one hundred thirty-five feet (135') in any direction are required for any proposed building greater than forty-five feet (45') in height.

Yards. The yard areas indicated in Table 39-1 shall be required for all buildings more than forty-five feet (45') in height. The yards shall be clear of all structures from the ground to the sky, except as otherwise permitted by provisions of this Title regulating building projections.

Landscape Buffer. All lots with buildings greater than forty-five feet (45') in height shall require a landscaped buffer on all four (4) sides of the building.

Other Standards. For all other development standards, the standards for the underlying district shall apply.

(Ord. C-6533 § 1 (part), 1988)

21.39.230 - Residential use.

When the high-rise overlay is applied to a district which allows residential, any building containing primarily residential use shall be allowed the applicable density of the R-4-H zone.

(Ord. C-6684 § 6, 1990)

Table 39-1
High-Rise Yard Requirements

Yard	Required Setback
1. Yards abutting a street ^(a)	20 ft.
2. Yards abutting residential district ^(b)
a. If building height less than or equal to 45′	Same as underlying district
b. If building height greater than 45′	⅕ of the building height, but total setback not to exceed fifteen (15) percent of the lot width or depth as applicable
3. Yards abutting nonresidential district	Same as underlying district
^(a) An average setback for yards abutting a street shall be allowed through the Site Plan Review process, provided no building encroaches more than ten feet (10') into the required setback. For purposes of establishing an average setback, no portion of a building setback more than thirty feet (30') may contribute to the average setback calculation. ^(b) Includes residential district across an alley.

(ORD-19-0003 § 1, 2019)

Long Beach City Zoning Code

CHAPTER 21

39 - HIGH-RISE OVERLAY DISTRICT

21.39.010 - Purpose.

The purpose of this Chapter is to establish special building height limits to allow taller, highrise buildings to locate outside the downtown area.

(Ord. C-6533 § 1 (part), 1988)

21.39.020 - Building height restrictions.

Where no numbers are indicated on the zoning map, the height in both feet and stories shall be determined and specified during site plan review.

(Ord. C-6533 § 1 (part), 1988)

21.39.030 - Applicable districts.

(ORD-25-0011 § 1, 2025; Ord. C-6684 § 5, 1990)

21.39.110 - Permitted uses.

Any use permitted in the underlying zoning district shall be permitted in the high-rise overlay district.

(Ord. C-6533 § 1 (part), 1988)

21.39.210 - General provisions.

Section 21.39.220 sets forth special development standards for buildings in a high-rise overlay district permitted to exceed the height limits established for the underlying district.

(Ord. C-6533 § 1 (part), 1988)

21.39.220 - High-rise restrictions.

Building Height. Development shall not exceed the building height restrictions indicated on the zoning map as described in Section 21.39.020 above.

Landscape Buffer. All lots with buildings greater than forty-five feet (45') in height shall require a landscaped buffer on all four (4) sides of the building.

Other Standards. For all other development standards, the standards for the underlying district shall apply.

(Ord. C-6533 § 1 (part), 1988)

21.39.230 - Residential use.

When the high-rise overlay is applied to a district which allows residential, any building containing primarily residential use shall be allowed the applicable density of the R-4-H zone.

(Ord. C-6684 § 6, 1990)

Table 39-1
High-Rise Yard Requirements

Yard	Required Setback
1. Yards abutting a street ^(a)	20 ft.
2. Yards abutting residential district ^(b)
a. If building height less than or equal to 45′	Same as underlying district
b. If building height greater than 45′	⅕ of the building height, but total setback not to exceed fifteen (15) percent of the lot width or depth as applicable
3. Yards abutting nonresidential district	Same as underlying district
^(a) An average setback for yards abutting a street shall be allowed through the Site Plan Review process, provided no building encroaches more than ten feet (10') into the required setback. For purposes of establishing an average setback, no portion of a building setback more than thirty feet (30') may contribute to the average setback calculation. ^(b) Includes residential district across an alley.

(ORD-19-0003 § 1, 2019)

Long Beach City Zoning Code

CHAPTER 21

39 - HIGH-RISE OVERLAY DISTRICT

21.39.010 - Purpose.

The purpose of this Chapter is to establish special building height limits to allow taller, highrise buildings to locate outside the downtown area.

(Ord. C-6533 § 1 (part), 1988)

21.39.020 - Building height restrictions.

Where no numbers are indicated on the zoning map, the height in both feet and stories shall be determined and specified during site plan review.

(Ord. C-6533 § 1 (part), 1988)

21.39.030 - Applicable districts.

(ORD-25-0011 § 1, 2025; Ord. C-6684 § 5, 1990)

21.39.110 - Permitted uses.

Any use permitted in the underlying zoning district shall be permitted in the high-rise overlay district.

(Ord. C-6533 § 1 (part), 1988)

21.39.210 - General provisions.

Section 21.39.220 sets forth special development standards for buildings in a high-rise overlay district permitted to exceed the height limits established for the underlying district.

(Ord. C-6533 § 1 (part), 1988)

21.39.220 - High-rise restrictions.

Building Height. Development shall not exceed the building height restrictions indicated on the zoning map as described in Section 21.39.020 above.

Landscape Buffer. All lots with buildings greater than forty-five feet (45') in height shall require a landscaped buffer on all four (4) sides of the building.

Other Standards. For all other development standards, the standards for the underlying district shall apply.

(Ord. C-6533 § 1 (part), 1988)

21.39.230 - Residential use.

When the high-rise overlay is applied to a district which allows residential, any building containing primarily residential use shall be allowed the applicable density of the R-4-H zone.

(Ord. C-6684 § 6, 1990)

Table 39-1
High-Rise Yard Requirements

Yard	Required Setback
1. Yards abutting a street ^(a)	20 ft.
2. Yards abutting residential district ^(b)
a. If building height less than or equal to 45′	Same as underlying district
b. If building height greater than 45′	⅕ of the building height, but total setback not to exceed fifteen (15) percent of the lot width or depth as applicable
3. Yards abutting nonresidential district	Same as underlying district
^(a) An average setback for yards abutting a street shall be allowed through the Site Plan Review process, provided no building encroaches more than ten feet (10') into the required setback. For purposes of establishing an average setback, no portion of a building setback more than thirty feet (30') may contribute to the average setback calculation. ^(b) Includes residential district across an alley.

(ORD-19-0003 § 1, 2019)