Chapter 5 — COMMERCIAL ZONES — El Segundo Zoning Code

ARTICLE A. PERMITTED USES IN COMMERCIAL ZONES

SECTION: 15-5A-1: Permitted Uses

15-5A-1: PERMITTED USES: ¶

Table No. 1 below contains the uses permitted in the C-2, C-3, C-4, CO, MU-N, and MU-S zones, including uses permitted by right, accessory uses, uses subject to an administrative use permit, and uses subject to a conditional use permit.

Table No. 1 - Permitted uses in commercial zones

Uses				Zones1
	C-2	C-3	C-4	CO	MU-N	MU- S

Uses				Zones1
	C-2	C-3	C-4	CO	MU-N	MU- S
Eating and drinking establishments
Alcohol - Off-site sale at retail establishments.	AUP	AUP	AUP	AUP	AUP	AUP
Alcohol - On site sale and consumption at bars.	CUP	CUP	CUP	CUP	CUP	CUP
Alcohol On-site sale and consumption at restaurants and hotels	AUP	AUP	AUP	AUP	AUP	AUP
Cafés	A	A	A	A	A	A
Drive-through restaurants		CUP2		CUP2	CUP2	CUP2
Micro-brewery with tasting room and/or dining			CUP		CUP	CUP
Outdoor dining areas, per ESMC Chapter 15-2	A	A	A	A	A	A
Restaurants, delicatessens, and cafés	P	P	P	P	P	P
General Commercial uses
Adult-oriented businesses per ESMC Chapter 15-13						P
Animal hospitals (and veterinary services)	P	P	P
Billiard/pool rooms and bowling alleys	P	P	P

Business and consumer support services		P			P	P
---	---	---	---	---	---	---
Car rental agencies	CUP	CUP
Catering services and flight kitchens					CUP	CUP
Farmers' market			P
Financial institutions			P		P	P
Fitness centers	P	P	P3	P	P	P
General offices	P	P4	P	P	P	P
Indoor sale of automobiles, motorcycles, and motor scooters			P
Massage establishments, per ESMC Chapter 4-10			CUP			CUP
Medical-dental offices	P	P	P	P	P	P
Medical-dental laboratories	A	P	A	A	P	P
Motion picture/television production facilities (indoor)8					P	P
Motion picture/television production facilities (outdoor)8					CUP	CUP
Multi-media offices		P	P	P	P	P
Office worker-oriented services, not located on Pacific Coast Highway or El Segundo Boulevard				P
Personal services	P	P	P		P	P
Retail sales	P	P	P		P	P
Service stations		CUP6		CUP6	CUP6	CUP6
Group care and hospitality uses
Bed and breakfast inns	CUP
Daycare centers	P	P	P	P	P	P
Hospitals					CUP	CUP
Hotels and motels		P		CUP5	P	P
Industrial
Freight forwarding	N	N	N	N	N	N
Light industrial uses					AUP	AUP
Research and development uses				P7	P7	P7
Waste material transfer and storage	N	N	N	N	N	N
Wholesale uses					P	P
Institutional

Government buildings/public uses	P	P		P
---	---	---	---	---	---	---
Museums				CUP
Schools
Miscellaneous uses
Any use customarily incidental to a permitted use	A	A	A	A	A	A
Assembly halls			P		CUP	CUP
Data centers					P	P
Drive-through or walk-up services, excluding drive- through restaurants	A	A	A	A	A	A
Employee recreational facilities and play areas	A	A	A	A	A	A
Helicopter landing facilities per ESMC Section 15-2-13		CUP		CUP	CUP	CUP
Open storage of commodities sold or utilized on the premises	A	A	A	A	A	A
Commercial Parking facilities, including park and ride lots					CUP	CUP
Parking structures and surface parking lots	A	A	A	A	A	A
Permitted uses conducted in a trailer, shipping container or similar structure			AUP
Recreational facilities (public and private)	P	P	P	P	CUP	CUP
Residential uses	A
Shared mobility parking facilities	A	A	A	A	A	A
Solar energy systems - Small and medium-scale ground- mounted	A	A	A	A	A	A
Solar energy systems - Roof- mounted	A	A	A	A	A	A
Other similar uses approved by the Director, per ESMC Chapter 15-22	P, A, AUP, CUP	P, A, AUP, CUP	P, A, AUP , CUP	P, A, AUP, CUP	P, A, AUP, CUP	P, A, AUP, CUP

Notes:

P = Permitted use, A = Accessory use, AUP = Use subject to an administrative use permit (Per ESMC Chapters 22 and 23), CUP = Use subject to a conditional use permit (per ESMC Chapters 24 and 28), N = prohibited
Drive-through restaurants are permitted with a CUP only east of Pacific Coast Highway.
Fitness centers in the C-4 zone are only permitted indoors
General offices in the C-3 zone are limited to a maximum gross area of 5,000 square feet
Hotels in the CO zone are not permitted west of Pacific Coast highway
Service stations are permitted with a CUP only when located at least 500 feet from any residential zoned

property. This distance restriction does not apply to properties east of Pacific Coast Highway

Research and development uses in commercial zones are permitted only east of Pacific Coast Highway
See ESMC Article 15-7B regarding the Multimedia Overlay (MMO) District and its permitted uses

(Ord. 1648, 6-21-2023; amd. Ord. 1661, 5-21-2024)

ARTICLE B. DOWNTOWN COMMERCIAL (C-RS) ZONE

SECTION: 15-5B-1: Purpose 15-5B-2: Permitted Uses 15-5B-3: Site Development Standards

15-5B-4: Landscaping 15-5B-5: Off Street Parking And Loading Spaces 15-5B-6: Signs 15-5B-7: Residential Use Standards

15-5B-1: PURPOSE: ¶

The purpose of this zone is to provide consistency with and implement policies related to those locations which are designated Downtown Commercial on the General Plan land use map and in the General Plan text. This zone is comprised of commercial retail-service areas and certain lands where such development is desirable and appears likely to occur. Regulations are designed to stabilize and protect the commercial retail-service character of the downtown area, and to create a favorable environment for pedestrian circulation and access. Principal uses are, therefore, restricted to commercial retail-service use, and certain essential and complementary uses as permitted under the conditional use permit. (Ord. 1648, 6-21-2023)

15-5B-2: PERMITTED USES: ¶

Permitted uses, permitted accessory uses, uses subject to administrative use permit, and uses subject to conditional use permit for all commercial zones are listed in Article 15-5A of this Title. (Ord. 1648, 6-21-2023)

15-5B-3: SITE DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS: ¶

All uses within the C-RS Zone shall comply with the development standards contained in this section.

A. General Provisions:

All uses shall be conducted within a fully enclosed building, except:

a. Outdoor restaurants, cafes or seating areas, provided they comply with the provisions of section 15-2-16 of this title; and
b. Outdoor recreational activities.

Required on-site parking shall not be allowed between the use and/or building and the front lot line upon which said use or building faces.
Prior to approval of any development project, all criteria of the Transportation Demand Management (TDM) and trip reduction criteria, as provided for in chapter 16 of this title shall be met.
Other provisions as required by chapter 2 of this title.

B. Lot area: A minimum of 5,000 square feet.
C. Height:

Buildings and structures shall not exceed the height of 45 feet.
A maximum grade differential of 8 feet is permitted on sloping lots. The vertical height which exceeds the maximum grade differential limit is included in measuring the maximum building height. On sloped lots, a segmented grade plane may be applied to different portions of a building.
See section 15-2-3 of this title for exceptions to building height.

D. Setbacks:

Front Yard: None required, unless both the C-RS Zone and a residential zone occupy the same block face. In such a case, the setback shall be the same as the residential zone.
Side Yard: None required, unless the side yard abuts property with a different zone classification, in which case the side yard setback shall be a minimum of 10 feet.
Rear Yard: None required, unless the following conditions exist:

a. If the rear yard adjoins an alley, dedicated street, public right-of-way, or if the primary access is through the rear yard, rear yard setback shall be a minimum of 10 feet; and
b. If the rear yard abuts property with a non-commercial zone classification, the rear yard setback shall be a minimum of 10 feet.
E. Lot frontage: No minimum requirements.
F. Building Area: The total net floor area of all buildings, excluding residential floor area, shall not exceed the total net square footage of the property multiplied by 1.0 or an FAR of one to one (1:1).
G. Walls and fences: Walls and fences shall comply with the requirements of chapter 2 of this title.

H. Access: All development projects shall provide adequate access and facilities for various modes of transit, as required by the City's Transportation Demand Management Program in chapter 16 of this title. In addition, all development projects shall provide pedestrian access between buildings and transit facilities located on site and/or off site, if within adjoining public rights-of-way. If the building is part of a multi-building development project, then safe and convenient pedestrian access shall be provided between buildings. (Ord. 1648, 6-21-2023)

15-5B-4: LANDSCAPING: ¶

Landscaping must be provided as required by section 15-2-14 and chapter 15A of this Title. (Ord. 1648, 6-21-2023)

15-5B-5: OFF STREET PARKING AND LOADING SPACES: ¶

As required by chapter 15 of this title. (Ord. 1648, 6-21-2023)

15-5B-6: SIGNS: ¶

As required by chapter 18 of this title. (Ord. 1648, 6-21-2023)

15-5B-7: RESIDENTIAL USE STANDARDS: ¶

Residential uses shall be permitted only on the floor above street level, provided the street level is used for commercial purposes. One dwelling unit shall be permitted for each 4,356 square feet of lot area. Parking for the residential use shall conform with the requirements for multiple-family dwelling units, except that parking shall not be

required to be provided in a covered structure. Tandem parking shall be allowed in a configuration that provides all of the commercial spaces direct ingress and egress to the site. (Ord. 1648, 6-21-2023)