Long Beach Municipal Code Div. I General Provisions

The purpose of this Chapter is to establish regulations for parking and loading to ensure that vehicle traffic and loading activities associated with a use do not interfere with circulation on public rights-of-way or circulation within required parking areas and to ensure that an adequate number of parking spaces is provided to serve the use of a specific site without causing traffic congestion.

(Ord. C-6533 § 1 (part), 1988)

The provisions of this Chapter shall apply to all proposed and established land uses, buildings and structures and shall be the minimum standards for all off-street parking and loading.

(Ord. C-6533 § 1 (part), 1988)

An application for a building permit shall include a plot plan indicating the location of the proposed parking and loading, all structures on the lot, the location of all public improvements in the adjoining right-of-way, the location of driveways and curb cuts on adjoining properties and such other information as is requested to properly evaluate the adequacy of the required parking and the suitability of curb cuts to the site.

A. Residential Uses. In all new residential developments, all required parking shall be provided on the same site as the dwelling unit or units.

B. Other Uses. Required parking may be located on an adjacent lot, provided the parking lot conforms to Section 21.41.222 of this Chapter. If any required parking is not located on the same lot as the proposed construction, the applicant shall submit an affidavit, signed by the owner of the lot on which the parking is proposed, indicating an irrevocable right to use the lot for the parking.

(Ord. C-6895 § 19, 1991: Ord. C-6533 § 1 (part), 1988)

All parking facilities and loading areas shall be maintained in a neat and orderly condition and shall be clear of obstruction by any object including appliances, hobby equipment, storage of nonoperational vehicles, and the like.

(Ord. C-6533 § 1 (part), 1988)

All new construction and new uses of land shall provide off-street parking and loading according to the provisions and requirements of this Chapter.

(Ord. C-6533 § 1 (part), 1988)

A. No new parking shall be required for changes of use of any existing square footage within a building more than ten (10) years old.

B. This Section shall not apply to the following uses: hotel, motel, inn, bed and breakfast inn, other transient lodging, and event center.

(ORD-24-0033 § 5, 2024)

The provision and maintenance of required off-street parking and loading facilities and areas, and of area available to the owner or user of real property for meeting minimum required parking standards, shall be a continuing obligation of the property owner and user, therefore, the number of existing off-street parking and loading spaces shall not be reduced, or in any other way modified, below the standards required by the Zoning Regulations except as otherwise provided by this Section, or elsewhere in the Zoning Regulations, or as required by the Building Official to comply with disabled access or electric vehicle charging parking space requirements.

A. Reduction prohibited. An owner or user of real property containing uses for which off-street parking or loading facilities or areas are required by the Zoning Regulations, shall not reduce, diminish, or eliminate existing required off-street parking or loading facilities or areas under the ownership or control of such owner or user, whether on the same lot or on a separate lot from the use requiring such off-street parking or loading facilities or area; nor shall an owner or user sell, transfer, lease, or otherwise make unavailable for such required off-street parking or loading facilities or area any portion of the lot or of any adjacent lot under the same ownership or control, if the same is necessary for and available to satisfy, in whole or in part, the off-street parking or loading requirements imposed by the Zoning Regulations.

B. Exception for unbundled parking. In accordance with Section 1947.1 of the California Civil Code, as amended, for a residential building containing 16 or more dwelling units, for which the initial certificate of occupancy is issued on or after January 1, 2025, and for which parking is unbundled from the price of rent as required by Civil Code Section 1947.1, any parking space not rented to the tenant of a dwelling unit to which it would otherwise be bundled, may be rented to the tenant of another residential dwelling unit or non-residential tenant space on the same lot or parcel, or to the tenant of another residential dwelling unit on another lot or parcel if the off-site location complies with the distance requirement of Subsection 21.41.222.A. However, each tenant shall have the right of first refusal to rent the parking space which would otherwise be bundled to the tenant's unit. This exception shall not apply to the following circumstances:

1. A residential property or unit with an individual garage that is functionally a part of the property or unit, including, but not limited to, single-family dwellings, duplexes, townhouses and row houses.

2. A housing development of which 100 percent of its units, exclusive of any manager's unit or units, are restricted by deed, regulatory restriction contained in an agreement with a governmental agency, or other recorded document as affordable housing for persons and families of low or moderate income, as defined in Section 50093 of the California Health and Safety Code.

3. A housing development that receives low-income housing tax credits pursuant to Section 42 of the Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. Sec.42).

4. A housing development that is financed with tax-exempt bonds pursuant to a program administered by the California Housing Finance Agency.

(ORD-24-0033 § 18, 2024)

No minimum number of vehicular parking spaces shall be required by the Zoning Regulations or any Planned Development District or Specific Plan for any lot or parcel that is within, or partially within, the Parking Exempt Area, as established in Section 21.41.180, subject to the following exceptions and additional requirements:

A. Vehicular parking only. This Section shall apply only to vehicular (automobile) parking requirements.

B. Continuing applicability of development standards. This Section shall in no way lessen or reduce the applicability of any other zoning development standard specified for parking and loading in the Zoning Regulations, including but not limited to parking space dimensions, turning radius, and drive aisle and driveway widths.

C. Continuing applicability of EV charging and ADA requirements. For any multi-family residential or non-residential project, this Section shall not reduce, eliminate, or preclude the enforcement of any requirement for the provision of electric-vehicle (EV) parking spaces or infrastructure ("EV charger," "EV space," "EV charging station," and "EV supply equipment," as these terms are used by the Building Official, as amended from time to time), or parking spaces that are accessible to persons with disabilities, where such spaces otherwise would be required.

D. Inapplicability to specific uses. This Section shall not apply to the following uses: hotel, motel, inn, bed and breakfast inn, and other transient lodging.

E. Event center employee and worker parking. For an event center, parking spaces shall be provided for employees and other workers as required by the Zoning Regulations.

F. Inapplicability by findings. This Section shall not apply to any project for which the City makes written findings within 30 days of receipt of a completed application, that not imposing or enforcing parking and/or loading minimums would have a substantially negative impact, supported by a preponderance of evidence in the record, on any one of items 1 through 3 below:

1. The City's ability to meet its share of the regional housing need in accordance with Section 65584 of the Cal. Gov't Code for low- and very low-income households.

2. The City's ability to meet any special housing needs for the elderly or persons with disabilities identified in the analysis required pursuant to paragraph (7) of subdivision (a) of Section 65583 of the Cal. Gov't Code.

3. Existing residential or commercial parking within one-half mile of the proposed project.

4. This Subsection 21.41.175.F shall not apply to housing projects in any of the following circumstances:

a. The proposed project dedicates a minimum of 20 percent of the total number of housing units to very low, low, or moderate-income households, students, the elderly, or persons with disabilities.

b. The proposed project contains fewer than 20 dwelling units.

c. The proposed project is subject to parking reductions based on the provisions of any other applicable law.

G. Inapplicability to contractual obligations. This Section shall not apply to parking requirements for non-residential uses if it would conflict with an existing contractual obligation of the City that was executed before January 1, 2023, provided that all of the non-residential parking is shared with the public. This exemption also shall apply to any contractual obligation amended on or after January 1, 2023, provided that the amendment(s) do not increase the non-residential parking requirement. A project also may build or provide additional parking that is not shared with the public for purposes of this Subsection 21.41.175.G.

H. Requirements applicable to voluntary parking. For any project to which this Section applies, any parking or loading space that is provided above and beyond the requirements of this Section shall be subject to any other applicable requirements under the Zoning Regulations, including but not limited to Transportation Demand Management (TDM) measures, alternate mobility requirements, project conditions of approval, and the like, except that any parking space provided above and beyond the requirements of this Section shall not be required to be provided to residents free of charge.

(ORD-24-0033 § 6, 2024)

There shall be a Parking Exempt Area Map depicting the geographic area of the City to which Section 21.41.175 applies. The Zoning Administrator shall direct the production and maintenance of this map in accordance with Cal. Gov't Code Section 65863.2 (aka AB 2097), as amended, and shall update this map periodically or as necessary. The Parking Exempt Area Map shall be on file in the office of the Department of Community Development, and said map and all notations, references and other information shown on it, are incorporated by reference and shall be deemed as much a part of this Title as if the matters and information set forth by the map were fully described in this Chapter.

(ORD-24-0033 § 7, 2024)

No minimum number of loading spaces shall be required by the Zoning Regulations or any Planned Development District or Specific Plan for any lot or parcel that is within, or partially within, the Parking Exempt Area, as established in Section 21.41.180, in the same manner as exemption from a minimum number of parking spaces is set forth in Section 21.41.175 and with the same exceptions and additional requirements, and subject to the following additional exceptions and additional requirements:

A. Inapplicability to specific uses. This Section shall not apply to the following uses:

1. Daycare, preschool, or elementary school, except that on-street loading spaces may be substituted for the required off-street loading spaces if approved by the Director of Public Works or City Traffic Engineer,

2. Hotel, motel, inn, bed and breakfast inn, other transient lodging,

3. Manufacturing, packing, industrial assembly, or warehousing uses greater than 3,000 sq. ft.,

4. Medical or dental office, or hospital, if more than 50 off-street parking spaces would be required by the Zoning Regulations before any exceptions,

5. Public assembly,

6. Retail, service, or office commercial if more than 50 off-street parking spaces would be required by Zoning Regulations before any exceptions,

7. Supermarket, grocery-, drug-, variety-, department-, furniture-, hardware- or appliance store, or shopping center greater than 10,000 sq. ft. GFA, or

8. Event center.

B. Loading required before additional parking.

1. Required loading spaces shall be provided prior to addition or designation of any parking spaces beyond the minimum parking requirements of this Chapter, after exceptions.

2. If the site, except event centers, has no off-street parking spaces to be converted to loading spaces after provision of the minimum parking requirements of this Chapter, after exceptions, the applicant shall request the Director of Public Works to designate the appropriate type and number or length of curb loading space(s) in the public right-of-way adjacent to the lot or parcel, if feasible.

(ORD-24-0033 § 8, 2024)

If existing parking and loading spaces are completely removed (e.g., demolition of a garage or removal of parking area) from a lot or parcel under the authority of Sections 21.41.175 and/or 21.41.185, then any driveway and other paved area that served the removed parking or loading also shall be removed, and landscaping shall be installed in accordance with the requirements of Chapter 21.42. Any curb cut(s) that served the driveway(s) shall be closed and reconstructed to full-height curb and gutter, as required by Section 21.41.253. This Section shall not apply if the reason for removal of the parking or loading spaces is for conversion of the space in question to an Accessory Dwelling Unit, Junior Accessory Dwelling Unit, or Two-Unit Residential Development (aka SB 9 unit).

(ORD-24-0033 § 9, 2024)