Los Alamitos Municipal Code Ch. 17.10 Commercial and Industrial Zones

The purposes of the commercial and industrial zones are as follows:

A. Commercial-Professional Office Zone (C-O). The C-O zone is established to accommodate administrative and professional offices, retail commercial uses, restaurants and other food service uses, and other complementary uses and facilities. The C-O zone implements the General Plan Professional Office land use designation.

B. General Commercial Zone (C-G). The C-G zone is established to accommodate a wide range of retail sales, business, dining, personal, and professional services, as well as entertainment and lodging. The land uses allowed in this zone will generally serve the entire community and the region. The C-G zone implements the General Plan Retail Business land use designation.

C. Planned Light Industrial Zone (P-L-I). The P-L-I zone is established to accommodate manufacturing, research and development, product assembly, equipment repair, and other light manufacturing businesses that have limited environmental impact in terms of noise, traffic, odors, hazardous materials use/production, and vibration. Other allowed uses include indoor commercial recreation uses such as fitness studios, sports courts/fields, and sports instructional facilities, provided such uses can be found compatible with and not detrimental to the operations of the primary permitted light industrial uses. The regulation of uses and standards of development identified for the P-L-I zone are those deemed necessary to provide the proper environment for industrial businesses, and to provide the proper safeguards to protect nearby residential, commercial, and public uses. The P-L-I zone implements the General Plan Planned Industrial land use designation.

(Ord. 688 § 1, 2006; Ord. 16-03 § 4, 2016; Ord. 19-03 § 3, 2019)

A. Use Regulations. This section, and Table 2-04 (Allowed Uses and Permit Requirements for Commercial and Industrial Zones) in particular, identifies the uses of land that may be allowed within each of the zones established in Section 17.04.020 (Zones Established) and indicates whether any special permit is required for each allowable use.

B. Permitted Uses, Use Permits, and Uses Not Allowed.

1. Permitted Use ("P"). A permitted use is a use permitted as a matter of right, subject to compliance with applicable provisions of this Zoning Code, including Site Development Permit—Major and Minor (Chapter 17.44) and a building permit or other permit required by the Municipal Code.

2. Permitted as an Accessory Use ("A"). Accessory uses that are clearly incidental to a primary permitted or conditionally permitted use are permitted as a matter of right, subject to the requirements of this Zoning Code, including Section 17.28.035 (Accessory Structures— Nonresidential Zones).

3. Administrative Use Permit ("AUP"). Uses that are allowed subject to the approval of an Administrative Use Permit (Chapter 17.32).

4. Conditional Use Permit ("CUP"). Uses that are allowed subject to the approval of a Conditional Use Permit (Chapter 17.32).

5. Temporary Use Permit ("TUP"). Temporary uses are subject to the approval of a Temporary Use Permit (Chapter 17.46).

6. Uses Not Allowed ("—"). Uses with an "—" indication in Table 2-04 are not allowed in the specified zone.

C. Specific Use Regulations. All uses, regardless of the type of permit that may be required, shall comply with applicable provision of this Zoning Code. In addition, if there is a section number in the last column of the Table 2-04 labeled Specific Use Regulations, the use is also subject to the referenced provisions.

D. Zoning Permit Required. For any use permitted as a matter of right, such use shall require approval of a Zoning Permit in compliance with Chapter 17.50 (Zoning Consistency Review).

E. Multiple Uses on a Single Site. When a proposed project includes multiple land uses and more than one type of land use permit is required, the most restrictive land use permit shall apply to the entire project application.

F. Director Determination. Land uses are defined in Division 7 (Definitions). In cases where a specific land use or activity is not defined, the Director shall assign the land use or activity to a classification substantially similar in character. Land uses not listed in Table 2-04 or not found to be substantially similar to the land uses, as determined by the Director, are prohibited.

G. Prohibited Uses. The following uses are specifically prohibited in all commercial and industrial zones:

1. All Cannabis Activities, including Cannabis Deliveries, Commercial Cannabis Activities, and Commercial Cultivation, even by Qualified Patients and Caregivers

2. Freight and/or Truck Terminals

3. Gun and Ammunition Stores

4. Manufacturing—Heavy

5. Recycling, Large Collection

6. Recycling, Processing Facility

7. Salvage Yard

8. Swap Meets—Indoor or Outdoor

9. Tobacco and Vape Stores

Table 2-04: Allowed Uses and Permit Requirements for Commercial and Industrial Zones

(Ord. 688 § 1, 2006; Ord. 691 § 1, 2006; Ord. 09-09 § 1, 2009; Ord. 11-06 § 2, 2011; Ord. 13-02 § 1, 2013; Ord. 13-04 § 4, 2013; Ord. 14-03 § 4, 2014; Ord. 14-08 § 2, 2014; Ord. 14-09 § 2, 2014; Ord. 15-08 § 2, 2015; Ord. 15-11 § 5, 2016; Ord. 15-12 § 3, 2016; Ord. 16-03 § 5, 2016; Ord. 16-05 § 1, 2016; Ord. 17-09 § 4, 2017; Ord. 19-03 § 3, 2019; Ord. 21-02 §§ 6—12, 2021; Ord. 2025-11, 11/17/2025)

The general property development standards for the C-O, C-G, and P-L-I zones shall be as set forth in Table 2-05: General Development Standards for Commercial and Industrial Zones. Exceptions to these standards are set forth in Section 17.10.040 (Exceptions to Development Standards in Commercial and Industrial Zones).

Table 2-05: General Development Standards for Commercial and Industrial Zones

(Ord. 688 § 1, 2006; Ord. 16-03 § 6, 2016; Ord. 19-03 § 3, 2019)

A. Height of Public Facilities Structures. Structures at schools, religious institutions, hospitals, and other permitted institutional uses may have a maximum height of 50 feet. For any structure that exceeds the height limit for the zone in which it is located, the front, rear, and side setbacks shall be increased one foot for each one foot by which each structure exceeds the height limit established for the zone.

B. Additional Height via CUP. For all other uses, a maximum height of five stories/60 feet may be allowed upon approval of a Conditional Use Permit. Factors to be considered by the Planning Commission in whether to grant the additional height are as follows:

1. A structure with increased height shall be located at least 100 feet from a residential zone.

2. The Planning Commission may require that vision into adjacent residences be limited from a structure with increased height.

3. Open space shall constitute 10 percent of the total site area, in addition to any amount required to be landscaped.

4. The structure shall have no more gross floor area than could have been achieved if the structure were 40 feet or less in height. In computation of gross floor area, floor area devoted to parking shall be disregarded.

C. C-O Height Restrictions Adjacent to Residential Zone. When adjacent to a residential zone, in the C-O zone height limits shall be:

1. 25 feet/one story within 25 feet of a residential zone.

2. 35 feet/two stories within 25 to 75 feet of a residential zone.

3. 50 feet/three stories within 76 to 150 feet of a residential zone.

D. Front Setbacks within C-O Zone. Front setbacks within the C-O zone shall extend across the full width of the lot (except for access drives, walks, fences, and minor ornamental structures). The Planning Commission may allow staggering of setbacks as part of a total development plan, but in no case shall a setback of less than 10 feet be allowed.

E. Metal Structures Setbacks in P-L-I Zone.

1. Metal structures may be located closer than 100 feet to the street if the following conditions prevail:

a. The sheet metal comprises 25 percent or less of the exterior wall area of the structure; or

b. The sheet metal consists of panels with baked enamel or similar finish; or

c. The structure is concealed from view from the public street by walls, fences, landscaping, or other structures.

2. Metal structures shall be set back a minimum of 150 feet from any property line along a freeway or major/secondary highway, and 100 feet from the property line along any other street.

(Ord. 19-03 § 3, 2019)

New land uses and structures, and alterations to existing land uses and structures, shall be designed, constructed, and/or established in compliance with the requirements in Division 3—Site Planning and General Development Standards and Division 4—Regulations for Specific Land Uses and Activities.

(Ord. 19-03 § 3, 2019)