Article 51 — HCO HOUSING CORRIDOR OVERLAY ZONE

The Housing Corridor Overlay Zone (HCO) provides incentives for residential development within strategic locations in the City of Torrance. The HCO was established as part of the implementation of the General Plan Housing Element and meeting the City’s Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) allocation.

The Housing Corridor Overlay Zone is applicable to several geographic areas within the City. The boundaries of the Housing Corridor Overlay are shown in the Torrance Zoning Map.

a) The Housing Corridor Overlay Zone is applied over base zoning districts and is elective, rather than mandatory. Properties where the HCO is applied are required to either comply with the requirements of the base zoning district, or elect to comply with the requirements of the HCO. Standards which apply in all zoning districts (e.g., sign standards, fence/wall standards, parking design standards) will still apply in properties electing to apply the Housing Corridor Overlay Zone, unless specifically established by the HCO.

b) If a regulatory conflict arises between the HCO and the base zoning district, the HCO will prevail. For subjects where the HCO is silent, the base zoning district and other relevant standards of the Torrance Municipal Code will prevail.

The table below establishes the allowable uses within the Housing Corridor Overlay Zone. All uses which are permitted or conditionally permitted within the underlying base zoning district remain permitted or conditionally permitted respectively, unless noted here. The primary uses allowed within the HCO are residential, while supportive commercial uses are also allowed.

Table 91.51.040-1: Housing Corridor Overlay – Allowable Uses

Permitted by-right (P)

Permitted with a Minor Use Permit (M)

Permitted with a Conditional Use Permit (C)

a) Sub-Area 1. The residential density shall be between 9.1 dwelling units per acre and 31 dwelling units per acre. Property within Sub-Area 1 and located on Illinois Court shall be limited to 9.1 – 18 dwelling units per acre.

b) Sub-Area 2. The residential density shall be between 20 dwelling units per acre and 44 dwelling units per acre.

c) Sub-Area 3. The residential density shall be between 31.1 dwelling units per acre and 44 dwelling units per acre.

a) Sub-Area 1. The maximum building height shall be 35 feet. Buildings within 50 feet of an abutting R-1 District are limited to 27 feet (2-stories).

b) Sub-Area 2. The maximum building height shall be 50 feet.

c) Sub-Area 3. The maximum building height shall be 75 feet; floors greater than 50 feet shall be stepped back 5 feet on all sides of the facade. Buildings within 50 feet of an abutting R-1 District are limited to 27 feet (2-stories).

d) The building height of all parking structures within the Housing Corridor Overlay shall comply with building height limitations.

e) The following structures are allowed to exceed the established building height limit: skylights, chimneys, flagpoles, rooftop open space features (such as trellises and sun shades), elevator and stair towers, decorative features (such as spires, bell towers, cupolas, obelisks, and monuments), fire escapes and catwalks required by law, solar panels, building-mounted antennas and tele-communication facilities, and utilities.

a) Sub-Area 1. The front yard shall be 10 feet.

b) Sub-Area 2. The front yard shall be 5 feet.

c) Sub-Area 3. The front yard shall be 5-10 feet, or 20 feet if adjacent to the R-1 District.

d) Encroachments such as decks, patios, and eave overhangs shall comply with the provisions of Division 9, Article 5 (Yards).

a) Sub-Area 1. The side yard shall be 5 feet, or 10 feet where the side yard property line is adjacent to a property in the R-1 District.

b) Sub-Area 2. The side yard shall be 10 feet.

c) Sub-Area 3. The side yard shall be 10 feet.

d) Encroachments such as decks, patios, and eave overhangs shall comply with the provisions of Division 9, Article 5 (Yards).

a) Sub-Area 1. The rear yard shall be 5 feet, or 20 feet if adjacent to the R-1 District.

b) Sub-Area 2. The rear yard shall be 5 feet if adjacent to an alley; 20 feet if adjacent to the R-1 District, and 10 feet otherwise.

c) Sub-Area 3. The rear yard shall be 20 feet if adjacent to the R-1 District, and 10 feet otherwise.

d) Encroachments such as decks, patios, and eave overhangs shall comply with the provisions of Division 9, Article 5 (Yards).

The yard adjacent to any internal roadways shall be 5 feet. Internal drive aisle requirement does not apply to motor court or other internal drive aisles that provide access to parking.

Sub-Area 2 and 3. A lot shall have a minimum street frontage of 100 linear feet along a street. Corner lots are only required to meet this standard for one street.

These minimum requirements replace the provisions of Division 9, Chapter 1 (Purpose – Districts Established).

a) The minimum usable open space shall be 150 square feet per dwelling unit, 60 square feet of which must be provided as private open space.

b) Usable open space may include areas such as recreation rooms and gyms, barbecue and picnic areas, swimming pools, gardens, community clubhouses, etc. Areas such as driveways, parking spaces and aisles, and loading zones are excluded from counting towards usable open space.

These minimum requirements replace the numerical provisions of Division 9, Chapter 3, Article 2 (Use and Parking Spaces Required). The remaining parking design standards of Division 9, Chapter 3 (Off-Street Parking) shall apply to all projects.

As the HCO is voluntary in nature, no housing and mixed-use development projects may be pursued under the HCO that are also proposed as AB 2097 projects and located within High-Quality Transit Corridors, as defined by State law. a) Multiple-Family Residence, Studio or One-Bedroom Unit. Every studio or one-bedroom unit shall provide one (1) parking space per dwelling unit, plus 0.2 visitor parking space per dwelling unit. b) Multiple-Family Residence, Two-Bedroom Unit or Greater. Every two-bedroom or greater unit shall provide two (2) parking spaces per dwelling unit, plus 0.2 visitor parking space per dwelling unit. c) Senior Citizen Housing. Every senior citizen housing unit shall provide 0.5 parking space per dwelling unit, plus 0.2 visitor parking space per dwelling unit. d) Non-Residential Uses. Non-residential uses shall provide off-street parking spaces in the amounts established by Chapter 3, Off Street Parking, of the Torrance Municipal Code.

The Housing Corridor Overlay Zone establishes the following minimum unit sizes for residential units. These minimum unit sizes supersede the standards established by Division 9, Article 20 (Living Areas).

a) Studio Unit. The minimum unit size shall be 450 square feet.

b) One-Bedroom Unit. The minimum unit size shall be 600 square feet.

c) Two-Bedroom Unit. The minimum unit size shall be 800 square feet.

d) Three-Bedroom Unit or Greater. The minimum unit size shall be 1,000 square feet.

The number of parking spaces required may be reduced as follows if the Director finds any or all of the following criteria are met. Parking reductions are cumulative; all applicable parking reductions may be applied in determining the number of required parking spaces.

a) Motorcycle Parking. Motorcycle parking may substitute for up to five percent of the required parking spaces. Each motorcycle space must be at least four feet wide and seven feet deep, and can accommodate two-wheeled motorized vehicles, including scooters, mopeds, and similar vehicles.

b) Electric Vehicle Parking. Every one (1) electric vehicle parking space shall count toward four parking spaces, up to a total of five (5) percent of the total required parking spaces.

c) Mixed-Use Sites.

• 1. Where a shared parking facility serving more than one use will be provided, required residential guest parking spaces may substitute for required commercial parking spaces, or vice versa.
• 2. Additionally, shared parking facilities can reduce the required number of parking spaces by up to 10 percent with Director approval if the below findings are made.

• A) The peak hours of use will not overlap or coincide to the degree that peak demand for parking spaces form all uses will be greater than the total supply of spaces;

• B) The proposed share parking provided will be adequate to serve each use;

• C) Parking spaces in the shared parking facility will not be reserved for individual tenants, owners, or their visitors without approval of an overall parking management plan; and

D) A shared parking agreement shall be recorded on the property with the County of Los Angeles, and proof of recordation provided to the City.

The following site and building design standards identified below would apply to all properties within the HCO.

a) Building Form and Hierarchy. Buildings shall be designed to differentiate between a defined base; a middle or body; and a top, cornice, or parapet cap. All buildings shall achieve this effect through at least two of the following:

• 1. Color, texture, or material changes.
• 2. Variations, projections, or reveals in the wall plane.
• 3. Variations in fenestration size or pattern.

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4. Decorative architectural details, such as cornices and columns.

FIGURE 91.51.0160-1 BUILDING FORM AND HIERARCHY, THREE STORY MASSING

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FIGURE 91.51.0160-2 BUILDING FORM AND HIERARCHY, FOUR STORY MASSING

b) Wall Plane Variation. Building facades shall not extend more than 50 feet in length without either a two-foot variation in wall plane, architectural element, or other prominent feature that provides visual interest. Building entrances, front porches, and projections such as stoops, bays, overhangs, and trellises may count

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towards this requirement.

FIGURE 91.51.0160-3 WALL PLANE VARIATION

c) Four-Sided Architecture. Buildings shall be designed with quality common details, materials, and elements on all sides.

d) Corner Buildings. Buildings located on the corner of two streets shall include one or more of the following features on both facades, to be located within 25 feet of the corner of the building.

• 1. A primary building entrance or an entrance to a ground-floor use.
• 2. A different material application, color, or finish from the rest of the façade.
• 3. A different fenestration pattern of windows and doors from the rest of the façade.
• 4. A variation in height at least 18 inches taller or shorter than the height of the abutting façade.

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FIGURE 91.51.0160-4 CORNER BUILDINGS

• e) Roof Line Variation. Roof lines shall not extend more than a length of 50 feet without at least one prominent change as described below:

• 1. Variation in roof form, such as hip, gable, shed, and flat with parapet.
• 2. Variation in architectural elements, such as parapets or varying cornices.

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• 3. Variation of roof height of at least 18 inches.

FIGURE 91.51.0160-5 ROOF LINE VARIATION

f) Materials and Colors.

• 1. Wall Material. The primary exterior wall material for buildings shall be wood, stone, brick, stucco, fiber cement, composite wood or composite stone. Plywood is prohibited.

2. Material Transitions. Transitions or changes in material shall occur at the inside corners of intersecting walls or at architectural features that break up the wall plane, such as columns or piers.

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FIGURE 91.51.0160-6 MATERIAL TRANSITIONS

• 3. Affordable units and market rate units within the same development shall be constructed of the same materials and details such that the units are not distinguishable from one another in quality and detail.

g) Vehicular Access.

• 1. Sub-Area 1, Illinois Court. For the purposes of applying setbacks at the property within Sub-Area 1 and located on Illinois Court, Gramercy Place shall be considered the “front” of the site, Illinois Court shall be the “rear”, and the north and south property lines shall be the “sides”. Access to Illinois Court shall be solely limited to emergency vehicle access secured via Knox Box lock with access to Police and Fire and other City Departments as needed.
• 2. Sub-Area 2, Access Location. Residential developments located in Sub-Area 2 shall not take their primary access directly from Cabrillo Avenue or Border Avenue. Residential developments shall locate their parking in the side or rear of the lot, and surface parking shall not be located directly adjacent to Cabrillo Avenue or Border

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Avenue right-of-way.

FIGURE 91.51.0160-7 VEHICULAR ENTRANCE AND ACCESS

3. Vehicular Entrance and Access. A project shall have no greater than one (1) vehicle entrance per 150 feet of linear street frontage. If a project is located adjacent to an existing alley, a vehicle entrance/exit shall be provided from the alley.

4. Enhanced Paving for Entrance Driveways. Paving treatment using patterned and/or colored pavers, brick, or decorative colored and/or scored concrete shall be used for entrance driveways into the project, with a minimum of 12 feet deep and spanning the width of the driveway.

5. Vehicle Intrusion into Residential Units. Vehicle parking areas shall be located, oriented, and/or screened to prevent visual intrusion of vehicle lights into residential dwelling units.

6. Parking Structures. Parking structures shall comply with the height and setback standards in Section 91.51.060 (Building Height). Parking structures shall not have a smaller setback distance to the street than any residential or mixed-use building.

A) Wall Plane Variation. Parking structure facades shall not extend more than 50 feet in length without either a one-foot variation in wall plane, architectural element, or other prominent feature that provides visual interest.

B) Plantings. Every 50 feet in façade length, at least two vertical plantings shall be placed between parking structure openings, entrances, and architectural elements. Plantings shall be evergreen vegetation that will grow to a minimum height equivalent to 50 percent of the height of the parking structure at maturity.

h) Pedestrian Circulation and Access.

1. Pedestrian Connectivity. Pedestrian walkways shall connect residential dwelling units to areas throughout the site, such as vehicle parking areas, bicycle parking areas, open spaces, waste and recycling enclosures, and other areas within the development. Interior pedestrian walkways shall also connect to public sidewalks.

2. Pedestrian Walkway Requirements. Pedestrian walkways shall be provided with a minimum width of four feet along their entire length and shall be constructed of firm, stable, and slip-resistant materials such as poured-in-place concrete, stamped concrete, permeable paving, decomposed granite, or concrete pavers.

3. Pedestrian Crossings. Where a pedestrian walkway intersects with a vehicle access way, enhanced paving treatment using patterned and/or colored pavers, brick, or decorative colored and scored concrete shall be used. Enhanced paving shall be a minimum width of six feet and spanning the width of the driveway.

4. Access to Transit. Projects located near public right-of-way with existing or planned transit stops shall provide pedestrian walkways that connect to a public sidewalk or right-of-way within 100 feet of the transit stop.

i) Wayfinding. Development sites over two acres in size shall provide internal wayfinding signs with a unified color and font scheme and in compliance with Division 9, Chapter 11 (Signs). Signs shall include:

1. Sign at each vehicular and pedestrian entrance to the site.

2. Signs indicating direction to primary building entrance, if any.

3. Signs indicating direction to usable open space and parking areas.

j) Privacy.

1. Where windows are proposed within 15 feet of another residential building (within the project or on an adjacent residential property), window design shall avoid unfiltered/direct views into the site and shall be designed with one or more of the following:

A) Utilize non-transparent or obscured glazing, such as frosted or patterned glass. Reflective glazing is not permitted.

B) Provide permanent architectural screens or affixed louvers at windows.

C) Offset windows horizontally at least 12 inches from any windows in adjacent buildings (edge to edge), so as not to have a direct line-of-sight into adjacent units.

2. Landscape screening shall obscure direct sight lines into adjacent habitable living and gathering areas and may be used in combination with walls, fencing, and/or trellises to screen views. Where a residential building is within 10 feet of another residential building within the project or on an adjacent residential property, evergreen trees, shrubs, and vines that grow to a mature height of at least 8 feet shall be placed to screen views.

3. Screening located along side or rear yards adjacent to a property in the R-1 District shall consist of solid block walls.

The additional standards identified below apply to mixed-use developments within the HCO.

a) Ground Floor Height. The ground floor of a mixed-use building shall have a minimum floor height of 15 feet, measured from finished ground floor to the bottom of the finished second floor.

b) Ground Floor Transparency for Non-Residential Uses. Building facades for non-residential uses facing and within 20 feet of any public right-of-way or pedestrian walkway must include windows and doors for at least 50 percent of the building wall area located between three and seven feet in height, measured from the elevation

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of the public right-of-way.

FIGURE 91.51.170-1 GROUND FLOOR TRANSPARENCY

c) Street-Facing Entrance. Mixed-use buildings located within 20 feet of a street right-of-way shall incorporate at least one primary building entrance directly from the public sidewalk or right-of-way. Primary building entrances shall include weather protection that is a minimum of six feet wide and four feet deep by recessing the entrance, or providing an awning or other similar element.

d) Loading and Service Areas. All required loading and service areas shall be located adjacent to a façade other than that of the primary street frontage, and shall not be adjacent to usable open space areas.

The additional compatibility standards identified below are intended to address impacts of the interface between new residential land uses and existing industrial land uses. These serve as “good neighbor” standards for the Housing Corridor Overlay Zone. The compatibility standards apply to residential uses proposed adjacent to existing Industrial zoning districts (Light Manufacturing (M-1), Heavy Manufacturing (M-2), Limited Manufacturing (M-L), the City of Torrance and Industrial zoning districts of adjacent City or County jurisdictions.

a) Property Owner and Tenant Disclosures. Parcels within 300 feet of an industrial use shall have a disclosure provided upon the sale or transfer of the property deed, and upon the initiation of any property lease to a residential tenant. The disclosure shall include notice of the name of existing business(es), nature of the industrial activity, hours of operation.

b) Location and Orientation of Residential Buildings. Parcels that share a property line with an industrial land use shall mitigate impacts through the following means: 1) All residential units, residential buildings, private open space, and common open space shall not be located within 10 feet of the property line adjacent to the industrial land use. 2) Other buildings used for accessory, non-residential uses may be located within 10 feet of the property line, pursuant to the setback standards in Section 91.51.070 through Section 91.51.090. c) Property Buffer. Parcels that share a property line with an industrial land use shall provide an adequate buffer between residential use and industrial use through at least one of the following means:

1. Required Setback as Landscape Buffer. Create a landscape buffer in the required setback area (see Sections 91.51.070 through Section 91.51.090). The landscape buffer shall contain a mix of dense evergreen shrubs and trees that grow quickly to form an opaque landscape screen that effectively buffers views. A) A minimum of one 15-gallon tree shall be planted per 20 linear feet. Trees in the landscape buffer shall grow to 50% of mature height within two years of installation. Tree height shall be selected to grow to the maximum height of the tallest existing or proposed buildings adjacent to the buffer area.

B) A minimum of five 5-gallon shrubs shall be planted per 20 linear feet. Shrubs in the landscape buffer shall grow to a minimum height of six feet and four feet in width. Shrubs within the buffer area shall be long-lived and durable species and not contain annuals, perennials, or deciduous species. C) An earthen berm may be used in combination with the required trees and shrubs in order to achieve the desired height of plantings but may not exceed two-thirds of the lowest proposed shrub height and must not impede site drainage.

2. Location of Vehicular Access and Parking. Locate vehicular access and/or parking areas directly next to the property line between the residential use and industrial use.

d) Noise. New residential land uses shall meet relevant dBA noise levels identified within the City’s General Plan Noise Element and Municipal Code Chapter 6, Noise Regulation. If relevant dBA noise levels cannot be met, an acoustic study shall be prepared that identifies noise attenuation measures. Noise attenuation measures identified shall be incorporated into the project to reduce noise impacts to levels satisfactory to the City (see Performance Standards). Emphasis should be placed upon site planning and project design measures, including optimal arrangement and configuration of rooms, windows and doors, and acoustic insulation.

e) Light and Glare. Projects located on parcels that share a property line with an industrial land use shall be designed and oriented so that direct light and glare from the industrial activity does not intrude directly into the interior of residential units or private open spaces.

f) Walls and Fencing. Parcels that share a property line with an industrial land use shall erect a wall or fence along the property line, to screen industrial activities from direct view.

• 1. The wall or fence shall not exceed a height of 8 feet.

2. The wall or fence shall be constructed of a solid and opaque material. Barbed wire, chain-link fencing, and open or semi-transparent materials such as mesh or latticework are prohibited.

• 3. An earth berm may be used instead of, or in combination with, screening walls or solid fencing.

Project development applications within the Housing Corridor Overlay Zone, although exempt from the City’s discretionary review process, shall be required to provide the following as part of an application in order to ensure site-specific environmental concerns are reviewed and addressed in compliance with Federal, State, and local City regulations and standards:

• a) Water Quality Study and plans per National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES);

• b) Hydrology Study;

• c) Geotechnical Study;

• d) Acoustic Study – see Section 91.51.0180 (Compatibility Standards); and

• e) Phase I Environmental Site Assessment.

a) The Housing Corridor Overlay Zone provides the following opportunities for increased development intensity concurrent with the delivery of community benefits in order to satisfy the demand for public amenities that come with new residential development. The incentives are available for all properties within the Housing Corridor Overlay, unless a density bonus has been granted to a development in accordance with Senate Bill 1818.

b) Each sub-area in the Housing Corridor Overlay Zone has an established density allowed by right in Section 91.51.050 (Density). A developer or property owner may elect to increase the density of allowable dwelling units per acre, subject to the delivery of specific community benefits.

c) The HCO Community Benefits and Incentives program is based on a point system. Each community benefit type is assigned a number of points, and a project may earn points from multiple categories. The number of points is then translated into an increased allowable residential density above that established in Section 91.51.050 (Density).

d) The Community Development Director is responsible for reviewing requests and determining points awarded to an applicant when community benefits are provided and a density increase is requested.

Table 91.51.0200-1: Housing Corridor Overlay – Community Benefits and Incentives

Table 91.51.0200-2: Additional Density Permitted with Points

ARTICLE 52 – RHEIH-OZ RELIGIOUS AND HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTION HOUSING OVERLAY ZONE Revised 10/25

(Added by O-3951)

The Religious and Higher Education Institution Housing Overlay Zone creates opportunities for future affordable housing development on existing religious institutional land within the City of Torrance. The RHEIH-OZ was established as part of the implementation of the General Plan Housing Element and meeting the City’s Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) allocation. In addition to the General Plan Housing Element update, the Religious and Higher Education Institution Housing Overlay seeks to utilize State of California Senate Bill 4, signed into law on October 11, 2023, which permits housing as a use by right on lands owned by an independent institution of higher education or religious institution.

The Religious and Higher Education Institution Housing Overlay Zone is applicable to qualified properties that are owned on or before January 1, 2024, by an independent institution of higher education or religious institution which meet the criteria of State Government Code Sections 65913.6 and 65913.16.

a) The Religious and Higher Education Institution Housing Overlay Zone is applied over base zoning districts and is elective, rather than mandatory. New housing development projects would be permitted uses by right on religious institutional land and properties where the RHEIH-OZ is applied are required to either comply with the requirements of the base zoning district, or elect to comply with the requirements of the RHEIH-OZ. Existing standards applicable to all zoning districts (e.g., sign standards, fence/wall standards, parking design standards) will still apply to properties utilizing the RHEIH-OZ, unless specifically established by the RHEIH-OZ.

b) When RHEIH-OZ regulations conflict with the standards of the base district, the less restrictive standards will prevail.

In the Religious and Higher Education Institution Housing Overlay Zone, the uses permitted in the base district are permitted. Additionally, the following uses are permitted:

a) Single-family residence;

b) Multi-family residence;

c) Two-family residence;

d) Flat building, apartment house, bachelor apartment;

e) Bungalow court;

f) Multiple-family residence;

g) Multiple owner-occupied residential structures;

h) Senior citizen housing.

The development standards of the Religious and Higher Education Institution Housing Overlay Zone are established with two different Sub-Groups.

Sub-Group 1 is comprised of sites under 2 acres.

Sub-Group 2 is comprised of sites 2 acres or larger.

Existing structures shall not be deemed nonconforming for not meeting the standards of the Religious Institution Housing Overlay Zone.

a) The goal of the Religious and Higher Education Institution Housing Overlay Zone is to add very low-income and low-income housing in the City of Torrance on religious institutional grounds. The individual sites are listed by Appendix C: Sites Inventory, Table C-1.

b) The maximum density shall be 31 dwelling units per acre.

a) Sub-Group 1: The maximum building height shall be 35 feet; buildings within 20 feet of an abutting R-1 District are limited to 27 feet.

b) Sub-Group 2: The maximum building height shall be 50 feet; buildings within 50 feet of an abutting R-1 District are limited to 35 feet.

c) Buildings on lots adjacent to the R-1 District shall provide additional stepbacks for building height above 30 feet. Above 30 feet, the building shall provide a 5-foot stepback in the depth of the facade for every additional 10 feet of height, or fractional portion thereof.

d) The following structures are allowed to exceed the established building height limit: skylights, chimneys, elevator and stair towers, fire escapes and catwalks required by law, solar panels, building-mounted antennas, ordinary plumbing or heater vents, and utilities.

e) The maximum building height shall be measured from the lowest portion of the building which is above the ground, but not including any berm or raised planter, to the topmost portion of the roof, exclusive of those structures listed above in Section 91.52.070 d).

Encroachments such as decks, porches, and eave overhangs shall comply with the provisions of Division 9, Article 5 (Yards).

a) Front Yard.

1. Sub-Group 1: The front yard shall be 10 feet, unless the front yard faces a street identified as a major arterial or higher street classification in the Circulation Element, in which case the front yard shall be 15 feet.

2. Sub-Group 2: The front yard shall be 10 feet, unless the front yard faces a street identified as a major arterial or higher street classification in the Circulation Element, in which case the front yard shall be 15 feet.

b) Side Yard.

1. Sub-Group 1: The side yard shall be 5 feet; or 10 feet where the side yard property line is adjacent to a property in the R-1 District, unless the side yard faces a street identified as a major arterial or higher street classification in the Circulation Element, in which case the side yard shall be 10 feet.

• 2. Sub-Group 2: The side yard shall be 10 feet; or 15 feet where the side yard property line is adjacent to a property in the R-1 District.

• c) Rear Yard.

• 1. Sub-Group 1: The rear yard shall be 5 feet; or 10 feet where the rear yard property line is adjacent to a property in the R-1 District.
• 2. Sub-Group 2: The rear yard shall be 10 feet; or 20 feet where the rear yard property line is adjacent to a property in the R-1 District.

d) Yard Adjacent to Internal Drive Aisle. The yard adjacent to internal drive aisles shall be 5 feet.

Useable open space is not required on parcels within the Religious Institutional Housing Overlay Zone.

a) Existing Parking. Up to 50% of existing off-street parking required for the religious institution may be removed in order to construct new housing in place of the existing parking.

b) Minimum Parking Spaces Required. These minimum requirements replace the numerical provisions of Division 9, Chapter 3, Article 2 (Use and Parking Spaces Required). The remaining parking design standards of Division 9, Chapter 3 (Off-Street Parking) shall apply to all projects.

• 1. Sub-Group 1: A minimum of 0.5 parking spaces per dwelling unit shall be provided.
• 2. Sub-Group 2: A minimum of 1 parking space per dwelling unit shall be provided.

• c) Tandem parking will be allowed.

The Religious and Higher Education Institution Housing Overlay Zone establishes the following minimum unit sizes for residential units. These minimum unit sizes supersede the standards established by Division 9, Article 20 (Living Areas).

• a) Studio Unit. The minimum unit size shall be 450 square feet.

• b) One-Bedroom Unit. The minimum unit size shall be 600 square feet.

• c) Two-Bedroom Unit. The minimum unit size shall be 800 square feet.

• d) Three-Bedroom Unit or Greater. The minimum unit size shall be 1,000 square feet.

a) Upper floor windows that are oriented towards existing residential land uses shall incorporate obscured glass and/or a minimum five-foot sill height when allowed by the Building Code.

b) Balconies and upper floor decks that are oriented towards existing residential land uses shall incorporate minimum five-foot-tall privacy walls that are constructed of a solid or opaque material.

c) Where parcels share a property line with single-family residential uses, a fence or wall constructed of solid and opaque material shall be erected not to exceed 8 feet in height.

Upon issuance of building permits for a housing project developed under the RHEIH-OZ, the applicant shall post an information board along the front property line that displays:

a) Project address;

b) Description of the project that includes the number of housing units and maximum building height;

• c) Building Permit case numbers issued for the project;

• d) Property owner’s name and phone number;

e) Contractor’s name and phone number;

f) Code Enforcement phone number where violation can be reported.

The information board shall be a minimum 11 inches by 17 inches in size, weather-proof, visible from the public right-of-way, posted on the site throughout the duration of construction, and shall not be removed until after all project Building Permits have been finaled by the City of Torrance. Home Previous Next

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