Local zoning · Culver City

Culver City — Land Use

Land Use under the Culver City local zoning and planning code, with the controlling citations.

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Last reviewed: July 2, 2026

Overview

This page summarizes what the Culver City Zoning Code (Title 17) actually says about allowable land uses, the land‑use tables, and the district-by-district rules that control what you can put on a parcel in Culver City. It focuses on the zoning districts established in § 17.200.010 and the use tables and development standards in Chapter 17.210 (Residential) and Chapter 17.220 (Mixed Use), plus related use rules (ADUs, special purpose zones, and discretionary permits) as adopted in the local ordinance (§ 17.200.010; § 17.210.015; § 17.220.015) .

Important: this page interprets the Culver City Zoning Code text you supplied. For building code, health & safety, or state housing law issues see the linked pages below; those topics are outside Title 17 and are covered elsewhere.

How the Code controls land use (quick rules)

  • Uses are allowed only if listed in the zoning district use tables (P / CUP / AUP / -). See Table 2‑2 (residential) and the mixed‑use tables; an unlisted use is not allowed except where another specific provision applies (§ 17.200.020.B; § 17.210.015) .
  • Some uses shown as subject to an Administrative Use Permit (AUP) or Conditional Use Permit (CUP) require discretionary findings and public notice under Chapter 17.530 (§ 17.530.010; § 17.530.015) .
  • Where the zoning table cross‑references another section, that section’s “standards for specific land uses” apply in addition to the district rules (§ 17.210.015) .
  • “Indoor uses only” rule: commercial/industrial activities (except parking) must be conducted inside buildings unless a specific exception applies (§ 17.200.020.C) .

(For parking design and counts, see Chapter 17.320 — parking requirements apply to many uses; mixed‑use projects must comply with Chapter 17.320) — parking . Link: Culver City Parking

District‑by‑district breakdown (purpose, typical permitted uses, key dimensional standards, where it applies)

Notes: the Code organizes districts in Table 2‑1 (Zoning Districts established by § 17.200.010) and then gives allowed uses in district use tables (e.g., Table 2‑2 for residential) and development standards tables (e.g., Table 2‑3, Table 2‑4, Table 2‑7, Table 2‑8) .

R‑1 (Single‑Family Residential)

  • Purpose: Protect single‑family neighborhood character (§ 17.210.010) .
  • Typical permitted uses: single‑family dwellings, accessory residential structures, ADUs/JADUs (see § 17.400.095) and other accessory residential uses listed in Table 2‑2 (§ 17.210.015) .
  • Key dimensional standards (Table 2‑3 / R1): maximum density 8.7 du/gross acre (max 1 unit/parcel); maximum dwelling size 0.45 FAR; minimum lot size 5,000 sq ft; min lot width 40 ft; min depth 100 ft; maximum height (flat roof) 27 ft; sloped roof 30 ft (§ 17.210.020 Table 2‑3) .
  • Where applied: as shown on the official Zoning Map (adopted under § 17.200.015) in areas designated Single Family by the General Plan (§ 17.200.010; § 17.200.015) .

R‑2 (Two‑Family Residential)

  • Purpose: Allows single‑family and duplex development while maintaining neighborhood character (§ 17.210.010) .
  • Typical permitted uses: duplexes (subject to standards in Table 2‑3), accessory uses and ADUs; other uses per Table 2‑2 (§ 17.210.015) .
  • Key dimensional standards (Table 2‑3 / R2): maximum density 17.4 du/acre (max 2 units/parcel); maximum dwelling size (formula for parcels <8,000 sq ft or ≥8,000 sq ft); height 30 ft; min lot width 40 ft; min depth 100 ft (§ 17.210.020 Table 2‑3) .
  • Where applied: as mapped on the City’s Zoning Map (§ 17.200.015) .

RLD / RMD / RHD (Low / Medium / High‑Density Multifamily)

  • Purpose: Provide zones for triplexes/townhouses (RLD), medium multifamily (RMD), and large‑scale multifamily (RHD) compatible with General Plan designations (§ 17.210.010) .
  • Typical permitted uses: multifamily housing, accessory residential structures, ADUs/JADUs (Table 2‑2). Other community uses (parks, schools) may be allowed per the table and notes (§ 17.210.015) .
  • Key dimensional standards (Table 2‑4 / RLD, RMD, RHD): Ranges include density, setbacks, stepbacks and heights; for example townhouse standards (Table 2‑5) set minimum lot width per unit 20–30 ft, front setback 5 ft, rear 10 ft; RMD/RHD development standards and stepbacks are in Table 2‑4 and § 17.210.025. Transit‑oriented projects rely on Table 4‑6 for higher maximum heights and FARs (e.g., 85 ft / 4.0 FAR at 200 ft from a TOD stop) when eligible (§ 17.210.020; Table 4‑6) .
  • Where applied: mapped per § 17.200.015; townhouse supplemental standards in § 17.210.025 apply where townhouse form is proposed .

Mixed‑Use Districts — MU‑N, MU‑1, MU‑2, MU‑DT, MU‑MD, MU‑HD, MU‑I

  • Purpose: Each MU district is tailored to corridor, downtown, medium/high intensity or industrial mixed uses; MU‑DT applies to Downtown and is oriented to pedestrian and retail activity (§ 17.220.010) .
  • Typical permitted uses: combinations of residential, retail, restaurants, offices, entertainment and some light industrial in MU‑I — the detailed allowed uses and permit triggers are in the mixed‑use tables (Table 2‑5 and Table 2‑6) and in Table 2‑7 and Table 2‑8 for development standards (§ 17.220.015; § 17.220.020) .
  • Key dimensional standards (Table 2‑7 & 2‑8): examples — MU‑N / MU‑1: max non‑residential FAR 2.0; max res density 35 du/ac; max height 43–56 ft (varies by subzone). MU‑DT / MU‑2: higher allowed FAR/density and MU‑HD: up to 4.0 non‑residential FAR and 100 du/ac in MU‑HD per Table 2‑7/2‑8; mixed‑use projects must comply with Article 3 standards for landscaping, parking and loading (§ 17.220.020; Table 2‑7/2‑8) .
  • Special downtown rule: ground floor use restrictions in MU‑DT bar certain non‑pedestrian ground floor uses on designated Downtown frontages; exceptions exist for historic buildings, hotels, and certain active office uses (§ 17.220.035) .
  • Parking/vehicle access standards for mixed‑use: see Chapter 17.320 (off‑street parking and loading) — mixed use projects must comply with those standards (link and citation below) — Culver City Parking (§ 17.220.020; § 17.320.005) .

S (Studio) District

  • Purpose and special rules: designed for motion picture and audio/visual production with uses customarily incidental to production; standards mostly set by a Comprehensive Plan for a given studio site, except a height cap (e.g., 56 ft) is specified in the S district provisions (§ 17.250.*; § 17.250.015.D) .
  • Typical permitted uses: motion picture production, production support, limited restaurants/support retail (not open to general public unless specified) — see the S district provision for permitted/conditional uses (§ 17.250.*) .

E (Cemetery) District

  • Purpose and uses: permits cemetery uses subject to Site Plan Review; development standards, submittal requirements and review criteria are in § 17.250.020 (§ 17.250.020) .

Other Special Purpose Districts (I, OS, T, PD)

  • The Code establishes these districts in § 17.200.010 and applies district‑specific chapters or development requirements (institutional, open space, transportation, planned development) — consult their chapters for allowed uses and standards (§ 17.200.010) .

Overlay zones

  • The Code includes overlay symbols such as -RZ (Residential Zero Setback), -RP (Redevelopment Project Area), -CV (Civic Center Overlay) and -RH (Residential Hillsides Overlay); overlay standards and exceptions are implemented in Chapter 17.260 and associated sections (§ 17.200.010; Chapter 17.260) — link: Culver City Overlay Districts .

Quick decision‑relevant table (sample of commonly searched standards)

District Key numeric standards (typical) Typical permit triggers Code reference
R‑1 Max density 8.7 du/ac; 0.45 FAR; min lot 5,000 sq ft; height 27 ft flat / 30 ft sloped New single‑family = ministerial building permit; ADUs per § 17.400.095; accessory increases may need permits § 17.210.020 Table 2‑3
R‑2 Max density 17.4 du/ac; height 30 ft; min lot same as R‑1 Two‑family/demolition or change of use may trigger reviews § 17.210.020 Table 2‑3
RMD (medium multifamily) Standards in Table 2‑4; townhouse supplement Table 2‑5 (front 5 ft, rear 10 ft) Multifamily projects, site plan review; density/height per Table 2‑4 § 17.210.020; § 17.210.025
MU‑DT (Downtown) Max height up to 56 ft (varies); max res density up to 65 du/ac; FARs per Table 2‑7 Ground‑floor use restrictions on Main St., Culver Blvd and Washington Blvd; commercial uses often permitted; CUP/AUP per tables § 17.220.020 Table 2‑7; § 17.220.035
MU‑HD Max non‑res FAR 4.0; res density 100 du/ac; height 56 ft Large mixed‑use projects, public hearings likely; stepbacks when adjacent to R1/R2 Table 2‑8; § 17.220.020
S (Studio) Height limit 56 ft; other standards by Comprehensive Plan for site Studio uses require compliance with site plan and comp plan standards § 17.250.* (S district)
E (Cemetery) Use allowed subject to Site Plan Review; submittal requirements and standards listed in § 17.250.020 Site Plan Review required before interment or structure § 17.250.020

How discretionary approvals work (practical)

  • If a use is shown as CUP or AUP in the use tables, you must file the permit type in Chapter 17.530; AUPs are administratively reviewed by the Director; CUPs go to the Commission with public notice and findings (§ 17.530.010; § 17.530.015; § 17.530.020) .
  • The required findings for CUP/AUP include consistency with the General Plan and compatibility of scale/operations with the neighborhood (§ 17.530.020) .
  • Design and site‑planning standards in Article 3 (e.g., landscaping, utilities, access, lighting and refuse) often apply; many mixed‑use rules explicitly require compliance with parking (Chapter 17.320) and landscaping chapters — see the Culver City Design Review and Culver City Development Standards pages for process and objective standards .

Link: Culver City Design Review
Link: Culver City Development Standards

Also note: many site design items point to Chapter 17.300 (site planning); where landscaping, screening or tree protection are required, consult Chapter 17.310 (Landscaping). Link: Culver City Landscaping and Screening .

ADUs and accessory residential uses

  • Culver City adopts state ADU exemptions and also contains local ADU/JADU standards in § 17.400.095. State law (Cal. Gov’t Code) supersedes conflicting local code provisions in many respects; the Code implements the statewide exemptions and establishes local dimensional standards where allowed (§ 17.400.095.A) . Link: Culver City ADUs
  • Key ADU points from the Code: one ADU + one JADU per lot under state exemptions; maximum detached ADU size allowances and reduced setbacks (2 ft side/rear in some locations; 4 ft where abutting residential); parking not required for ADUs (see § 17.400.095 for full rules) (§ 17.400.095) .

Checklist — what an applicant must satisfy (high‑level)

  • Confirm the parcel’s zoning on the official Zoning Map (adopted under § 17.200.015) and identify the applicable district(s) (§ 17.200.015) .
  • Verify the proposed use is listed in the district’s use table (Table 2‑2, Table 2‑5, etc.) and note whether it is P, AUP, CUP, or not allowed (§ 17.210.015; § 17.220.015) .
  • Confirm development standards that apply to the project: Table 2‑3 / 2‑4 (residential) or Table 2‑7 / 2‑8 (mixed use), and Article 3 site standards (landscaping, parking, refuse, lighting) (§ 17.210.020; § 17.220.020; Article 3) .
  • If ADU or JADU, apply ADU rules in § 17.400.095 and check state ADU law applicability — see the City’s ADU rules and the State ADU law link — Culver City ADUs and California ADU law (§ 17.400.095) .
  • Determine required permits: ministerial building permit vs. Administrative Use Permit vs. Conditional Use Permit; file accordingly under Chapter 17.500/17.530 (§ 17.530.015) .
  • Prepare to meet off‑street parking and loading standards (Chapter 17.320) and address any project‑specific design review requirements — Culver City Parking and Culver City Design Review (§ 17.320.005; § 17.220.020) .
  • If requesting exceptions/variances, consult Chapter 17.550 (Administrative Modifications / Variances) and be prepared to justify the findings (§ 17.550; § 17.550.015) .

Risks & Ambiguities

Issue Why it matters What to verify
District boundary or split site If a site crosses zones, each portion must meet the applicable district rules; this can change allowed uses and setbacks (§ 17.200.020.D) Confirm exact parcel zoning on the official Zoning Map and ask the Planning Division to confirm whether a proposed layout causes cross‑district compliance issues (§ 17.200.015)
Whether a use is “similar” but not listed The Code disallows unlisted uses unless a specific provision applies; attempting to call an unlisted use “similar” is risky (§ 17.200.020.B) Verify with the Director (the Code assigns interpretive authority under § 17.120.010) and be ready to request a formal interpretation (§ 17.120.010 not found in full in retrieved materials — verify)
Numeric standards that vary by subzone or TOD eligibility Heights, FAR, and densities change when a project is transit‑oriented or within a specific MU subzone (Table 4‑6 / Table 2‑7/2‑8) — misreading these leads to noncompliance (§ 17.210.020; Table 4‑6) Confirm which table governs the parcel (Table 2‑3 vs Table 2‑4 vs Table 2‑7/2‑8) and whether TOD rules apply (Table 4‑6)
Ground‑floor restrictions in Downtown (MU‑DT) Some uses are explicitly prohibited at ground floor on specified streets; missing this can force redesign (§ 17.220.035) Check project frontage against the MU‑DT ground floor restriction list and request exceptions only where the Code allows (historic exceptions, hotels, etc.)
ADU state preemption vs local rules State ADU law supersedes conflicting local rules; Culver City implements state exemptions but also retains some locational/dimensional rules — misapplying local-only rules can cause denial (§ 17.400.095) Confirm whether the ADU is covered by the statewide exemption (Cal. Gov’t Code § 66323) and follow the local § 17.400.095 text; when in doubt, verify with the Planning Division

Plain‑English summary

Culver City’s Title 17 tells you what uses are allowed in each zoning district (residential zones R‑1/R‑2/RLD/RMD/RHD; mixed‑use MU‑N, MU‑1, MU‑2, MU‑DT, MU‑MD, MU‑HD, MU‑I; and special zones such as S and E) and sets the numeric development limits (density, FAR, heights, setbacks) in the Tables (e.g., Table 2‑3, Table 2‑4, Table 2‑7/2‑8). If your proposed use is marked CUP or AUP in the tables you must apply and meet the discretionary findings; ADUs are governed by § 17.400.095 but many ADU rules follow California law. Always confirm the parcel’s zoning on the City Zoning Map and which table controls your parcel before designing a project (§ 17.200.015; § 17.210.015; § 17.220.020) .

Information Gaps

  • Full text of the official Zoning Map showing where each district is applied to individual parcels: Not found in retrieved materials (Verify with the Planning Division / online Zoning Map).
  • Complete text of the mixed‑use use tables (Table 2‑5 / Table 2‑6) in full, including line‑by‑line use entries for some niche uses: only excerpts were available in the retrieved material; consult the full Code PDF or the City’s zoning website to view full tables.
  • Chapter 17.260 (Overlay standards) is referenced but the complete overlay rules and map extents for each overlay zone are not fully present in the retrieved excerpts — consult Chapter 17.260 and the official Zoning Map (Verify with the jurisdiction).
  • Any subsequent administrative policies, implementation plans, or mapping updates adopted after the supplied code snapshot: Not found in retrieved materials (Verify with the City’s Planning Division).

Source References

Sources

Retrieved passages

  • Culver City Zoning Code (Chapter 17.530) High relevance
  • Culver City Zoning Code (§ 17.400.110) High relevance
  • CBC § 1 (Article 2) High relevance
  • Culver City Zoning Code (§ 1) High relevance
  • CBC § 1 (§ 1) High relevance
  • Culver City Zoning Code (§ 1) High relevance
  • Culver City Zoning Code (§ 17.530.010) High relevance
  • Culver City Zoning Code (§ 66314) Medium relevance
  • Culver City Zoning Code High relevance
  • Culver City Zoning Code (§ 17.210.030) High relevance
  • Culver City Zoning Code (§ 17.400.095) High relevance
  • Culver City Zoning Code (§ 17.210.030) High relevance
  • Culver City Zoning Code (§ 17.210.020) High relevance
  • Culver City Zoning Code (§ 17.300.025) Medium relevance

Cited sections

Frequently asked questions

What can I build on an R‑1 lot in Culver City?

R‑1 allows single‑family dwellings and customary accessory residential uses; the applicable allowed uses and permit requirement are listed in Table 2‑2 and the R‑1 development standards are in Table 2‑3 (e.g., 0.45 FAR, max height 27 ft flat / 30 ft sloped, min lot 5,000 sq ft) — confirm exact parcel zoning on the City Zoning Map (§ 17.210.015; § 17.210.020) .

What are Culver City setback requirements?

Setbacks depend on the zoning district and which table governs the project (see Table 2‑3 for R1/R2, Table 2‑4/2‑5 for townhouse/multifamily, and Article 3 for additional exceptions). For example, townhouse standards list front setback 5 ft; rear 10 ft in Table 2‑5; mixed‑use setbacks vary by district and are in Tables 2‑7/2‑8 (§ 17.210.025; Table 2‑5) .

Do I need a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) in Culver City?

If the land‑use table for your zoning district shows the use as CUP, you must apply for a Conditional Use Permit under Chapter 17.530; CUPs require public hearings and findings (consistency with General Plan, compatibility, site suitability) (§ 17.530.010; § 17.530.015; § 17.530.020) .

Are ADUs allowed in Culver City, and what rules apply?

Yes. Culver City implements state ADU law and has its own ADU section § 17.400.095; state exemptions apply where described (Cal. Gov’t Code § 66323), the City sets dimensional and setback rules for local ADUs (e.g., side/rear setbacks 2 ft or 4 ft depending on adjacency) and parking is generally not required for ADUs (§ 17.400.095) .

Where are the mixed‑use downtown ground‑floor restrictions?

The MU‑DT district prohibits certain non‑pedestrian ground floor uses on specific frontages: both sides of Main Street; north side of Culver Boulevard (Canfield–Duquesne); both sides of Washington Boulevard (Watseka–Hughes); and Culver Boulevard/Washington frontages of Town Plaza/Town Park, subject to limited exceptions (§ 17.220.035) .

What parking standards apply to mixed‑use projects in Culver City?

Mixed‑use projects must comply with Chapter 17.320 (Off‑Street Parking and Loading); the mixed‑use district sections explicitly reference Chapter 17.320 for parking and loading standards (§ 17.220.020; § 17.320.005) — confirm required number and design of spaces per Chapter 17.320 and any shared‑parking provisions in the mixed‑use tables .

How does the City treat uses that aren’t listed in the tables?

Land uses not shown in the district use tables are not allowed unless another specific provision applies. The Director has authority to interpret Title 17 and to determine applicability; if a use is not listed, request an interpretation or consider a zone change or variance per the Code (§ 17.200.020.B; § 17.120.010) .

Can existing conditional uses continue if zoning changes?

Existing uses established with a prior AUP or CUP that are no longer allowed may continue only under the terms of the original permit; uses that were allowed but are now subject to CUP/AUP are treated as legal nonconforming uses if they predate the current Title (§ 17.200.020.E; § 17.200.020.F) .

What height and FAR can I achieve near transit (transit‑oriented housing)?

Transit‑oriented housing can qualify for higher limits set in Table 4‑6 (e.g., 85 ft / 4.0 FAR at 200 ft from a TOD stop; 65 ft/3.0 FAR at 1/4 mile; 55 ft/2.5 FAR at 1/2 mile) — check the TOD table and the Code’s measurement rules (§ 17.210.020.C; Table 4‑6) . ---

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