Local zoning · Culver City

Culver City — Zoning

Zoning 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 of the Culver City Municipal Code) actually says about zoning districts and the official Zoning Map: what districts exist, how the map is adopted and interpreted, and the most decision-relevant numeric standards that the Code publishes district-by-district. For legal detail always check the controlling § cited below and verify parcel-specific rules with the City. See the city's Development Standards for site-level requirements and the Zoning & Planning overview for broader context.

How the Code organizes zoning in Culver City

  • The Zoning Code is Title 17 of the Culver City Municipal Code (the "Zoning Code") and divides the city into residential, mixed-use, planned development, special-purpose, and overlay districts (§ 17.100.005; § 17.200.010) .
  • The official Zoning Map is adopted by the City Council and is incorporated into the Code by reference; the Map shows district boundaries and is the primary tool implementing the General Plan (§ 17.200.015) .
  • The Code identifies allowable land uses by district in tables (e.g., Table 2‑2 for residential uses, Table 2‑6 for mixed use) and ties permit types (P, AUP, CUP) to entries in those tables (§ 17.200.020.B; § 17.210.015; § 17.220.015) .
  • Interpretations and boundary questions are handled by the Director with appeal to the Board of Zoning Adjustment (§ 17.120.015) — verify any ambiguous line with a formal interpretation (§ 17.120.015) .

District-by-district breakdown

Notes:

  • Every district name below is shown in bold. For each district I state the statutory purpose, typical permitted uses (high-level), the key numeric standards the Code publishes, and where the district generally applies or how it is applied. All items are grounded in the Code and the controlling § is cited after each district summary.

Residential districts (Chapter 17.210)

  • R1 (Single‑Family Residential) — Purpose: protect single‑family neighborhood character. Typical uses: single‑family homes, accessory residential structures when allowed. Key standards: purpose and basic applicability described in § 17.210.010; many development illustrations and R1-specific figures appear as Figure 2‑2 (R1 Development Standards); verify parcel-level dimensional numbers with the Division (Figure 2‑2 is referenced in code) (§ 17.210.010; § 17.210.025) .

    • Where it applies: default district for annexed property unless pre‑zoned (§ 17.200.015.F) .

  • R2 (Two‑Family Residential) — Purpose: allow duplexes while maintaining neighborhood character; typical uses include single‑family and two‑family dwellings. The Code references residential use tables for exact allowable uses and permit types (§ 17.210.010; § 17.210.015) . Numeric standards for R2 are handled in the Code’s residential development tables and figures; confirm specific setbacks/heights with the Division (§ 17.210.015) .

  • RLD, RMD, RHD (Low/Medium/High Density Multiple‑Family Residential) — Purpose: allow triplexes/townhouses (RLD), medium‑density multifamily (RMD), and high‑density multifamily (RHD) respectively (§ 17.210.010) . Key decision standards (Table 2‑4 — Residential District Development Standards):

    • Maximum residential density: RLD 35 du/acre, RMD 50 du/acre, RHD 70 du/acre.
    • Minimum lot area: RLD 5,000 sq ft, RMD 5,000 sq ft, RHD 20,000 sq ft.
    • Maximum primary building height: RLD 32 ft, RMD 43 ft, RHD 53 ft.
    • Minimum front setback (typical in these tables): 10 ft (see Table 2‑4 for variations and interior/abutting setbacks).
    • Code references: Table 2‑4; supplemental townhouse standards are in § 17.210.025 and the table text in § 17.210.030 (Supplemental Standards) .

    (See the Code for side/rear setbacks, parking frontage limits, open‑space minima and height stepback rules; these are in Table 2‑4 and § 17.210.030) .

See also townhouse-specific rules (Table 2‑5) for townhouse lot widths, minimum per‑unit lot area, and setback minima that can differ from base zone standards (§ 17.210.025) .

Mixed‑Use districts (Chapter 17.220)

  • The mixed‑use districts are MU‑N, MU‑1, MU‑2, MU‑DT, MU‑MD, MU‑HD, MU‑I; the Code explains the purpose for each and ties them to General Plan land uses (§ 17.220.010) .

    • MU‑N / MU‑1 / MU‑2 / MU‑DT (Table 2‑7 — Mixed Use District Development Standards): intended for corridor and downtown mixed use at increasing intensity. Representative standards from Table 2‑7:

      • Maximum non‑residential FAR: MU‑N 2.0, MU‑1 2.0, MU‑2 3.0, MU‑DT 3.0.
      • Maximum residential density: MU‑N 35 du/acre, MU‑1 35 du/acre, MU‑2 50 du/acre, MU‑DT 65 du/acre.
      • Minimum lot area (new lots): 10,000 sq ft for these districts.
      • Maximum building height (primary): MU‑N 43 ft, MU‑1 56 ft, MU‑2 56 ft, MU‑DT 56 ft (with height measurement/exception rules in § 17.300.025). See § 17.220.020 and Table 2‑7 for the full matrix and stepback/open‑space rules .
      • Additional mixed‑use site and design requirements appear in § 17.220.030 (Supplemental Standards) and in Article 3 (site planning standards) — see Design Review and Development Standards for process context (§ 17.220.020; § 17.220.030) .

    • MU‑MD / MU‑HD / MU‑I (Table 2‑8 — higher‑intensity mixed use): representative standards:

      • Maximum non‑residential FAR: MU‑MD 3.0, MU‑HD 4.0, MU‑I 3.0.
      • Maximum residential density: MU‑MD 65 du/acre, MU‑HD 100 du/acre, MU‑I 65 du/acre.
      • Minimum lot area: 20,000 sq ft; maximum primary structure height: 56 ft (see Table 2‑8 and § 17.220.020) .

  • Allowed uses and permit requirements for the mixed‑use districts are listed in Table 2‑6 and the development standards are in Tables 2‑7 and 2‑8 (§ 17.220.015; § 17.220.020) .

Planned development (PD) (Chapter 17.240)

  • PD (Planned Development) — Purpose: apply site‑specific standards through a Comprehensive Plan approved by Council. The Council or the PD Comprehensive Plan sets allowable uses and standards (the PD is intended to be flexible but subject to Council/Comprehensive Plan approval). By default, PD height is capped at 56 ft unless exceptions are approved (§ 17.240.015; § 17.240.020.E) . Table 2‑9 lists established PDs and their resolutions (§ 17.240.020) .

Special‑purpose districts (Chapter 17.250)

  • S (Studio) — film/production studio zoning; uses focused on motion picture and audiovisual production; height limit 56 ft for structures in the S district (§ 17.250.015) .
  • E (Cemetery), I (Institutional), OS (Open Space), T (Transportation) — each has tailored uses and requirements; see the respective subsections of Chapter 17.250 for permitted uses and site plan requirements (for example, I lists institutional uses such as schools, hospitals and accessory retail in § 17.250.035) .

Overlay districts (Chapter 17.260)

  • Overlays append to base zones as suffixes (e.g., CG‑EW) and add site/neighborhood specific rules (§ 17.260.010) .
    • -RZ (Residential Zero Setback) — special allowance/limitations (see § 17.260.015) .
    • -RP (Redevelopment Project Area) — applies to redevelopment areas, underlying zone requirements normally apply unless a Comprehensive Plan is approved (§ 17.260.025) .
    • -CV (Civic Center Overlay) — requires preliminary plan review in the overlay and directs aesthetic/harmonization standards (§ 17.260.030) .
    • -RH (Residential Hillsides Overlay) — The overlay publishes explicit numeric hillside standards (Table 2‑10): dwelling maximums, slope‑based FARs (for example <15% FAR 0.45**, **>60% FAR 0.25), and specific front/side/rear setbacks including story‑by‑story setbacks (see § 17.260.040 and Table 2‑10) .

Quick standards table (decision-relevant summary)

District (representative) Key standards (high‑level) Code Reference
RLD (Low density MF) Max density 35 du/acre; min lot 5,000 sq ft; max height 32 ft; front setback 10 ft Table 2‑4 / § 17.210.010
RMD (Medium density MF) Max density 50 du/acre; min lot 5,000 sq ft; max height 43 ft; front setback 10 ft Table 2‑4 / § 17.210.010
RHD (High density MF) Max density 70 du/acre; min lot 20,000 sq ft; max height 53 ft Table 2‑4 / § 17.210.010
MU‑N / MU‑1 / MU‑2 / MU‑DT Max non‑res FAR 2.0 / 2.0 / 3.0 / 3.0; max res density 35 / 35 / 50 / 65 du/ac; heights 43 ft / 56 ft / 56 ft / 56 ft Table 2‑7 / § 17.220.020
MU‑MD / MU‑HD / MU‑I Max non‑res FAR 3.0 / 4.0 / 3.0; max res density 65 / 100 / 65 du/ac; max height 56 ft; min lot 20,000 sq ft Table 2‑8 / § 17.220.020
PD (Planned Development) Standards set by Council/Comprehensive Plan; default PD height 56 ft unless exception § 17.240.015 – .020
-RH Overlay Slope‑based FARs (e.g. 0.45 for <15% slope); front setbacks 20 ft (single story) / 30 ft (second story) Table 2‑10 / § 17.260.040

(These are the Code’s tabular/high‑level standards. Consult the complete tables and Article 3 site planning provisions for parking, landscaping, stepbacks, and exceptions — e.g., see Parking, Landscaping and Screening, and Design Review.)

Checklist (what an applicant must satisfy at minimum)

  • Confirm the parcel’s base zoning and overlays on the official Zoning Map (map on file with the Division) and verify which district’s table applies (§ 17.200.015) .
  • Confirm the proposed use is listed as P, AUP, or CUP for that district in the applicable Table (e.g., Table 2‑2, Table 2‑6) and obtain required permit(s) (§ 17.200.020.B; § 17.110.005) .
  • Demonstrate compliance with district development standards (setbacks, height, density, lot standards) in the applicable table (e.g., Table 2‑4, 2‑7, 2‑8) (§ 17.210., § 17.220.) .
  • Show conformance with Article 3 site planning standards (landscaping, screening, refuse, lighting) and parking rules; see Development Standards and Parking (§ 17.300 et seq.; § 17.320) .
  • If project is in an overlay (e.g., -RH, -CV, -RP) demonstrate compliance with overlay standards (Chapter 17.260) and note where overlay controls over the underlying zone (§ 17.260.010) .
  • If an interpretation is needed (map boundary, undefined use), request a written Director interpretation or appeal to the Board (see § 17.120.015) .
  • For projects involving accessory structures or ADUs consult § 17.400.095 and the City ADU rules (see ADUs) and check consistency with the California Building Standards Code and state ADU law where applicable (§ 17.400.100; § 17.400.095) .

Risks & Ambiguities

Issue Why it matters What to verify
Zoning map boundary lines vs. parcel lines Small shifts in a map line can change applicable district/standards and permitability Request an official map interpretation from the Division (Director) and cite § 17.120.010.D; appealable to Board (§ 17.120.015)
Applicability of overlay standards Overlay may add or supersede standards for same parcel Confirm overlay symbols on the Zoning Map and read Chapter 17.260 (e.g., -RH, -CV, -RP) — see § 17.260.010
Numeric gaps for R1 / R2 in the textual extracts Some R1/R2 specifics appear as figures (Figure 2‑2) or elsewhere in the Code rather than as a clean table in the retrieved excerpts Verify R1/R2 dimensional numbers with Table/Figure references and request staff confirmation (Figure 2‑2, § 17.210.*)
Use not listed in tables If a proposed use is not listed it may be prohibited except as allowed by Code exemptions Confirm whether the use is allowed via the tables (Table 2‑2 / Table 2‑6) and use § 17.200.020.B and § 17.110.005 to determine permit path
Transit‑oriented development exceptions TO‑housing can use different height/density limits tied to distance to transit (Table 4‑6) If proposing TO‑housing, check Table 4‑6 and § 17.400.* (referenced in Chapter 4) for higher allowable heights/densities; confirm eligibility and affordable‑unit obligations (§ 17.*; Table 4‑6)
Accessory structure and ADU rules vs. base setbacks Accessory structure rules (heights, footprints) impose different limits that can conflict with base zone rules See accessory structure standards (§ 17.400.100; Table 4‑4) and verify with ADU rules and ADU page — Verify applicability on your parcel (§ 17.400.100)

Plain‑English summary

Culver City’s Zoning Code divides the city into named districts (for example R1, RLD, MU‑MD, PD) mapped on the official Zoning Map; each district has a table of allowed uses and a table of development standards (setbacks, heights, densities, lot sizes) that control what you can build. If a use or numeric standard is unclear for your property, request an official interpretation from the Planning Division (Director) and check whether an overlay or PD plan applies (§ 17.200.015; § 17.120.015) .

Information Gaps (what I could not confirm in the retrieved materials)

  • Exact numeric development envelope (setbacks and stepbacks) for R1 and R2 as clean text values: the Code references Figure 2‑2 for R1 design standards; the figure appears in the ordinance but numeric values were not extractable in the retrieved snippets (Figure 2‑2 referenced at § 17.210.*) — Verify with the City file/Division .
  • Parcel‑level zoning map assignments (which parcels are in which district) — the official Zoning Map is on file with the Division; check the Division’s map or ask staff (§ 17.200.015) .
  • Full text of Tables 2‑2 and 2‑6 (allowed uses matrix) for every district was not fully reproduced here — consult the complete Code tables for fine‑grained permit triggers (§ 17.210.015; § 17.220.015) .

Source References

  • Culver City Zoning Code (Title 17) — § 17.100.005 Title; § 17.100.010 Purpose; § 17.100.015 Authority / General Plan
  • Establishment of zoning districts and Zoning Map adoption — § 17.200.005; § 17.200.010; § 17.200.015
  • Zoning district regulations, use tables and permit procedures — § 17.200.020; § 17.110.005
  • Residential district purpose & tables — § 17.210.010; § 17.210.015; Table 2‑4; § 17.210.025 (Townhouse standards) (Table 2‑4 source)
  • Mixed‑use districts & development standards — § 17.220.010; § 17.220.015; § 17.220.020; Table 2‑7; Table 2‑8 (MU tables)
  • Planned Development (PD) rules — § 17.240.015; § 17.240.020 (PD districts and established PDs)
  • Overlay zones — § 17.260.010; § 17.260.025; § 17.260.030; § 17.260.040 (including Table 2‑10 for -RH)
  • Accessory residential structures and heights — § 17.400.100; Table 4‑4 (accessory heights and setbacks)
  • Transit‑oriented development special standards (Table 4‑6) — Table 4‑6 and related text (development standards by distance to transit)

Sources

Retrieved passages

  • Culver City Zoning Code (§ 1) High relevance
  • Culver City Zoning Code (Chapter 17.250) High relevance
  • Culver City Zoning Code (§ 17.200.005) High relevance
  • Culver City Zoning Code (CHAPTER 17.100) High relevance
  • Culver City Zoning Code (§ 1) High relevance
  • Culver City Zoning Code (§ 17.240.015.C.) High relevance
  • Culver City Zoning Code (§ 17.200.010) Medium relevance
  • Culver City Zoning Code (§ 1) Medium relevance
  • Culver City Zoning Code (§ 17.210.030) High relevance
  • Culver City Zoning Code (§ 17.300.040) High relevance
  • Culver City Zoning Code (§ 17.300.025) High relevance
  • Culver City Zoning Code (§ 17.300.025) High relevance
  • Culver City Zoning Code (§ 17.320.035.P.3.) High relevance
  • Culver City Zoning Code High relevance
  • Culver City Zoning Code (§ 17.400.060) High relevance
  • Culver City Zoning Code High relevance
  • Culver City Zoning Code (Article 3) Medium relevance
  • Culver City Zoning Code (§ 1) Medium relevance
  • Culver City Zoning Code (§ 1) Medium relevance

Cited sections

Frequently asked questions

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

The R‑1 district is intended for single‑family residential uses; typical allowable developments are single‑family houses and permitted accessory residential structures. The R‑1 purpose is described in § 17.210.010; numeric R1 development specifics are shown in the Code figures/tables (see Figure 2‑2 and associated tables) — verify parcel‑level setbacks/heights with the Planning Division and the official Zoning Map (§ 17.210.010; § 17.200.015) .

What are Culver City's setback requirements?

Setback rules are published by zone and by building type in the Code’s development tables (for example Table 2‑4 for multiple‑family and Table 2‑7/2‑8 for mixed use) and in Article 3's setback rules (§ 17.300.020). Typical front setbacks in the residential tables are 10 ft for RLD/RMD/RHD (townhouse and R1 figures can differ). Always confirm the applicable table for your district (§ 17.300.020; Table 2‑4; Table 2‑7) .

Do I need design review in Culver City?

Design review requirements depend on the district and project type. Mixed‑use and higher‑intensity projects are subject to the mixed‑use supplemental standards (§ 17.220.030) and the site planning/design rules in Article 3 — see the City’s Design Review guidance and the Code (e.g., § 17.220.030) for triggers and process details (§ 17.220.030) .

Where is the official Culver City Zoning Map and how is it changed?

The official Zoning Map is adopted by the City Council and is on file with the Planning Division; amendments follow Chapter 17.620 procedures. The Map and its legends are incorporated into Title 17 by reference (§ 17.200.015) — request the Division’s map and follow the zoning map amendment process for changes (§ 17.200.015; § 17.620) .

What are the key mixed‑use density and height limits I should know?

Table 2‑7 and Table 2‑8 set the mixed‑use standards. Examples: MU‑N max non‑res FAR 2.0 and max density 35 du/acre; MU‑DT max non‑res FAR 3.0 and max density 65 du/acre; MU‑HD allows up to 100 du/acre and larger FARs (see Table 2‑8). Heights for most MU‑MD/MU‑HD/MU‑I districts are capped at 56 ft in the table, subject to measurement rules (§ 17.220.020; Table 2‑7; Table 2‑8) .

How do overlays affect what I can build?

Overlays modify or add to underlying zone rules; their applicability is shown on the Zoning Map as suffixes (e.g., -RH). The overlay chapter says overlay rules apply in addition to the base zone and may control in a conflict (§ 17.260.010). For hillside projects consult Table 2‑10 and § 17.260.040 for slope‑based FAR and setback rules (Residential Hillsides Overlay) .

How are accessory structures and ADUs regulated in Culver City?

Accessory structure rules and maximum heights are in § 17.400.100 and Table 4‑4; accessory structures in R1/R2 are limited to 2 stories and 26 ft (for accessory structures in single‑family zones) and other districts have 2 stories and 30 ft limits per Table 4‑4. ADU rules reference § 17.400.095 — confirm both the local rules and state ADU law (see ADUs and California ADU law) (§ 17.400.100; Table 4‑4) .

If my use is not listed in a district table, can I still apply?

Uses not listed are generally not allowed unless an exemption applies; the Director may interpret or you may request an Administrative/Conditional Use Permit where the table explicitly allows it. See § 17.200.020.B and § 17.110.005 for permit determination and interpretation procedures; request a written interpretation under § 17.120.015 if ambiguous (§ 17.200.020.B; § 17.110.005; § 17.120.015) .

What special rules apply near transit stops (transit‑oriented housing)?

The Code has a specific table (Table 4‑6) that raises allowable building height, density, and FAR for transit‑oriented housing depending on distance to the transit stop (for example 85 ft / 140 du/ac / 4.0 FAR within 200 feet). Transit‑oriented developments also have affordable‑housing obligations per the Code and state law; see Table 4‑6 and § 17.* references in Chapter 4 for full requirements and affordability covenants (§ 17.*; Table 4‑6) . ---

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