Loma Linda — Zoning

Last reviewed: July 2, 2026

Overview

Loma Linda organizes its zoning rules in Title 17 (Land Use Development Code). The code establishes base zones (residential, commercial, industrial, hillside, and special-purpose), an official zoning map on file with the city clerk, and overlay districts (floodplain, historic, geologic hazards, etc.) that modify base-zone rules. Key implementation details—development standards (setbacks, height, FAR/coverage), permitted uses, and program-specific chapters (Accessory Dwelling Units, Small-Lot Subdivisions, Hillside rules)—are distributed through Title 17 and tied to specific tables and sections. For details on how uses interact with the rules below, consult the city's Loma Linda Land Use page and the city’s Loma Linda Development Standards summary. See also the official zoning map adopted by reference in § 17.04.100 .

How Loma Linda’s Zoning is structured (quick rules)

• The city lists the active zones and overlays in § 17.04.050 and describes zone boundary rules and the official map in § 17.04.060–100 (zoning map adopted by reference). See § 17.04.100 for the official map requirement. § 17.02.030 explains the zoning map purpose.
• Development standards for particular base zones are collected in zone chapters (e.g., commercial/industrial development standards in § 17.40.040), supplemented by citywide standards such as maximum land coverage § 17.54.050 and height/setback rules § 17.54.060.
• Specific programs (Accessory Dwelling Units and Junior ADUs) are in Chapter 17.110 and are processed ministerially where the objective requirements are met; small-lot housing and subdivision rules are in Chapter 17.116. These chapters interact with the base zone standards; ministers may modify or waive some standards where state law authorizes.

Note: The code uses tables (e.g., Table 2‑6, Table 2‑3, Table 2‑8) inside zone chapters to set many numeric standards—see the district subsections below for the specific tables and controlling sections. Where Loma Linda’s code delegates standards to a specific-plan or precise plan, the specific plan’s adopted standards control (see § 17.02.060 and § 17.44.020).

District-by-district breakdown

Below are the primary base zones and special-purpose zones used across the city. Each district title below is the city’s exact zone symbol (bolded) and the primary controlling code citation is shown.

Important first mentions (internal links): Loma Linda’s zoning work ties closely to Loma Linda Development Standards, Loma Linda Parking requirements, Loma Linda Design Review, Loma Linda Overlay Districts, and Loma Linda ADUs. The California Building Standards Code (Title 24) also governs construction details and is referred to in several zones: California Building Standards Code.

Residential zones — R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4

Purpose and where used

• R-1 (Low Density), R-2 (Medium), R-3 (High), R-4 (Very High) are listed in § 17.04.050 as the city’s residential zones and are implemented primarily through the residential zone chapters and associated tables. The base chapter establishes permitted residential and accessory uses and refers applicants to Table-based standards (see the chapters in Title 17).

Typical permitted uses

• Single-family dwellings, multifamily where allowed by zone, accessory dwelling units (subject to Chapter 17.110), neighborhood services in some cases, and certain conditional uses (see zone tables and Chapter 17.30 for conditional-use rules). Chapter and table cross‑references in the residential chapters list specific permitted/conditional uses.

Key dimensional standards and development notes (excerpt of controlling rules)

• Setbacks and average-front-setback rules: front setbacks in subdivisions must average at least 25 ft; garage entries have specific minimum 20 ft garage setback measured from face of garage door (§ references in the residential notes located in the residential chapter notes). See the residential notes in the code for front/setback specifics.
• Height adjacency rule for R-2 next to R-1: when abutting R-1, structures may not exceed one story within 50 ft of the boundary and two stories within 100 ft of the boundary (residential notes).
• Open‑space, accessory-structure and balcony rules for higher-density residential (R-2, R-3, R-4): private balconies/patios may satisfy up to 50% of required open space if they meet minimum size and access rules; accessory structures have matching setbacks and other limits in R-3/R-4 chapters.

Where it applies / typical map locations

• Citywide residential neighborhoods and multifamily corridors as mapped on the official zoning map; uses and density are further controlled by any suffix density-designation (e.g., R-2-3000) indicated on the zoning map and in § notes.

Hillside residential zones — HR-C, HR-LD, HR-MD, HR-RE, HR-VL

Purpose and where used

• The hillside zones and their intent/purposes are in § 17.36.010. They regulate densities in hillside areas, preserve open space and control clustering and density bonuses where allowed. Typical density ranges are spelled out there (e.g., HR-C = 0–1 du/10 acres, HR-MD = 0–1 du/5 acres, etc.).

Typical permitted uses

• Primarily single‑family residential uses, accessory uses appropriate to hillside character, and certain conditional uses listed in Table 2‑3 (the Hillside Allowed Uses table). ADUs are explicitly referenced as permitted within the table and governed by Chapter 17.110.

Key dimensional standards and notes

• Density-bonus and clustering rules are detailed (see § 17.36.030 and related subsections) and the code includes minimum parcel sizes and clustered-lot exceptions (e.g., Cluster Area A/B/C rules). Verify site-specific hillside constraints and the Urban Slope Line; slope-based maximum parcel coverage rules apply elsewhere in Title 17 (see § 17.54.050).

Where it applies

• Hillside and San Timoteo Creek-adjacent areas shown on the zoning map; specific conditions and cluster areas are mapped and defined inside the Hillside chapter text.

Commercial & Industrial — BP, CO, C-1, C-2, CM

Purpose and where used

• These zones are defined in § 17.40.010 (BP Business Park, CO Commercial Office, C-1 Neighborhood Commercial, C-2 General Commercial, CM Commercial Manufacturing). They implement corresponding General Plan designations and set permitted business, office, retail, and light industrial uses.

Typical permitted uses

• BP: professional offices, R&D, light industrial uses; CO: medical and professional offices (with supporting retail); C-1/C-2: neighborhood and general commercial retail and services; CM: manufacturing and industrial uses per the CM rules. Permitted/conditional lists are in Table 2‑6 and the zone chapters.

Key dimensional standards (decision‑relevant excerpt)

• Minimum parcel sizes for newly created parcels: BP = 10,000 sq ft, CO = 10,000, C-1 = 7,200, C-2 = 10,000, CM = 7,200 (Table 2‑6). Maximum parcel coverage: B‑P 60%, CO 70%, C‑1 50%, C‑2 60%, CM 80%. FAR maximums roughly 0.5 for most commercial zones (CM = 0.6). Minimum front setbacks are 25 ft for BP and CO, 20 ft for C‑1/C‑2/CM. These are published in § 17.40.040 and Table 2‑6.

Where it applies

• Commercial corridors and employment/business park areas as mapped on the official zoning map; site-specific precise plan or master plan processes may set modified standards (see § 17.44.020 for specific plans).

Special-purpose zones — I‑HC, OS, PF, PC

Purpose and typical uses

• I‑HC (Institutional‑Healthcare), OS (Open Space), PF (Public Facilities), PC (Planned Community). Table 2‑8 / Table 2‑7 and chapter text (special purpose zone chapters) list permitted uses and numeric standards such as minimum parcel area, parcel width, coverage, FAR, setbacks and heights. See the special-purpose chapter and § 17.44.020 for the allowed-use tables and rules.

Key dimensional standards (examples)

• OS often requires large parcel areas (example: 43,560 sq ft minimum shown in the special-purpose table) and very low FARs (OS FAR = 0.1 in Table 2‑8). Setbacks from streets for OS are larger (example: 50 ft). These numeric rules are published in the special purpose tables within Title 17.

Where it applies

• Institutional campuses (medical/healthcare), park/open-space tracts, public facilities sites, and planned community project areas (which often deploy a specific plan that sets final standards). See the Groves specific plan reference (The Groves at Loma Linda) in the specific plans table.

Overlays — H, FP, HM, PD, GH

Purpose and how they modify base zones

• Overlays are listed in § 17.04.050 and include the H (Hillside Development Overlay), FP (Flood Plain), HM (Historic Mission overlay), PD (Planned Development), and GH (Geologic Hazards) overlay districts. Overlays add supplemental rules, restrictions, or design requirements to base zones (see the overlay chapter text and overlay-specific sections). The historic overlay includes design-congruent architectural guidance and buffer zones.

Typical overlay triggers and notes

• Floodplain overlay imposes additional setback/mitigation and design requirements (see overlay chapters); historic mission overlay (HM) imposes design standards and buffer zones and directs compatibility with historic architectural styles (see the Historic Mission text). Verify overlay boundaries on the official zoning map and cross-check with Chapter 17.44 and overlay-specific sections.

Decision‑relevant summary table

Checklist — what an applicant must satisfy (high level)

• Confirm the zoning designation on the official zoning map (file with city clerk) and note any overlay districts — § 17.04.100.
• Confirm allowed uses and whether your project is permitted, requires a minor use permit, conditional use permit, or is prohibited in the applicable zone (check the zone’s Table 2‑x and Chapter 17.30 permit rules).
• Pull the numeric development standards that apply to your zone: setbacks, heights, lot coverage/FAR (see zone chapter tables such as Table 2‑6 and the slope-based coverage table § 17.54.050).
• If proposing an ADU, follow Chapter 17.110 ministerial requirements and the city’s ADU chapter; check state ADU constraints noted in local code text. Link reference: Loma Linda ADUs.
• Check parking requirements (number of spaces, location) and any exemptions (some small‑lot or transit‑proximate projects have reduced requirements). See the city’s Loma Linda Parking summary and specific code sections (e.g., small-lot parking rules in § 17.116).
• Determine whether design review/precise plan is required (see Loma Linda Design Review and §§ 17.30.260–300).
• Verify whether a specific plan applies (e.g., The Groves at Loma Linda specific plan) — if so that specific plan’s standards control (see § 17.02.060 and Table SP).

Risks & Ambiguities

Plain‑English summary

Loma Linda’s zoning (Title 17) places every parcel into a named base zone (e.g., R‑1, C‑2, BP) and sometimes one or more overlays; each base zone has a table of allowed uses and numeric development standards (setbacks, height, parcel coverage or FAR). The official zoning map (kept by the city clerk) tells you the zone; small-lot, ADU, hillside, and specific-plan rules in separate chapters can modify or add to those standards—always check the specific code sections cited above for your parcel. Key controlling sections: § 17.04.050, § 17.04.100, § 17.40.040, § 17.36.010, § 17.54.050, Chapter 17.110, and Chapter 17.116.

Source References

• Zoning map adoption, zone list and zone‑boundary rules — § 17.04.050, § 17.04.060–100.
• Hillside zones purpose, densities and allowed uses — § 17.36.010–020 (Table 2‑3).
• Commercial & industrial standards and Table 2‑6 (parcel sizes, FAR, setbacks) — § 17.40.010 and § 17.40.040.
• Maximum land/roof coverage & slope-based coverage table — § 17.54.050.
• Nonconforming uses and limitations — Chapter 17.22 (e.g., § 17.22.020–040).
• Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) — Chapter 17.110 and ministerial approval language in § 17.110.030.
• Small‑lot housing and ministerial builder rules — Chapter 17.116 (including § 17.116.040–050).
• Special purpose zones, allowed uses table — § 17.44.020 (Table 2‑7 and special‑purpose tables).

If you want the city’s official, printable zoning map or to confirm an individual parcel’s zoning, contact the city clerk or Planning (the official map is on file per § 17.04.100).

Retrieved passages

• Loma Linda Zoning Code (§ 17.54.040.) High relevance show source text
• CBC § 17.116.050 (§ 17.116.050.) High relevance show source text
• Loma Linda Zoning Code High relevance show source text
• Loma Linda Zoning Code (§ 17.116.050.) High relevance show source text
• Loma Linda Zoning Code (§ 4) High relevance show source text
• Loma Linda Zoning Code High relevance show source text
• Loma Linda Zoning Code (Chapter 2A) High relevance show source text
• CBC § 3000 High relevance show source text
• Loma Linda Zoning Code (§ 11.05) High relevance show source text
• Loma Linda Zoning Code (§ 11.01) High relevance show source text
• Loma Linda Zoning Code High relevance show source text
• Loma Linda Zoning Code (§ 4) High relevance show source text
• Loma Linda Zoning Code (§ 4) High relevance show source text

Cited sections

• Zoning map adoption, zone list and zone‑boundary rules — **§ 17.04.050**, **§ 17.04.060**–**100**. (§ 17.04.050)
• Hillside zones purpose, densities and allowed uses — **§ 17.36.010–020** (Table 2‑3). (§ 17.36.010)
• Commercial & industrial standards and Table 2‑6 (parcel sizes, FAR, setbacks) — **§ 17.40.010** and **§ 17.40.040**. (§ 17.40.010)
• Maximum land/roof coverage & slope-based coverage table — **§ 17.54.050**. (§ 17.54.050)
• Nonconforming uses and limitations — **Chapter 17.22** (e.g., **§ 17.22.020–040**). (Chapter 17.22)
• Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) — **Chapter 17.110** and ministerial approval language in **§ 17.110.030**. (Chapter 17.110)
• Small‑lot housing and ministerial builder rules — **Chapter 17.116** (including **§ 17.116.040–050**). (Chapter 17.116)
• Special purpose zones, allowed uses table — **§ 17.44.020** (Table 2‑7 and special‑purpose tables). (§ 17.44.020)
• LomaLinda_ZoningCode.md

• Official Loma Linda code library