Lomita Zoning, Planning & Building Codes

Last reviewed: July 3, 2026

Overview

Lomita’s land-use rules live in the city’s municipal code under Title XI — Planning and Zoning, implemented as the Zoning Ordinance (the “Zoning Ordinance,” § 11‑1.10.02). The code organizes zones (residential, commercial, manufacturing, special‑purpose), general development standards, specific plans, overlay rules, and the procedures for site plan review, conditional permits and variances. This page orients you to where the key rules are in the code, how districts and city‑wide standards are structured, what special plans and overlays matter, the typical permit paths, and how state housing law (ADUs, SB 9/lot splits, density bonus) is reflected in Lomita’s ordinance; citations below point to the controlling local sections so you can jump to the text.

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How Lomita's code is organized

• The Zoning Ordinance is published as Title XI of the Lomita Municipal Code; the ordinance’s introductory authority and purpose are in § 11‑1.10.01–.04.
• The code is divided into parts and articles: a zone list and map, residential and commercial articles, special purpose zones, overlay provisions, development standards tables, and a final “Zoning Ordinance Administration” article that houses review procedures (site plan review, conditional use permits, variances, modifications). See the ordinance index and the start of the zoning chapter at § 11‑1.20.01 and the administration/entitlements rules in § 11‑1.70.06–.09.

Quick navigation tips:

• Look to Article 30 (Residential Zones) for permitted uses and the residential development table (Table 11‑1.30.B / § 11‑1.30.02) for setbacks, height, FAR and lot coverage.
• Commercial rules and the commercial development table are in Article 42 (see § 11‑1.42.01).
• Overlay and mixed‑use rules (including the Mixed‑Use Overlay) are in Article 58 (see § 11‑1.58.03–.07).
• Specific plans appear as separate Articles (for example, the 24000 Crenshaw Boulevard Specific Plan is Article 27, § 11‑1.27.01–.09).

(For an at‑a‑glance jump: see the city's zoning map adoption rule § 11‑1.20.02.)

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Zoning district families

Lomita’s ordinance lists the city zones explicitly in § 11‑1.20.01. The main families are:

• Residential zones: A‑1 (Residential—Agriculture), R‑1 (Residential—Low density), R‑2 (Residential—Medium density) and R‑3 (Residential—High density) — designation and use lists begin in Article 30 and § 11‑1.30.00–.01.
• Commercial zones: DC (Downtown Commercial), NC (Neighborhood Commercial), CC (Community Commercial) and RC (Regional Commercial) — development standards are collected in Table 11‑1.42.A under § 11‑1.42.01.
• Industrial/Manufacturing: M‑C (Manufacturing‑Commercial) with its own permitted uses and conditional use lists in Article 50 (see § 11‑1.50.03–.05).
• Special purpose / other: PL (Public Land), O‑S (Open Space & Recreation) and H (Housing overlay) are also identified in § 11‑1.20.01.
• Overlays: the code maintains overlays such as the Mixed‑Use Overlay (Article 58, § 11‑1.58.03–.07) and a Housing overlay (H) shown in the zone list (§ 11‑1.20.01).

The code’s use tables show whether a use is Permitted (P), Conditional (C) or requires Site Plan Review (S) in each zone (see Table 11‑1.30.A for residential uses and notes).

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Citywide development standards

High‑level rules you will see across Lomita’s zoning articles:

• Where to find the numbers: residential development standards (density, setbacks, height, FAR, lot coverage) are in Table 11‑1.30.B (see § 11‑1.30.02); commercial standards are in Table 11‑1.42.A (see § 11‑1.42.01).

Key citywide controls (examples drawn directly from the tables and text):

• Front yard setbacks in single‑family zones are 20 ft (minimum) in the residential table (Table 11‑1.30.B; § 11‑1.30.02); corner‑lot secondary front yard 10 ft is also specified. § 11‑1.30.02.
• Principal building height caps in low‑density residential are typically 27 ft (R‑1/R‑2) and 35 ft in R‑3 per § 11‑1.30.02; commercial zones commonly have a 35 ft cap in Table 11‑1.42.A (§ 11‑1.42.01).
• Floor area ratio (FAR) limits and lot coverage are shown in the zone tables (for example FAR 0.60 in some residential zones and FAR 1:1 in commercial zones) — see § 11‑1.30.02 and § 11‑1.42.01.
• Parking requirements are governed by the off‑street parking article (referenced in the development tables as Article 66); stand‑alone parking rules and blended ratios appear in specific plans (e.g., 24000 Crenshaw specific plan requires a blended 1.86 spaces/unit in § 11‑1.27.09).

Practical notes on standards and flexibility:

• Many objective development standards can be modified through the Modifications procedure or a variance, but those require findings (see § 11‑1.70.08 and § 11‑1.70.11 for height variation/variance paths).
• There are citywide “general standards of development” that apply to residential zones (landscaping requirements, garage frontage limits, minimum building separation, solar exceptions) in § 11‑1.30.03.

(If you are checking a numeric limit — e.g., front setback, height, FAR or parking ratio — consult the table in the specific Article: § 11‑1.30.02 for residential and § 11‑1.42.01 for commercial.)

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Specific plans & overlays

• The city includes site‑specific specific plans as Articles in the zoning code. A clear example is the 24000 Crenshaw Boulevard Specific Plan (Article 27) which sets a site‑specific density cap (88 du/ac), height limits (64 ft in parts) and setbacks unique to that parcel (§ 11‑1.27.01–.09).
• The Mixed‑Use Overlay is codified with its permitted and conditional uses and a specific mixed‑use standards table; mixed‑use projects are either allowed by conditional use or subject to the mixed‑use standards in § 11‑1.58.03–.07 and the mixed‑use development standards table (Table 11‑1.43.B / § 11‑1.43.05).
• The ordinance recognizes a Housing overlay (H) in the zone listing (§ 11‑1.20.01) and also contains specific articles for elements like low‑barrier navigation centers and other state‑mandated uses in particular zones (e.g., low‑barrier navigation centers are addressed in § 11‑1.68.11 and allowed in the Mixed‑Use Overlay under stated rules).

For projects, always check whether an overlay or specific plan applies to the parcel — those can override or add to the base zone standards (see each plan’s Article for the controlling rules such as § 11‑1.27.04–.06 for the Crenshaw specific plan).

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Building permits & review

How a typical project gets approved in Lomita:

• Objective ministerial approvals and site plan review: many smaller projects and projects that meet objective standards receive site plan review approval from the Community Development Director (ministerial or administrative), and where the director finds full compliance the approval is final and not appealable in some instances (see § 11‑1.70.07).
• Discretionary entitlements: uses flagged as conditional or requiring planning commission review (C or S in the use tables) must go through Conditional Use Permit or Site Plan Review procedures; the conditional use permit standards and required findings are in § 11‑1.70.09.
• Modifications and variances: the planning commission (or council on appeal) may approve a Modification or Variance if the ordinance findings are met — see § 11‑1.70.08 (modifications) and § 11‑1.70.11 (variances/height variation).
• Interagency coordination: permit processing commonly requires review by County/city health, fire, building & safety and police where applicable — certain permit types have statutory review timelines (the adult‑use planning permit timeline is an example showing a 30‑day agency review expectation). See the interagency and timeline discussion in the procedural articles (example timeline language appears at § 11‑1.64 and related permit processes).

Practical pathway:

1. Confirm zone and overlays (Zoning Map + § 11‑1.20.02).
2. Check the use table for the zone (P/C/S) — residential uses and ADU references are in § 11‑1.30.01.
3. Confirm objective standards in the applicable table (residential § 11‑1.30.02, commercial § 11‑1.42.01, or the specific plan article if applicable).
4. Submit plans and apply for site plan review / building permit; the director or commission route depends on whether the project is fully consistent with objective standards or requires discretionary findings (§ 11‑1.70.07–.09).

Note on the building code: all construction must comply with the California Building Standards (Title 24); the zoning code references the city’s building and safety requirements where relevant (for example, solar exceptions and height measurement are tied to the building code in § 11‑1.30.03(F)). Link to the state building code for construction standards: California Building Standards Code.

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State housing law in Lomita

Lomita’s ordinance implements state ADU/JADU law, SB 9/lot split allowances and offers density bonus incentives — the code references state statutes and incorporates state‑required ministerial approvals where applicable.

ADUs / JADUs (Accessory and Junior Accessory Dwelling Units)

• Lomita’s ADU rules are codified at § 11‑1.30.06 (titled “Accessory dwelling units”) and detail the types of ADUs allowed (attached, detached, conversions, JADUs), the permitted counts on single‑family and multifamily lots, and how those ADUs interact with local development standards. The section expressly ties local ADU rules to the state ADU statutes (Gov. Code references) and states that conforming ADUs will not be deemed to exceed zoning density or be inconsistent with the general plan (§ 11‑1.30.06(A–B)).
• Objective dimensional rules for ADUs — height limits (base 16 ft for detached ADUs, with exceptions to 18–20 ft under transit proximity or multi‑story multi‑family conditions), 4‑ft side/rear setbacks for many ADUs, minimum ADU size protections (no local limit that would prevent at least 800 sq ft) and parking rules (one space per ADU or bedroom with statutory exceptions) — are embedded in § 11‑1.30.06 (subsections (F) and (G)).
• Nonconforming or pre‑existing unpermitted ADUs: the ordinance follows state amnesty/permit‑to‑legalize approaches and allows legalization in specified circumstances; see § 11‑1.30.06(I–J).

SB 9 / Urban lot splits and two‑unit law

• Lomita identifies urban lot split and two‑unit residential development as permitted uses in certain zones and points to specific local development standards: urban lot split rules are referenced at § 11‑1.30.15 and two‑unit residential development standards at § 11‑1.30.16 (both are cited in the residential use table notes). The zoning table marks these uses and points the reader to those specific subsections for standards.

Density bonus and affordable housing incentives

• Lomita’s density bonus and regulatory incentives for affordable housing are implemented in Article 52 (see § 11‑1.52.02 and § 11‑1.52.04). The code sets a menu of potential incentives (additional density up to 35% total bonus, reduced setbacks up to 30%, added height for one story, reduced parking, etc.) and requires findings consistent with state density bonus law when approving incentives.

Rent rules / rent control

• A search of the retrieved zoning articles did not reveal a local rent‑control ordinance in Title XI. The zoning code governs land use and development standards; rent regulation (if any) would normally appear in another title or a separate local ordinance. Not found in retrieved materials — verify with the city clerk or municipal code for any rent regulation outside Title XI.

State law references and compliance

• The ADU section explicitly implements state ADU provisions and ties local rules to Government Code ADU requirements (§ 11‑1.30.06) and the code frequently notes when state definitions control local treatment (e.g., community care facilities references to Health & Safety Code).

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Source References

• Lomita Municipal Code — Title XI: Planning and Zoning (Zoning Ordinance). See the Zoning chapter and table of contents for Articles and Sections cited above, including § 11‑1.10.01, § 11‑1.20.01–.02, § 11‑1.30.02, § 11‑1.30.06, § 11‑1.42.01, § 11‑1.58.03–.07, § 11‑1.27.01–.09, § 11‑1.70.06–.09.

• Mixed‑Use development standards (Table 11‑1.43.B) and mixed‑use overlay rules: § 11‑1.43.05 and § 11‑1.58.04–.06.

• ADU specifics (height, setbacks, parking, legalization): § 11‑1.30.06 (subsections E–J, F(2), G) and related notes in § 11‑1.30.02 and § 11‑1.30.03.

• Density bonus and affordable housing incentives: Article 52 § 11‑1.52.02 and § 11‑1.52.04 (menu of incentives and affordable housing requirements).

If you want the print export of the full zoning chapter (Title XI) or the official online version, consult the city’s municipal code / Municode print export (the code excerpt in this research is sourced from the Lomita Municipal Code print export).