Lomita — Land Use

Last reviewed: July 2, 2026

Overview

This page summarizes what the City of Lomita's zoning ordinance (Title 11 / commonly referred to as the zoning code) actually says about permitted uses, conditional uses, and the land‑use tables used to decide what may be built where. It draws directly on the ordinance’s use tables, district-purpose statements, and procedural rules (e.g., conditional use permits). Where the code assigns discretion for unlisted uses or special findings, those cross‑references are called out so you know when to expect an application review. See Lomita zoning & planning overview for general context.

Key cross-links in this summary: the city's rules about parking are described in the parking guidelines, development limits live in the development standards, some projects require design review, several districts are influenced by overlay districts, accessory units are handled under the ADUs rules, and local building work must still meet the California Building Standards Code. Also see the pages for Nonconforming uses, and Landscaping and Screening for related development details.

How Lomita organizes land uses (quick map)

• Official zone list: A-1, R-1, R-2, R-3, PL, DC, NC, CC, RC, M-C, O-S, P, plus overlays such as H (Housing overlay) — per § 11-1.20.01 .
• Use tables: Residential uses are organized in Table 11-1.30.A (residential zones) and commercial uses in Table 11-1.41.A (commercial zones); the tables use symbols P, C, M, — to show allowed, conditional, minor conditional, and prohibited uses respectively (see § 11-1.30.01 and § 11-1.41.01) .
• If a use is not listed, the director can classify it or send it to the planning commission; see § 11-1.41.02 .
• Conditional use procedure and findings are in § 11-1.70.09 (purpose and required findings) .

District-by-district breakdown

A-1 (Residential — Agriculture)

• Purpose: Agricultural and very low‑density residential uses; part of the residential zones family. See § 11-1.30.00 and the zone list § 11-1.20.01 for designation. § 11-1.30.01 lists permitted uses in A-1.
• Typical permitted uses: Accessory dwelling units (ADUs) are P in A-1; farm pets and hens are permitted with conditions; other agricultural or accessory structures as listed in Table 11-1.30.A (§ 11-1.30.01) .
• Key dimensional standards: minimum lot area 5,000 sq ft, front setback 20 ft, max principal height 27 ft for many residential zones (see Table 11-1.30.B / § 11-1.30.02) .
• Where it applies: Scattered low‑density parcels shown on the zoning map; verify parcel zoning with the City (see § 11-1.20.02) .

R-1 (Residential — Low density)

• Purpose: Low‑density single‑family housing. See § 11-1.30.00 and Table 11-1.30.A (§ 11-1.30.01) .
• Typical permitted uses: Single‑family dwelling, Accessory dwelling unit (ADU) is P (§ 11-1.30.01) — ADU rules referenced to § 11-1.30.06 (see ADU page for practical steps) .
• Key dimensional standards: minimum lot area 5,000 sq ft, front setback 20 ft, max height 27 ft, max combined accessory area 750 sq ft — see Table 11-1.30.B (§ 11-1.30.02) .
• Where it applies: Typical single‑family neighborhoods — confirm with the Zoning Map § 11-1.20.02 .

R-2 (Residential — Medium density)

• Purpose: Medium density residential and limited multifamily use per Table 11-1.30.A (§ 11-1.30.01) .
• Typical permitted uses: Two‑unit residential development is P in R-2 (see Table 11-1.30.A). ADUs are permitted. Multifamily may be limited and sometimes requires site plan review or CUP depending on scale (§ 11-1.30.01, cross‑refs). .
• Key dimensional standards: lot area min 5,000 sq ft, front setback 20 ft, max height typically 27 ft (see Table 11-1.30.B / § 11-1.30.02) .

R-3 (Residential — High density)

• Purpose: Higher density/multi‑family housing. See § 11-1.30.00, § 11-1.30.01 for allowed multifamily uses. .
• Typical permitted uses: Multifamily housing and related amenities; ADUs/JADUs remain listed as permitted accessory uses (§ 11-1.30.01) .
• Key dimensional standards: maximum density up to 43.6 du/acre in certain designations (see Table 11-1.30.B § 11-1.30.02) and max principal structure height 35 ft in R-3 zones where specified .

DC, NC, CC, RC (Commercial zones: DC — Downtown Commercial, NC — Neighborhood Commercial, CC — Community Commercial, RC — Regional Commercial)

• Purpose: Each commercial district has tailored intent; the commercial land‑use table (Table 11-1.41.A) sets permitted, conditional, minor conditional and prohibited uses per district (§ 11-1.41.01) .
• Typical permitted uses: The table assigns P/C/M/—; examples: retail shops, restaurants, banks are commonly P across commercial districts; some uses like hotels require additional standards or are C in certain districts (§ 11-1.41.01, Table 11-1.41.A) .
• Key dimensional/development standards: Commercial general standards live in Article 42 and mixed‑use standards in Article 43 (e.g., floor area ratios, building heights for mixed‑use, and minimum nonresidential allocations) — see § 11-1.43.03 and Article 42 references for details .
• Where it applies: The zoning map designates corridors and nodes in downtown and commercial strips; see § 11-1.20.02 and Table 11-1.41.A for parcel‑level use permissions .

M-C (Manufacturing‑Commercial) and other industrial-type

• Purpose: Mixed manufacturing and commercial uses with different outdoor storage limits and screening requirements. See the commercial/industrial use table and Article 42 for standards (§ 11-1.41.01 and cross‑refs). .
• Typical permitted uses: Certain contractors’ shops and limited manufacturing are allowed (some as C); outdoor storage is commonly restricted (e.g., limited to 10% of lot area and must be screened where allowed) — see entries in Table 11-1.41.A and related notes (§ 11-1.41.01) .

PL (Publicly owned land)

• Purpose: Public facilities and uses; table and text treat PL specially — see § 11-1.20.01 and zone descriptions. .
• Typical permitted uses and standards: Public buildings, parking for public uses, utilities; refer to the zone text for accessory standards (not all enumerated in the general use tables). Verify parcel designation with the City.

O-S (Open Space and Recreation)

• Purpose: Preserve recreation, habitats, and hazard‑prone areas; defined in § 11-1.26.01 and principal uses listed in § 11-1.26.02 (arboretums, parks, campgrounds, public reservoirs, etc.) .
• Typical permitted uses: Public parks, trails, wildlife preserves, athletic fields (excluding stadiums) are permitted as listed in § 11-1.26.02; accessory uses limited and incidental (§ 11-1.26.03) .
• Key standards: Minimum lot area rules and height limits for O-S parcels are in § 11-1.26.06; e.g., height generally capped at 35 ft except historic structures .

P (Parking zone)

• Purpose: Allow parking uses on parcels where P is applied as a suffix; principal uses follow the zone the P suffix is attached to (§ 11-1.34.02) .
• Typical permitted uses: Noncommercial parking, accessory paving, walls and lighting as described in § 11-1.34.03; landscaping required along rights‑of‑way .
• Key standards: Standards of the attached base zone apply; see § 11-1.34.03 for permitted structures and screening requirements .

H (Housing overlay) and Specific Plans

• Purpose: Overlays (such as H) and specific plans modify base zoning rules. The H overlay is listed in the zone list (§ 11-1.20.01) and the housing overlay is referenced in mixed‑use exemptions (Art. 43) for certain housing‑element parcels (§ 11-1.43.04) .
• Example: 24000 Crenshaw Boulevard Specific Plan (Article 27) provides site‑specific permitted uses (multi‑family by right), densities (max 88 units/acre), height maximums (~64 ft), setbacks, parking ratios, and open space requirements — see § 11-1.27.02 through § 11-1.27.09 for the full specific‑plan standards .

Key tables (decision‑relevant)

Table: Representative permitted uses by district (short extract)

Table: Representative development standards (short extract)

Practical guidance / synthesis

• If the land use you want is listed as P in the relevant table (Table 11-1.30.A or Table 11-1.41.A), it is a by‑right use provided you meet all objective development standards (setbacks, parking, lot coverage) and obtain required ministerial approvals (see § 11-1.30.01, § 11-1.41.01) .
• If a use is listed as C or M, expect discretionary review and required findings per § 11-1.70.09; plan for neighbor notice, findings about compatibility and adequate infrastructure, and possible conditions (see § 11-1.70.09) .
• For any use not in the table, the community and economic development director may decide whether the use is allowed and whether it’s by‑right or requires a CUP; that decision is documented and can be referred to the planning commission per § 11-1.41.02 .
• Parking requirements and location standards are a separate, detailed article; review the parking rules early because many commercial and multifamily projects trigger site plan or parking reviews (§ 11-1.66.09 and related provisions) .
• Overlay districts and specific plans (for example H overlay or the 24000 Crenshaw Specific Plan) can supersede or add requirements; always check overlay text for parcel‑specific rules (§ 11-1.20.01, Article 27) .

Checklist (what an applicant must satisfy to establish a use)

• Confirm parcel zoning and overlays on the City Zoning Map (verify § 11-1.20.02) .
• Check Table 11-1.30.A (residential) or Table 11-1.41.A (commercial) to see whether the use is P, C, M, or — (§ 11-1.30.01, § 11-1.41.01) .
• If the use is C or M, prepare findings and materials to meet § 11-1.70.09 CUP standards and plan for discretionary review .
• Confirm applicable development standards (setbacks, height, lot coverage) in Table 11-1.30.B and commercial development articles (§ 11-1.30.02, Article 42/43) .
• Calculate and document required parking per the parking article and ensure required spaces are on the same parcel or meet joint‑parking rules (§ 11-1.66.09) .
• If proposing an unlisted use, submit a written request for the director’s interpretation under § 11-1.41.02 and be prepared for possible referral to the planning commission .
• Review any overlay or specific plan rules that modify base zoning (e.g., Article 27, 24000 Crenshaw Specific Plan § 11-1.27.02–.09) .

Risks & Ambiguities

Plain-English Summary

Lomita’s zoning code lists allowed uses in clear land‑use tables by zone: if your use is marked P in the applicable table and you meet the numeric development standards (setbacks, height, parking), you are generally allowed; if it’s marked C or M, you must get a conditional permit and meet the ordinance findings; if it’s not listed the director decides. Always check overlays and any specific plan that covers your parcel because those can change the base rules (§ 11-1.30.01, § 11-1.41.01, § 11-1.41.02, § 11-1.70.09) .

Source References

• Lists of zones and map rules: § 11-1.20.01, § 11-1.20.02
• Residential permitted uses and Table 11-1.30.A: § 11-1.30.01; residential development standards Table 11-1.30.B: § 11-1.30.02
• Commercial land‑use table and rules: § 11-1.41.01 (Table 11-1.41.A) and uses-not-listed authority § 11-1.41.02
• Conditional use permit findings and procedure: § 11-1.70.09
• Parking location and ownership rules: § 11-1.66.09 and Article 66 references
• Specific plan example (24000 Crenshaw Blvd): § 11-1.27.01–.09 (permitted uses, density, setbacks, parking, open space)
• Mixed‑use development standards and minimum nonresidential allocation: § 11-1.43.03 – .05
• O-S open space zone permitted uses and standards: § 11-1.26.01–.06
• Hotels and assembly halls standards: § 11-1.68.07, § 11-1.68.04

If you want the literal ordinance wording or full tables for a particular parcel, I can extract the exact table rows and the full development tables for the districts that affect your address—tell me the parcel address or APN and I will pull the applicable table excerpts and related §§.

Retrieved passages

• CBC § 3 (Article 27.) High relevance show source text
• Lomita Zoning Code (§ 4) High relevance show source text
• Lomita Zoning Code (§ 2) High relevance show source text
• Lomita Zoning Code (§ 3) High relevance show source text
• Lomita Zoning Code (§ 2) High relevance show source text
• Lomita Zoning Code (§ 2) High relevance show source text
• Lomita Zoning Code (§ 1) High relevance show source text
• Lomita Zoning Code (§ 1) High relevance show source text

Cited sections

• Lists of zones and map rules: **§ 11-1.20.01**, **§ 11-1.20.02** (§ 11-1.20.01)
• Residential permitted uses and Table 11-1.30.A: **§ 11-1.30.01**; residential development standards Table 11-1.30.B: **§ 11-1.30.02** fileciteturn0file14turn0file5 (§ 11-1.30.01)
• Commercial land‑use table and rules: **§ 11-1.41.01** (Table 11-1.41.A) and uses-not-listed authority **§ 11-1.41.02** fileciteturn0file3turn0file12 (§ 11-1.41.01)
• Conditional use permit findings and procedure: **§ 11-1.70.09** (§ 11-1.70.09)
• Parking location and ownership rules: **§ 11-1.66.09** and Article 66 references (§ 11-1.66.09)
• Specific plan example (24000 Crenshaw Blvd): **§ 11-1.27.01–.09** (permitted uses, density, setbacks, parking, open space) fileciteturn0file0turn0file17 (§ 11-1.27.01)
• Mixed‑use development standards and minimum nonresidential allocation: **§ 11-1.43.03 – .05** fileciteturn0file8turn0file13 (§ 11-1.43.03)
• O-S open space zone permitted uses and standards: **§ 11-1.26.01–.06** fileciteturn0file4turn0file1 (§ 11-1.26.01)
• Hotels and assembly halls standards: **§ 11-1.68.07**, **§ 11-1.68.04** fileciteturn0file18turn0file19 (§ 11-1.68.07)
• Lomita_ZoningCode.md

• Official Lomita code library