Long Beach : R-1, R-2 Zones Dropped From New Building Law

Responding to complaints about public right-of-way requirements passed last year, the Long Beach City Council has voted for preliminary passage of an ordinance that exempts small residential construction projects from the new regulations.

Under the 1987 law, if a property owner builds one or more dwelling units along a street or alley that does not meet the city’s width requirements, he must give up some of his land for widening. Concluding that the regulations are too onerous on homeowners, the council is dropping R-1 (single-family) and R-2 (duplex) districts from the requirements, along with apartment projects of less than five units.