Long Beach Permit Expeditors &
Land Use Entitlement Consultants
JDJ Consulting helps developers, property owners, architects, and project teams navigate the
City of Long Beach development process.
Have a site in Long Beach?
Tell us what you’re trying to build, and we’ll map the fastest path
through Long Beach’s process.
Land Use, Entitlements, Feasibility & Permit Expediting in Long Beach, California
JDJ Consulting helps developers, property owners, architects, and project teams navigate the City of Long Beach development process – from early site feasibility and zoning analysis through planning entitlements, building permit coordination, and agency clearances.
Long Beach presents significant opportunities for multifamily housing, affordable housing, mixed-use development, adaptive reuse, ADUs, commercial redevelopment, and transit-oriented infill. But those opportunities are shaped by a development framework that can include the Long Beach Municipal Code, specific plans, the Coastal Zone, State housing laws, density bonus programs, inclusionary housing requirements, and project-specific discretionary review.
Our role is to identify the most viable approval path early and coordinate the agencies, applications, corrections, and approvals needed to move the project forward.
PLANNING A PROJECT IN LONG BEACH?
How Long Beach Regulates Development
The Framework, in JDJ’s Words
Development in Long Beach is administered primarily through the City of Long Beach Community Development Department, including the Planning Bureau and Building & Safety Bureau.
The approval path depends heavily on the property, zoning district, proposed use, project size, and whether the site falls within a specific plan or the Coastal Zone.
Some projects can proceed through ministerial review. Others may require Site Plan Review, an Administrative Use Permit, Conditional Use Permit, Local Coastal Development Permit, subdivision approval, variance, or another discretionary entitlement.
For housing projects, the analysis can become significantly more complex because local zoning may interact with State Density Bonus Law, Long Beach’s Enhanced Density Bonus program, inclusionary housing requirements, state streamlining laws, transit-related development standards, and other housing legislation.
• Governing Code: Long Beach Municipal Code (LBMC)
• Primary Agencies: Long Beach Community Development Department; Planning Bureau; Building & Safety Bureau; Long Beach Fire Department; Public Works and other reviewing agencies as applicable
• Review Types: Ministerial Review; Administrative Review; Discretionary Entitlements; Public Hearings; Building Plan Check; Coastal Review
High-Opportunity Development Types in Long Beach
01. Multifamily & Mixed-Income Housing
| • Base zoning and allowable residential density • Maximum building height and floor area • Setbacks and development standards • Parking requirements • State Density Bonus eligibility • Long Beach Enhanced Density Bonus eligibility • Inclusionary Housing requirements | • Incentives, concessions, and waivers • Site Plan Review requirements • State housing streamlining opportunities • Transit proximity • Specific Plan requirements • Coastal Zone constraints • Applicable objective development standards |
The goal is not simply to determine how many units base zoning allows. We compare available development pathways to
determine which strategy produces the most practical entitlement scenario for the site.
02. Affordable Housing Development
Affordable housing projects may have access to development incentives and streamlined approval pathways that are unavailable to conventional market-rate development.
• State Density Bonus Law
• Long Beach Enhanced Density Bonus
• Inclusionary Housing requirements
• Affordable housing incentives and concessions
• Development standard waivers
• Ministerial and streamlined approval opportunities
• SB 35 and other applicable State housing laws
• Parking reductions or exemptions
• CEQA implications
• Entitlement sequencing
• Building permit coordination
For affordable housing developers working against acquisition, financing, tax-credit, or construction deadlines, we can coordinate the land-use and permitting schedule around critical project milestones.
03. Transit-Oriented & Infill Housing
• Residential density
• Parking requirements
• Development standards
• Housing approval procedures
• Transit-oriented development
We screen sites against both local zoning and applicable State housing legislation before recommending a development strategy. This is particularly important because a site’s existing zoning does not always represent its full development
potential.
04. Downtown Long Beach Development - PD-30
Downtown Long Beach operates under its own development framework through the Downtown Plan.
• PD-30 development standards
• Residential and mixed-use development potential
• Density and height
• Ground-floor use requirements
• Parking
• Urban design standards
• Adaptive reuse opportunities
• Affordable housing requirements
• Density bonus opportunities
• Site Plan Review
• Coastal considerations where applicable
• State housing law overlays
Downtown Long Beach has been one of the City’s most active development areas, making early entitlement and zoning analysis particularly valuable before acquisition or design development.
05. Adaptive Reuse & Building Conversions
Existing commercial, office, industrial, and other buildings may present opportunities for conversion rather than ground-up development.
• Office to Residential
• Commercial to Residential
• Industrial to Creative / Commercial
• Existing Building to Mixed-Use
• Historic Building to New Compatible Use
Adaptive reuse feasibility involves more than confirming that a new use is allowed. We evaluate zoning, change of use, parking, accessibility, exiting, fire/life safety, building code implications, historic resources, and the City’s applicable adaptive reuse procedures before a client commits to a conversion strategy.
06. Coastal Development
Long Beach contains properties within the California Coastal Zone, where otherwise straightforward development can require an additional layer of review.
• Local Coastal Development Permit
• Coastal Permit Categorical Exclusion
• Coastal consistency analysis
• Public hearing
• California Coastal Commission appeal review
We identify Coastal Zone requirements early so the project team can understand whether coastal review affects design, entitlement strategy, or overall schedule.
07. ADUs, JADUs & Small-Scale Housing
Accessory Dwelling Units continue to represent an important source of housing production in Long Beach.
• Detached ADUs
• Attached ADUs
• Garage conversions
• Multifamily ADUs
• JADUs
• Existing-unit legalization
• ADUs within the Coastal Zone
• ADU zoning review
• Permit coordination
• Correction tracking
For larger residential properties, we can also evaluate whether an ADU strategy should be considered alongside other development options rather than in isolation.
08. SB 9 & Small-Lot Development
Qualifying single-family properties may have additional development potential under California SB 9.
• Two-unit development eligibility
• Urban lot split eligibility
• Existing development
• Minimum lot requirements
• Access
• Easements
• Fire and life-safety constraints
• Tenant and demolition restrictions
• Objective development standards
• Subdivision requirements
• ADU interaction
Before beginning subdivision or architectural design, we recommend confirming that the parcel meets the applicable statutory and local requirements.
09. Commercial Development & Change of Use
Long Beach’s commercial corridors contain opportunities for restaurants, retail, medical, wellness, office, childcare, hospitality, fitness, entertainment, and other commercial uses.
• Permitted uses
• Change of use
• Conditional Use Permits
• Administrative Use Permits
• Parking
• Occupancy classification
• Site Plan Review
• Alcohol-related land-use approvals
• Outdoor uses
• Signage
• Building permits
• Fire Department review
• Health Department coordination where applicable
The biggest permitting question is often not whether construction can occur, but whether the proposed use is allowed and what approvals that use triggers. This analysis is especially useful before a tenant signs a lease. Long Beach Enhanced Density Bonus Long Beach maintains its own Enhanced Density Bonus program for qualifying housing projects that provide affordable housing. Depending on the project, the program can provide increased density and modifications to certain development
standards.
Long Beach’s Enhanced Density Bonus program is separate from State Density Bonus Law. A project’s feasibility analysis should therefore compare the available local and State pathways rather than assuming one program automatically produces the best development scenario.
Long Beach Enhanced Density Bonus
Long Beach maintains its own Enhanced Density Bonus program for qualifying housing projects that provide affordable
housing. Depending on the project, the program can provide increased density and modifications to certain development
standards.
Long Beach’s Enhanced Density Bonus program is separate from State Density Bonus Law. A project’s feasibility
analysis should therefore compare the available local and State pathways rather than assuming one program
automatically produces the best development scenario.
Long Beach Entitlements We Handle
Long Beach Permit Expediting
Development Feasibility & Due Diligence
Know What You Can Build Before You Commit
Recommended Approval Strategy
We identify the likely entitlement pathway, major risks, required agencies, anticipated approvals,
and recommended next steps.
What Actually Shapes a Project in Long Beach
Our Long Beach Development Process
Who We Work With
Frequently Asked Questions
What can I build on my Long Beach property?
It depends on the property’s zoning, General Plan designation, applicable specific plan, lot dimensions, existing development, Coastal Zone status, and proposed use. Housing projects may also qualify for local or State development incentives that change the site’s allowable density or development standards. A parcel-specific feasibility review is the best way to determine the development potential.
Does Long Beach have its own density bonus program?
Yes. Long Beach has an Enhanced Density Bonus program separate from California State Density Bonus Law. Qualifying projects can receive additional development benefits in exchange for affordable housing and other applicable requirements. The local and State programs should be compared during feasibility to determine which pathway better fits the project.
Does Long Beach require affordable units in new apartment projects?
Long Beach has citywide Inclusionary Housing requirements applicable to qualifying new residential developments with 10 or more units. The exact affordability obligations depend on the applicable regulations and project characteristics.
Do I need Site Plan Review in Long Beach?
Potentially. Site Plan Review may be required for new development depending on the type and scale of the project. The requirement should be confirmed with the applicable zoning and project standards before filing.
When is a Conditional Use Permit required in Long Beach?
Certain uses are permitted only after discretionary approval through a Conditional Use Permit. Whether a CUP is required depends on the zoning district, proposed use, and sometimes operational characteristics of the project.
Do Long Beach coastal properties need a Coastal Development Permit?
Some projects within the Coastal Zone require a Local Coastal Development Permit, while certain projects may qualify for a categorical exclusion or another applicable coastal process. The site’s coastal status and proposed scope should be reviewed before assuming a particular approval path.
Can I convert an office or commercial building to apartments in Long Beach?
Potentially. Long Beach provides pathways for adaptive reuse, and California law may create additional opportunities for certain conversions. Feasibility depends on zoning, building configuration, fire/life safety, accessibility, applicable development standards, and the specific conversion proposed.
Can JDJ review a property before I buy it?
Yes. Pre-acquisition feasibility and land-use due diligence are core JDJ services. We can evaluate zoning, density, development standards, applicable housing programs, likely entitlements, major development risks, and the anticipated approval path before acquisition.
How long does a Long Beach entitlement take?
The timeline depends on the entitlement. Ministerial projects generally move differently from discretionary cases requiring hearings, environmental review, coastal review, or multiple correction cycles. We establish a project-specific approval roadmap after identifying the required entitlement path.
Can JDJ handle both Planning and Building & Safety?
Yes. JDJ can remain involved from feasibility and entitlement strategy through Planning approvals, building plan check coordination, agency clearances, and permit issuance.
Planning a Development in Long Beach?
Before committing to a property, design, unit count, or entitlement strategy, determine what the site actually allows – and whether local or State development programs create a better path.
JDJ Consulting provides Long Beach land use consulting, entitlement processing, development feasibility, zoning due diligence, and permit expediting for residential, multifamily, affordable housing, mixed-use, commercial, adaptive reuse, coastal, and infill development.
Have a property or project in Long Beach? Send us the property address and a brief description of the proposed development. We can review the site and discuss the likely approval path.