Community Development



The City of Long Beach is proposing a Zoning Code update that will address the regulation of e-commerce and delivery-only retailers throughout the city. The Zoning Code amendment will focus on addressing current impacts while anticipating future retail trends and e-commerce opportunities.

In October 2021, the City Council directed staff to explore zoning regulations for non-storefront businesses. In 2022, feedback was collected from the community and businesses on this topic to inform a set of amendments to the Long Beach Municipal Code to implement the Council’s policy direction (more details below).

Based on direction from the City Council and feedback from the community, a Zoning Code Amendment has been drafted to establish new regulations for adult-use cannabis delivery-only dispensaries. On September 19, 2024, the Planning Commission held a public hearing and voted (5-0) to approve the amendments with revisions to include the prohibition of cannabis delivery-only dispensaries on ground levels within the Community Pedestrian-Oriented (CCP) Zoning District. The action also included clarification that cannabis delivery-only dispensaries in pedestrian-oriented zoning districts can be located on the 2nd Floor or above. The following proposed amendments are forwarded to the City Council for consideration:  

These changes largely reflect an evolution in the industry that has already occurred and these changes to Long Beach Municipal Code (LBMC) are necessary to catch-up with existing practice in the marketplace.

Recognizing and regulating these uses is part of a larger City strategy to support the legal cannabis industry, reduce competition from unlicensed or unregulated businesses and open new business opportunity to those previously left out of the cannabis industry through the City’s equity business program.

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Past Community Engagement

On August 31, 2022, the Community Development Department’s Planning Bureau hosted a virtual community meeting to educate participants about the growing demand for e-commerce and delivery-only retail use in Long Beach, such as ghost kitchens, cannabis retailers and distribution centers. Additionally, an online survey was conducted in 2022 and the City received 43 responses on this topic. The majority of participants expressed no concern for non-storefront buildings, so long as the property is well-maintained and has a visually interesting building façade. City staff has included building design standards and operational requirements as a part of proposed amendments.

The proposed zoning code amendment reflect community input provided at the community meeting and via survey.  The code amendment is scheduled for consideration by the Planning Commission on September 19, 2024.  If the Planning Commission recommends the code amendment to the City Council, a City Council adoption hearing will be scheduled for later this fall.

Contact

For more information, contact Long Beach Community Development Department at 562.570.6368.

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