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Culver City, California Zoning Map

Zoning, overlays and hazards on every parcel — and an answer to what the code actually lets you build. Compiled from current zoning data for all 19 districts.

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Coverage

What's in the Culver City dataset

Every field below is available for any Culver City parcel, on the map and through the AI.

Zoning

  • District code & full name
  • Parcel boundary & APN
  • All 19 districts mapped
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Use classes, resolved

  • Permitted by right
  • Conditional or by appeal
  • Restricted / prohibited
  • Read per zoning district

Building controls

  • Height stepbacks (feet)
  • Max building height (ft)
  • Max density du (per acre)
  • Max far
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Overlays, hazards & AI

  • Flood hazard & environmental layers
  • Ask the AI about any parcel
  • Powered by live parcel data

Where uses are permitted in Culver City

Share of Culver City's zoned land where each use is permitted.

Single-family
49.68%
Multi-family
44.05%
ADU
78.34%
Two-family
20.14%
Retail
28.66%
Eating & drinking
31.29%
Office
28.66%
Hotel / motel
28.66%
Storage & warehouses
5.32%
Building Controls

What can you build in Culver City's largest districts?

Setback, height, lot and coverage standards. 4 districts shown; all 19 are in the app.

MU-1Mixed

Mixed Use Corridor 1

Min lot area
New lots: 10000
Min lot width
New lots: 80
Front yard
Residential Ground Floor: (Minimum: 5, Maximum: 10), Non Residential Ground Floor: (Minimum: 0, Maximum: 5)
Side yards
0 feet, 10 feet abutting R1 and R2 zoned property, Residential Ground Floor: (Minimum: 5, Maximum: 10), Non Residential Ground Floor: (Minimum: 0, Maximum: 5)
Rear yard
10 feet, When adjacent to alley: 2 feet for portions of structure 20 feet or less in height and 10 feet for portions of building more than 20 feet in height, Abutting R1, R2, and RLD: 15 feet, 20 feet if over 30 feet in height
Max coverage
Max height
56 ft
R1Residential

Single Family Residential

Min lot area
New lots: 5000
Min lot width
New lots: 40
Front yard
Single story structures: 20, Two story structures: 20, Second story: 25 or any roof or portion of a roof, parapet wall, or front yard facing facade that exceeds a height of 18 feet
Side yards
Street side corner lots: (Single story structures and two story structures: 5 plus minimum 5 feet step back for second floor, 10 feet two story structures without minimum 5 feet second floor step back), Interior side: (5, No structure shall encroach upon a 1:1 upward and inward inclining setback plane starting from 18 feet above any interior side lot line)
Rear yard
15
Max coverage
Max height
2 stories and 26 feet ft
PDPlanned

Planned Development

Min lot area
43560 or larger
Min lot width
Front yard
Side yards
Rear yard
Max coverage
Max height
56 ft
SSpecial

tudio

Min lot area
Min lot width
Front yard
Side yards
Rear yard
Max coverage
Max height
56 ft

Dimensional standards for all 19 Culver City districts

Plus permitted use classes, overlays and hazard layers per parcel.

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Zoning Districts

Culver City, California Zoning Districts: What Do They Mean?

Zoning districts are areas regulated by specific laws that determine land use, building types, and development rules. Each district below shows its zone type and which uses it permits.

Zone CodeCategoryPermitted UsesAreaDetails
E
Cemetery
Special-
43.7 ac
Standards & uses →
I
Institutional
Special
  • Commercial
11.4 ac
Standards & uses →
MU-1
Mixed Use Corridor 1
Mixed
  • MF
  • ADU
  • Commercial
85.7 ac
Standards & uses →
MU-2
Mixed Use Corridor 2
Mixed
  • MF
  • ADU
  • Commercial
194 ac
Standards & uses →

Showing 4 of 19 districts

Common Questions

Start from what you're trying to build

Each one runs against the live Culver City dataset and returns the districts, standards and approvals involved.

Where can I build multifamily in Culver City?

9 of 19 districts permit multifamily - by right, conditionally, or by variance.

Run it →

Are ADUs allowed in Culver City?

10 of 19 districts allow ADUs under the local ordinance.

Run it →

What does MU-1 actually permit?

The full standards for one district, read straight from the source.

Run it →
City Context

What should developers know about Culver City zoning?

Culver City is a Westside Los Angeles enclave with a famously strong creative and media economy, and its 19 zoning districts capture both that heritage and an aggressive embrace of mixed-use development. Single Family Residential (R1) is the largest district at roughly 735 acres, but what defines Culver City's forward posture is its extensive Mixed Use family of zones: Mixed Use Corridor 2 (MU-2) at about 194 acres, Mixed Use High (MU-HD), Mixed Use Industrial (MU-I), Mixed Use Medium (MU-MD), Mixed Use Corridor 1 (MU-1), Mixed Use Downtown (MU-DT), Mixed Use Neighborhood (MU-N), and the smaller MUC-1. Few cities of this size carry this many distinct mixed-use districts, and collectively they steer housing, commercial, and creative-employment uses into integrated corridors and the downtown core.

The residential ladder runs from R1 through Two Family Residential (R2), Medium Density (RMD), Low Density (RLD), and High Density Multiple Family (RHD), giving developers a clear gradient of by-right housing intensity. The city's identity shows in its dedicated Studio (S) district at roughly 65 acres - reflecting Culver City's long history as a film and television production center - and the Mixed Use Industrial (MU-I) district, which bridges creative and light-industrial uses. Open Space (OS) at about 294 acres, plus Institutional (I), Cemetery (E), Transportation (T), and Planned Development (PD) round out the map.

Building controls cover FAR, lot size, density, coverage, pervious surface, lot width, all setbacks, and height, plus an Assorted category. For developers, Culver City is one of the clearest mixed-use intensification opportunities on the Westside, where the MU districts and downtown are the focal points for housing and creative-commercial projects. This is pre-development intelligence, not legal advice - verify with the local planning department before acquisition.

FAQ

Culver City zoning: frequently asked questions

Why does Culver City have so many mixed-use districts?

Culver City maintains an unusually broad mixed-use framework - MU-1, MU-2, MU-HD, MU-MD, MU-I, MU-DT, MU-N, and MUC-1 - reflecting a deliberate strategy to channel housing, commercial, and creative-employment growth into integrated corridors and its downtown rather than into single-use areas. For developers, these districts are the primary vehicles for adding density and mixing uses, with each MU zone calibrated to a different intensity or context.

What is the Studio (S) district and why does it exist?

The Studio (S) district, at roughly 65 acres, is dedicated to film, television, and media production, reflecting Culver City's long history as a major production center. It protects and supports studio operations and related uses, so developers should recognize that this land is oriented toward the creative-industry economy rather than general commercial or residential conversion.

Where is the densest housing allowed in Culver City?

The High Density Multiple Family Residential (RHD) district anchors the densest conventional housing, while the Mixed Use High (MU-HD) and downtown (MU-DT) districts allow significant residential intensity within a mixed-use format. Developers chasing maximum unit yield should evaluate RHD and the higher-intensity MU zones, layering in state density-bonus provisions where applicable.

What does the Mixed Use Industrial (MU-I) district enable?

Mixed Use Industrial (MU-I) blends light-industrial and creative-employment uses with other activity, bridging Culver City's production heritage and its mixed-use ambitions. It suits maker space, creative offices, and light production paired with complementary uses, and is a distinctive option for developers who want a flexible employment-oriented base rather than a purely residential or retail program.

How do California housing laws interact with Culver City's zoning?

With a large single-family base (R1 at roughly 735 acres) plus R2 and tiered multifamily zones, state ADU and SB-9 provisions apply to the lower-density areas, while density-bonus law is especially powerful in the MU and RHD districts where base intensities are already high. Because the city has pre-zoned extensive mixed-use capacity, the most efficient housing path is often building within those MU corridors using the city's form controls plus available state bonuses.

Analyze any Culver City parcel in 60 seconds

Zoning, overlays, hazards, and what the code actually allows - in one place.

Zoning data is pre-development intelligence, not legal advice. Verify with the Culver City planning department before acquisition or design.