Long Beach, CA Data Centers & Crypto Mining: Data Center Zoning & Siting (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing table
- Table 15-5, LBMC § 22.15.030
- Zones allowed
- NI-1 and NI-2 only
- Permit type
- Y: no CUP or AUP required
- Follow-on standards
- Chapter 22.41 NI development standards apply
- Glare cap in NI zones
- 0.5 foot-candles onto neighboring property
- Adopting ordinance
- ORD-24-0015 (2024)
Summary
Long Beach's Table 15-5 permitted-use table lists 'Data center' as a 'Y' use, 'Yes, the use is permitted', in both Neo-Industrial zones, NI-1 and NI-2, under LBMC § 22.15.030. No conditional use permit or administrative use permit applies to the use classification itself; siting is confined to those two zones citywide.
Table 15-1 Land Use Permit Types and Processes Symbol Permit Requirement Procedure/Standards Section Y Yes, the use is permitted. ... Table 15-5: Permitted Uses in Neo-Industrial (NI) Zones Neo-Industrial Zones Notes and Exceptions Code section numbers reference the Long Beach Municipal Code. All uses shall be subject to Chapters 21.45 and 21.52, and the following noted standards or regulations. NI-1 (Neo-Industrial Focused) NI-2 (Flexible Designation: Neo-Industrial + Commercial) ... Technology Biotechnology firms and manufacturers of nontoxic computer components Y Y
Computer and electronic product assembly Y Y Data center Y Y Research & development Y Y Testing labs Y Y
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Municipal Code: Supplement 52 Update 1 | City Charter: Supplement 5).
Full Breakdown
030. 25 Div. 52 Div. II) or 'AP' (Administrative Use Permit), and a data center carries neither in NI-1 ('Neo-Industrial Focused') or NI-2 ('Flexible Designation: Neo-Industrial + Commercial'). 030. No 'data center' entry appears in the permitted-use tables for the RMU, MU, C, or MFR zones (Tables 15-2 through 15-4), so a data center sited outside NI-1/NI-2 has no by-right path under Title 22.
Violations & Fines
Title 22 has no penalty section of its own for NI-zone standards; § 22.10.010 directs that where Title 22 is silent, Title 21 rules apply, including § 21.10.080's 'Penalty for violation.' That section makes any zoning-regulation violation a misdemeanor punishable by up to a $500 fine, up to six months' imprisonment, or both, with each day after a notice of violation counted as a separate offense, enforced by the Department of Planning and Building and prosecuted by the City Prosecutor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a data center be built anywhere in Long Beach?
Does a data center need a conditional use permit?
What standards still apply once a data center is in the right zone?
What happens if a data center project violates these standards?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Long Beach
California rules heatmap·Compare Long Beach to another location·View the California data centers & crypto mining overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Data Center Zoning & Siting in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Los Angeles County handle data center zoning & siting.