- Main ZIP
- 90802
- Soil Type
- Terrace Loam
- Clay In Topsoil
- 18%
- Sand In Topsoil
- 38%
- Elevation
- 12 to 31 ft
- Miles To The Shore
- 0.2
- Empty Street Tree Sites
- 64
- Typical Home Built
- 1990
The Ground In Downtown
USDA maps this as Windfetch and Typic Haploxerolls, well drained loam with about 10 to 18 percent clay. Most of the points we checked are zoned PD-30, which means a planned development.
Parts of Downtown map differently too, with Dredged Fill showing up at other points we sampled. One block can differ from the next.
| Soil | Share Of Map Unit | Clay | Sand | pH | Drainage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Windfetch | 25% | 18% | 38% | 7.2 | Well drained |
| Typic Haploxerolls | 15% | 10% | 45% | 7.8 | Well drained |
What That Means For Your Yard
- Well drained loam suits most plants, so plant choice is wide open.
- USDA shows some salt in the surface layer, so a soil test is smart before you plant anything sensitive.
- Most yards here have decades of old roots, so hand dig near mature trees.
Plants That Tend To Fit Here
- Silver sage
- Ceanothus
- Toyon
- Lavender
- Deer grass
- Bougainvillea
Weather And Homes
At about 0.2 miles from the open shore, this area gets the steady salt air and marine layer. Foggy mornings cut how much water plants use, so a schedule copied from inland yards will overwater here.
Census figures for the tracts here put the typical home at about 1990. Newer tracts often have builder soil, tight side yards and shared rules. Check any HOA papers before you pick plants, though California law limits how far an HOA can go against low water yards.
Only about 3 percent of homes in these tracts are houses, and about 32 percent are owner occupied. That points to shared courtyards, parkways and building fronts, where a steady route and a clear scope often beat a big one time job.
Your Parkway And Street Trees
A city tree inventory logged 64 empty street tree sites in this neighborhood. The typical logged parkway there is about 4 feet wide. If one is in front of your place, the city runs a free street tree program. Ask for a parkway tree before you plan the rest of the strip.
Your parkway follows the same city rule as the rest of Long Beach. Fake turf is out, and street trees belong to the city, so trimming one takes a Public Works permit. If you still have living lawn there, Long Beach Utilities runs a free native plant parkway kit.
Popular Work In Downtown
Questions We Hear
What kind of soil does Downtown have?
USDA maps this as Windfetch and Typic Haploxerolls, well drained loam with about 10 to 18 percent clay. It is also rated well drained. Your own yard may differ, especially if soil was brought in, so a test is cheap insurance.
Can I put artificial turf in my Downtown parkway?
No. City code limits parkways to living plants plus permeable materials such as mulch, decomposed granite or pavers on sand, and those must cover under half of the strip. Turf is allowed in the front yard itself.
What days can I water in Downtown?
Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, before 9 a.m. or after 4 p.m., for up to 10 minutes per station, under the Level 1 rules from Long Beach Utilities.