- Main ZIP
- 90808
- Soil Type
- Low Flats
- Clay In Topsoil
- 20%
- Sand In Topsoil
- 35%
- Elevation
- 24 to 27 ft
- Miles To The Shore
- 4.4
- Empty Street Tree Sites
- 806
The Rancho Estates tract is about 700 homes built in 1953 and 1954 by Ross Cortese, with Cliff May and Chris Choate on the design. Courtyard ranch houses like these sit low and open to their yards, so plants and paving read as part of the house. A wall of tall shrubs hides the very thing that makes them special.
The Ground In Rancho Estates
USDA maps this as Biscailuz and drained Hueneme soils, about 15 to 20 percent clay and rated somewhat poorly drained. Most of the points we checked are zoned PD-11 (3), which means a planned development.
| Soil | Share Of Map Unit | Clay | Sand | pH | Drainage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biscailuz | 20% | 20% | 35% | 7.8 | Somewhat poorly drained |
| Hueneme | 15% | 15% | 60% | 8 | Somewhat poorly drained |
What That Means For Your Yard
- Low spots stay wet longer here, so grade the yard away from the house before you plant.
- A rain garden or dry creek bed fits this soil well, and it also meets a Lawn to Garden requirement.
- The soil runs alkaline, so test it before you buy plants that want acid soil.
Plants That Tend To Fit Here
- Deer grass
- Yarrow
- Western redbud
- Coffeeberry
- Monkey flower
- Juncus
Weather And Homes
About 4.4 miles inland, this area runs warmer and drier than the shore in summer. Plants here use more water, so good coverage and mulch pay back fast under the same three day watering limit.
About 90 percent of homes in these tracts are owner occupied and about 100 percent are houses. For an owner staying put, a yard change that lowers the water bill for years can make sense even with a higher start cost.
Your Parkway And Street Trees
A city tree inventory logged 806 empty street tree sites in this neighborhood. The typical logged parkway there is about 6 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 Rancho Estates
Questions We Hear
What kind of soil does Rancho Estates have?
USDA maps this as Biscailuz and drained Hueneme soils, about 15 to 20 percent clay and rated somewhat poorly drained. It is also rated somewhat poorly 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 Rancho Estates 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 Rancho Estates?
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.
Next Door To Rancho Estates
Where These Facts Come From
- USDA NRCS Soil Data Access
- City of Long Beach open map layers
- US Census Bureau, American Community Survey
- USGS Elevation Point Query Service
- Long Beach Utilities, Water Use Restrictions
- City of Long Beach memo, Green Parkways Initiative Analysis, May 4 2026
- Long Beach Utilities, Lawn to Garden Terms
- Los Angeles Conservancy, Rancho Estates