Bixby Knolls Homeowner Guide: Permits, Code Enforcement and ADUs

Last updated November 13, 2026. Reviewed by the Cash Home Buyers CA team.

Bixby Knolls is part of the City of Long Beach, so Long Beach’s Planning and Building and Safety rules govern permits and ADUs, including a pre-approved ADU program and extra steps for the Coastal Zone and historic districts. This guide gives a Bixby Knolls owner the sourced Long Beach ADU standards and the submittal path, and notes where a property-specific check is needed.

Bixby Knolls at a glance

Governing city	City of Long Beach (Community Development)
Planning (zoning, ADUs)	562.570.6194
Building and Safety	562.570.7648
Submittal	In person at the Permit Center; online submission is not available
Pre-approved ADU program	New construction only
Coastal Zone / historic district	Extra permit steps if your parcel is in either; not verified for Bixby Knolls

Long Beach ADU sizes, height and setbacks

Long Beach’s Planning Information Bulletin IB-PZ-001 sets these standards. A conversion of existing space has no size limit. An attached new ADU can be 50% of the primary dwelling or 800 square feet, whichever is more, and a detached new ADU can be 800 square feet. A junior ADU is capped at 500 square feet, and the minimum unit size is 150 square feet.

New detached ADUs are generally limited to 16 feet, or 18 feet with transit proximity, and an attached addition to 25 feet and two stories or the zoning height, whichever is less. New construction needs 4-foot side and rear setbacks, or the zoning side setback if smaller, and a conversion keeps its existing setbacks.

Parking, owner occupancy and the pre-approved program

The bulletin lists several cases where no parking is required, including an ADU within half a mile of any transit stop, an ADU in a historic district, a conversion, a junior ADU, and one in the Parking Exempt Area. Owner occupancy is required only where a junior ADU shares a bathroom with the primary dwelling. The city’s Pre-Approved ADU Program is for new construction only, not conversions.

Coastal Zone and historic district checks

An ADU in the Coastal Zone needs an administrative Local Coastal Development Permit filed with the building permit, with no public hearing, and an ADU in a historic district or at a landmark needs a Certificate of Appropriateness. Either one makes a project ineligible for over-the-counter review.

Whether your Bixby Knolls lot sits in either area was not verified for this guide, so ask Long Beach Planning to check your parcel.

How to submit in Long Beach

The city’s four steps are: review the Planning bulletin and check Historic District and Coastal Zone rules, submit plans in person at the Permit Center with fees paid the same day (online submission is not available), let a Planner and an Engineer review concurrently, then pick up the permit and schedule inspections online. Planning’s number is 562.570.6194 and Building and Safety’s is 562.570.7648.

Permits and selling a Bixby Knolls house

Buyers and lenders ask about permit history, and California sellers generally disclose known unpermitted work on the Transfer Disclosure Statement. Our statewide guide to selling as-is with unpermitted work explains what disclosure involves, and the seller closing costs guide shows what else to budget. If tenants live in the home, read the tenant-occupied home sale guide.

When a Bixby Knolls home has an open permit, an expired one, or work done without a permit, you generally have three options: finish and finalize the permit before listing, disclose the work and negotiate on the open market, or sell as-is to a cash buyer who takes the house in its current condition. Use this checklist:

• Ask the city’s building division for the permit record on your address.
• List every addition, garage conversion, enclosed patio or outbuilding, and note which have permits.
• Gather final inspection records, plans and contractor invoices.
• Ask what plans, fees and inspections it would take to permit each unpermitted item.
• Compare that cost and time with a no-repairs cash sale. New construction can also be reassessed for property tax, which our Prop 13 guide explains.

Questions to ask the Bixby Knolls building division before you start

• Does my project need Planning or Engineering approval in addition to a building permit?
• Is there an exemption that applies, and what conditions come with it?
• What plan-check deposit and fees apply, and how long will review take right now?
• What inspections will be required, and in what order?
• Can an existing unpermitted structure be legalized, and what would that involve?

Common permit mistakes homeowners make

The most common problems are starting work before the permit is issued, letting a permit expire, skipping a required inspection, and assuming a contractor pulled a permit when none exists. Each one can surface years later when a buyer’s agent, appraiser or lender asks for records.

A lapsed or never-finalized permit is easier to resolve while you still own the home and can answer questions from the city. If you are not planning to stay, decide early whether finishing the permit or selling the house as it stands makes more sense.

If you hired a contractor, ask for a copy of the permit and the final inspection record and keep them with your closing documents. A finaled permit is the clearest evidence that the work was inspected. Our capital gains guide also explains how improvement costs may matter when you sell.

Selling a Bixby Knolls house with open code violations

An open notice or citation does not stop you from selling. California sellers generally disclose known notices on the Transfer Disclosure Statement, which asks about notices of abatement or citations against the property, and a title search will show any recorded lien. Our as-is and unpermitted work guide explains the disclosure rules, and the closing costs guide covers how liens and fees are paid at closing.

In practice, sellers with open violations usually choose one of three paths: correct the problem and ask the city to close the case before listing, disclose it and sell with a price adjustment, or sell as-is to a cash buyer who takes on the cleanup. Which one fits depends on how big the problem is, how much time you have and whether fines are still growing. Before you decide:

• Get the case number, notice date and the specific code sections cited.
• Ask the city what must be done to close the case and whether it will re-inspect.
• Ask for a current statement of fines, fees and any recorded liens.
• Get quotes for the work so you can compare repair cost with a no-repairs sale.
• Check whether tenants, an estate or a co-owner need to be part of the decision.

Questions to ask the Bixby Knolls code enforcement team

• What exactly is the violation, and what would count as fixed?
• What is the deadline, and can it be extended if work is under way?
• Are fines accruing, and what is the total today?
• Has a lien or special assessment been recorded against the property?
• How do I request a re-inspection once the work is done?

Common mistakes homeowners make with violation notices

The costliest mistake is ignoring a notice. Deadlines for appeals are short, fines and fees can escalate, and unpaid costs can end up as a lien that follows the property.

Other common errors include fixing the problem but never asking for a re-inspection, assuming a tenant or relative dealt with a notice, and doing repair work that needs a permit without pulling one.

Keep every notice, photo and receipt, and write down the name of each staff member you speak with.

If the home came to you through an inheritance, a divorce or a tenant who left it in poor condition, the notice may land on you without warning. Our probate home sale guide and inherited home tax basis guide cover inherited property, and a no-repairs cash sale can be a practical way to close the file.

How to sell a house in Bixby Knolls

1. Pull the permit record and any city notices for your address.
2. Collect plans, inspection records and receipts.
3. Request a no-obligation cash offer for the house as it stands.
4. Choose your closing date.
5. Close with no repairs, permit cleanup or showings required.

See also our Bixby Knolls page and the Los Angeles County hub.

Frequently asked questions

Which city governs Bixby Knolls?

The City of Long Beach.

How big can a Long Beach detached ADU be?

The bulletin lists 800 square feet for detached new construction.

Does Long Beach require ADU parking?

Not in several cases, such as within half a mile of a transit stop, in a historic district, for conversions and for junior ADUs.

Is Bixby Knolls in the Coastal Zone?

Not verified for this guide. Ask Long Beach Planning to check your parcel.

Can I sell my Bixby Knolls house with unpermitted work or open violations?

Yes. You can disclose the issues and sell as-is, including to a cash buyer. Our statewide guide explains the disclosure rules.

More guides

• We Buy Houses in Bixby Knolls
• We Buy Houses in Los Angeles County
• Los Angeles County Property Tax Guide
• Long Beach Building Permits Guide
• Long Beach Code Enforcement Guide
• Long Beach Zoning and ADU Guide
• All California Guides

Sources

• City of Long Beach: IB-PZ-001 Planning ADU Bulletin
• City of Long Beach: Accessory Dwelling Units

This guide is general information from public sources, not legal advice. Confirm current rules, fees and hours with the city.