What does the Hawthorne zoning code allow on an R-3 lot?
Ike Mbelu, Principal Partner · Last checked
On this page: The short answer · What the city code requires · What state law adds · What it means on your lot
The short answer
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§17.20c.020
One unit per 1,452 sf, 45 feet
Hawthorne's zoning code is Title 17 of the Hawthorne Municipal Code. In the R-3 zone, multifamily starts at three units, at one unit per 1,452 square feet of lot, up to 45 feet and 80 percent lot coverage. HMC §17.20c.020. That is about 30 units an acre in LA County's South Bay.
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What the city code requires
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01
Setbacks
Front 15 feet, 18 where a garage faces the street. Interior sides 3.5 to 5 feet, street side up to 10. Rear 5 feet. HMC §17.20c.020, notes 2 to 4.
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02
Lot size and open space
Minimum lot is 50 by 100 feet. 150 square feet of open space per unit, at most half private. HMC §17.20c.020, note 7.
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03
Narrow lots
On a lot under 40 feet average width and under 5,000 square feet, note 6 sets a 12 foot maximum.
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04
Parking by bedroom
One space for a studio or one bedroom, two for two or three bedrooms, three for four or five. At four or more units, add one guest space for every four. HMC §17.10f.020.B.
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05
Housing Overlay sites
Mapped sites with 100 feet of frontage can elect 20 to 30 units an acre, by right, up to 60 feet. HMC §17.05g.040.
What state law adds
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01
ADUs on a multifamily lot
New building: up to two detached ADUs. Existing building: up to eight detached, capped at the existing unit count, plus interior conversions up to 25 percent of units. Gov. Code §66323. See Hawthorne ADU rules.
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02
No parking minimum near transit
Within half a mile of public transit, the city can't impose a minimum parking count. Gov. Code §65863.2(a). More in AB 2097 in Los Angeles.
What it means on your lot
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01
50 by 100, 5,000 sf
About three units, the multifamily minimum. Plus up to two detached ADUs if the building is new.
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02
50 by 150, 7,500 sf
About five units, before a density bonus. Five two-bedroom units need about 11 spaces with the guest stall.
Approximate arithmetic, not legal advice. Ord. 2263 renumbered Title 17 on June 23, 2026; R-3 was Chapter 17.18, so older summaries cite stale sections. More on building in Hawthorne.
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