- Main ZIP
- 90803
- Soil Type
- Terrace Loam
- Clay In Topsoil
- 18%
- Sand In Topsoil
- 38%
- Elevation
- 52 to 55 ft
- Miles To The Shore
- 0.5
- Empty Street Tree Sites
- 646
- Typical Home Built
- 1954
The Ground In Bluff Heights
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 R-2-A, which means duplex style housing.
| 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.
Weather And Homes
At about 0.5 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 1954. Many yards from that era still have their first sprinkler lines and foundation shrubs, and much of that is ready to go. Replacing old lines at the same time you redo a bed saves a second dig.
Only about 28 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.
Historic District Rules Here
Bluff Heights Historic District
About 84 percent of the neighborhood map falls inside this district. This is a large district with a high count of Craftsman bungalows. The guideline asks you to keep the planting area, yard shape and layout. Many lots keep a small garden, shrubs and mature trees behind a narrow grass strip. Read the city guideline.
The city says plantings are typically not reviewed, but fences and site changes need a Certificate of Appropriateness before a permit. See how that works.
Your Parkway And Street Trees
A city tree inventory logged 646 empty street tree sites in this neighborhood. The typical logged parkway there is about 5 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 Bluff Heights
Questions We Hear
What kind of soil does Bluff Heights 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 Bluff Heights 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 Bluff Heights?
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 Bluff Heights
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
- City of Long Beach, Historic Preservation
- City of Long Beach, Historic District Design Guidelines