- Main ZIP
- 90807
- Soil Type
- Heavy Clay
- Clay In Topsoil
- 31%
- Sand In Topsoil
- 25%
- Elevation
- 71 to 94 ft
- Miles To The Shore
- 3.9
- Empty Street Tree Sites
- 712
- Typical Home Built
- 1945
The Ground In California Heights
USDA maps this as Thums and Windfetch soils. Thums tops out near 31 percent clay in the surface layer and is a shrink and swell clay. Most of the points we checked are zoned R-1-N, which means single family.
| Soil | Share Of Map Unit | Clay | Sand | pH | Drainage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thums | 20% | 31% | 25% | 7.6 | Well drained |
| Windfetch | 15% | 22% | 40% | 7.6 | Well drained |
What That Means For Your Yard
- Water in short cycles with a soak between them, or it runs off and breaks the Long Beach runoff rule.
- Clay that swells moves things. Pavers and walls need a real base.
- Do not dig or till when it is wet, since that packs it hard for the whole season.
Weather And Homes
About 3.9 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.
Census figures for the tracts here put the typical home at about 1945. 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.
About 71 percent of homes in these tracts are owner occupied and about 86 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.
Historic District Rules Here
California Heights Historic District
About 58 percent of the neighborhood map falls inside this district. This is the largest historic district in the city, at more than 1,500 parcels, built mostly in the 1920s and 1930s. Yards sit behind a wide grass parkway. Scored concrete is the recommended material for walks and driveways, and the guideline asks you to keep the planting area and yard shape. 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 712 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 California Heights
Questions We Hear
What kind of soil does California Heights have?
USDA maps this as Thums and Windfetch soils. Thums tops out near 31 percent clay in the surface layer and is a shrink and swell 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 California 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 California 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 California 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