Manhattan Beach Tree Section Homes For Sale

The Tree Section of Manhattan Beach is the most popular, family-oriented neighborhood West of Sepulveda. Homes in the Tree Section enjoy a "suburban" setting and a walkable lifestyle, but are still just minutes from downtown and the beach.

The Tree Section got its nickname from its "tree" street names: Pine, Elm, Walnut and Palm among them.

But it's also got a notable tree canopy in some areas, making the area feel much further away from the beach than it actually is. Many pockets of the Tree Section offer good walkability to school, parks, downtown and even the beach.

Tree Section Lot Sizes and Community Features

With Manhattan Beach Tree Section real estate, lots are typically around 4500 square feet (commonly 4480 or 4800), which means yards can be on the small side. Even with those lot sizes, you can actually have a bit of a back yard, which is less common in the Sand Section. In some areas there are street-to-alley lots averaging 5100-5400 square feet or so, allowing for a garage to be built in back, a bigger yard and a slightly larger home overall.

Near the American Martyrs church, some lots are notably larger and some homes even feature ocean views. Martyrs-area homes often rank as the most expensive sales in the Tree Section, by a lot. One district - informally the "south Martyrs" area – at the southwestern tip of the Tree Section near downtown has lots sized more like Sand Section lots, around 3000 sqft. In that district 3-story homes can be built to a height of 30 feet, a big difference from the 2-story/26-foot limit in the rest of the Tree Section.

You’ll notice that many of the streets in the Tree Section have no curbs or sidewalks. Street parking is free and usually adequate. Some homeowners are required by the city to build a "parking pad" on the street.

Just like the rest of Manhattan Beach, the Tree Section is constantly in transition. You will find a few original bungalows built in the late 1940s to mid 50s. Most have been remodeled over the years to add square footage or to update the kitchen and bath.

In the last 30 years, many of the original Manhattan Beach homes have been replaced with new, 2-story homes designed to maximize the livable square footage permitted on the lot. Increasingly, developers build new homes with basements, allowing greater interior square footage. (Basement living space does count toward the official square footage here.)

Development runs in cycles, so you don't see uniformity from block to block in the Tree Section. You're likely to have a street where neighboring homes' build dates span 70 years, in a mix of sizes and styles that have been popular at different points.

Schools for Tree Section Residents

Children living in the Tree Section go to either Pacific Elementary or Grand View Elementary, depending on where their house is located. Homes north of Valley/Ardmore are districted to Pacific, as are homes north of Valley but east of Pacific Ave. Meanwhile, homes north of Valley and west of Pacific are a close walk to Grand View, the home district of that pocket.

For middle school and high school, all Manhattan Beach public school students go to Manhattan Beach Middle School and Mira Costa High School.

There are several distinct areas of the Tree Section. It's easy to break it up into 4-6 subsections or micro-neighborhoods. A few of those areas, including the popular American Martyrs area, are noted in our neighborhood guide. Click any area name to see more. Click here for a list of the most recent sales in the Tree Section (past 6 months).

Tree Section Zoning

Most of the Tree Section is zoned Residential Single Family.

Several of these Residential Single Family areas have special sub-district zoning permissions. Homes along Rosecrans Avenue between Bell Avenue & Laurel Avenue may have higher fences in the front-yard setback area to reduce traffic noise. Homes on both sides of Marine Avenue between Ardmore Avenue & Sepulveda Boulevard may have higher fences, also, to reduce traffic noise.

Some of the lots on Oak Avenue backing up to the General Commercial zone along Sepulveda Boulevard between Marine Avenue & Manhattan Beach Boulevard are permitted special design standards, landscaping and buffering requirements to allow commercial use of property in a residential area adjacent to Sepulveda Boulevard.

There is a segment along Manhattan Beach Blvd. where the Tree Section has zoning for multi-family units, including townhomes. There are also two Planned Unit Developments touching Laurel Avenue just north of Manhattan Beach Blvd., the Laurel Square development (homes build around a common recreation area with pool), and the Arbolado Court homes, with some running along 14th St. near Pacific school.

Parks and Features of the Tree Section

The greenbelt and its woodchip path runs between portions of the Tree Section along Valley and Ardmore, following a route formerly used by commercial trains. This is a popular place for joggers and dog-walkers, and provides a direct route to downtown.

Right at downtown is Live Oak Park, featuring two parks for small children (one is the "Tot Lot"), tennis courts, two baseball diamonds, basketball courts, a small dog park and the Joslyn Center, which hosts senior activities and community events.

Further north near Rosecrans and at the western edge of the Tree Section, Sand Dune Park offers a small kiddie park and a great natural feature, a 5-story natural sand dune that is a favorite fitness destination and kids' park.

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