ADVISORY AGENCY POLICY SMALL LOT ORDINANCE

Established in 2005 in LAMC Section 12.22-C,27, the Small Lot Ordinance allows for the subdivision of underutilized land in multi-family and commercial areas into feesimple homes. Intended as infill development and a smart-growth alternative to traditional, suburban style single-family subdivisions, small lot homes would have smaller lot areas with compact building footprints and reduced yard setbacks, street frontages, passageways between buildings, and open space.

As such, small lot subdivisions create a unique set of design challenges and spatial complexities with regards to massing, height, circulation, and transitional areas from adjacent properties. Small Lot Design Guidelines provide an opportunity to address these complexities while also promoting the design and creation of small lot housing with neighborhood compatibility for consistency with applicable General and Specific Plans and addressing site organization and urban form, setbacks and building transitions, parking and driveways, building design and materials, and landscaping and access.

Director of Planning Guidelines: http://clkrep.lacity.org/onlinedocs/2013/13-1478-S1_misc_03-13-14.pdf

QUALIFICATION CRITERIA FOR BUILDING COUNTER PLAN CHECK & REGULAR PLAN CHECK

INFORMATION BULLETIN / PUBLIC – GENERAL INFORMATION
REFERENCE NO.: DOCUMENT NO. P/GI 2014-011

 

The Department of Building and Safety, in addition to the Regular Plan Check (RPC) service, offers Counter Plan Check (CPC) service for qualified projects. The attached project descriptions will assist you in determining whether your residential or commercial project qualifies as a CPC or a RPC submittal. Descriptions of the qualified projects for the CPC service are presented in this Information Bulletin. If your project does not qualify as a CPC, it will be necessary to submit your plans for the RPC service. Separate electrical, mechanical, sprinkler, HVAC, and plumbing plan check and/or permits may be required. Please check with each discipline for your project. A plan check engineer will screen your plans to determine which type of plan check service is right for your project. If further clarification is needed regarding a project qualification for the CPC or RPC, please contact a plan check supervisor.

For additional information regarding either CPC or RPC service, please contact: Metro Van Nuys West Los Angeles 201 N. Figueroa St 6262 Van Nuys Blvd. 1828 Sawtelle Blvd 4th Floor Room 251 2nd Floor 311 (within LA City) 311 (within LA City) 311 (within LA City) For telephone inquiries originating from outside of Los Angeles County, call (213) 473-3231

DEFINITION OF “COMMENCED CONSTRUCTION” AND SIMILAR PHRASES

INFORMATION BULLETIN / PUBLIC – GENERAL INFORMATION REFERENCE NO.: LABC 108.5

 

The City of Los Angeles has enacted several ordinances which contain a provision which exempts a project from compliance to the provisions of the ordinance, provided development pursuant to a valid building permit is “commenced” or is “under construction” by a specific date. These ordinances fail to provide a definition of what “commenced construction” or “under construction” means. In order to provide a uniform enforcement policy, the Department of Building and Safety will interpret the terms “commenced construction,” “under construction,” “started construction” or similar phrases to mean that construction pursuant to a valid building permit has progressed to the point that one of the called inspections required by Section 108.5 of the Los Angeles Building Code has been made and all the work for which the inspection has been called is approved by the Department.