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Re:Code LA Zoning Code (Code Evaluation)

CF 12-0460

The purpose of this long overdue project is to establish a brand new zoning structure for the City of Los Angeles . The revamped Zoning Code will include clear and predictable language that will offer a wider variety of zoning options to more effectively implement the goals and objectives of the General Plan and accommodate the City’s future needs and development opportunities . Updated zoning options that reflect the diversity of Los Angeles will allow each neighborhood to maintain a distinct sense of place, while improving the sustainability, economic vitality, and quality of life for all residents .

Click on the green highlight to view official documents and reports.

  • 09/27/2016 Planning and Land Use Management Committee noted and filed item(s).
  • 09/23/2016 Planning and Land Use Management Committee scheduled item for committee meeting on September 27, 2016.  Communication from City Planning to PLM (May 31, 2016)
  • 05/31/2016 Planning and Land Use Management Committee received and filed item(s). Verbal discussion only; No action taken
  • 05/27/2016 Planning and Land Use Management Committee scheduled item for committee meeting on May 31, 2016.
  • 11/20/2015 Planning and Land Use Management Committee scheduled item for committee meeting on November 24, 2015; City Planning to provide verbal discussion of updates/status.
  • 04/03/2015 Council action final.   Mayor Concurrence Letter (March 27, 2015),    Report from PLM (March 18, 2015), Report from City Planning (January 30, 2015)
  • 04/02/2015 Mayor transmitted Council File to City Clerk.
  • 03/25/2015 City Clerk transmitted file to Mayor. Last day for Mayor to act is April 6, 2015.
  • 03/24/2015 Council adopted item, subject to reconsideration, pursuant to Council Rule 51.  Report from PLM (March 18, 2015)
  • 03/18/2015 City Clerk scheduled item for Council on March 24, 2015 .  Report from PLM (March 18, 2015), Report from City Planning (January 30, 2015)
  • 03/17/2015 Planning and Land Use Management Committee approved item(s) .    Report from City Planning (January 30, 2015)
  • 03/13/2015 Planning and Land Use Management Committee scheduled item for committee meeting on March 17, 2015.   Report from City Planning (January 30, 2015)
  • 02/18/2015 Department of City Planning document(s) referred to Planning and Land Use Management Committee.  Report from City Planning (January 30, 2015)
  • 02/17/2015 Document(s) submitted by Department of City Planning, as follows:  Report from City Planning (January 30, 2015)

City Planning report, dated January 30, 2015, relative to a request for re:code LA Year Two Funding.

  • 08/05/2014 Planning and Land Use Management Committee continued item to/for undetermined date.
  • 08/01/2014 Planning and Land Use Management Committee scheduled item for committee meeting on August 5, 2014.   Report from City Planning Commission (July 28, 2014)
  • 07/30/2014 Los Angeles City Planning Commission document(s) referred to Planning and Land Use Management Committee.  Report from City Planning Commission (July 28, 2014)
  • 07/29/2014 Document(s) submitted by Los Angeles City Planning Commission, as follows:  Report from City Planning Commission (July 28, 2014)

City Planning Commission report, dated July 28, 2014, relative to the re:code LA Zoning Code Evaluation Report, which outlines the direction and key provisions for the structure of a new citywide zoning code and recommends a comprehensive set of land use regulations to implement the City’s General Plan and other long range planning goals.

  • 02/28/2014 Planning and Land Use Management Committee scheduled item for committee meeting on March 4, 2014.
  • 06/20/2013 Council action final. (June 18, 2013)
  • 06/18/2013 Council adopted item, subject to reconsideration, pursuant to Council Rule 51.   Report from PLM (June 11, 2013)
  • 06/11/2013 City Clerk scheduled item for Council on June 18, 2013.  Report from PLM (June 11, 2013) , Report from City Planning (October 31, 2012)
  • 06/04/2013 Planning and Land Use Management Committee noted and filed item(s).
  • 05/31/2013 Planning and Land Use Management Committee scheduled item for committee meeting on June 4, 2013.  Report from City Planning (October 31, 2012)
  • 11/02/2012 Department of City Planning document(s) referred to Planning and Land Use Management Committee.  Report from City Planning (October 31, 2012)
  • 11/01/2012 Document(s) submitted by Department of City Planning, as follows: Report from City Planning (October 31, 2012)

City Planning report, dated October 31, 2012, relative to a quarterly report on the Comprehensive Zoning Code Revision.

  • 06/25/2012 Council action  Council Action with Mayor Concurrence (June 19, 2012)
  • 06/22/2012 Mayor transmitted Council File to City Clerk.
  • 06/20/2012 City Clerk transmitted file to Mayor. Last day for Mayor to act is July 2, 2012.  Motion 6-A (June 19, 2012), Amending Motion (June 19, 2012), Report from PLM (April 27,2012),
  • 06/19/2012 Council adopted item as amended, subject to reconsideration, pursuant to Council Rule 51.  Motion 6-A (June 19, 2012), Amending Motion (June 19, 2012), Report from PLM (April 27,2012),
  • 06/11/2012 City Clerk scheduled item for Council on June 19, 2012 .  Report from PLM (April 27,2012), Report from City Planning (April 25, 2012), Report City Administrative Office (April 13, 2012)
  • 04/24/2012 Planning and Land Use Management Committee approved as amended .    Report City Administrator (April 13, 2012)
  • 04/19/2012 Planning and Land Use Management Committee scheduled item for committee meeting on April 24, 2012. Report City Administrator (April 13, 2012), Report City Planning (March 27, 2012)
  • 04/16/2012 City Administrative Officer document(s) referred to Planning and Land Use Management Committee.   Report City Administrator (April 13, 2012)
  • 04/13/2012 Document(s) submitted by City Administrative Officer, as follows:  Report City Administrator (April 13, 2012)

City Administrative Officer report 0220-04711-0000, dated April 13, 2012, relative to the request for funding for the revision of the City’s Zoning Code.

  • 03/28/2012 Department of City Planning document(s) referred to Planning and Land Use Management Committee.  Report City Planning (March 27, 2012)
  • 03/28/2012 Document(s) submitted by Department of City Planning, as follows:  Report City Planning (March 27, 2012)

City Planning report, dated March 27, 2012, relative to a request to fund a comprehensive City Zoning Code revision.

UNDERSTANDING RECODE

Zoning String Outline

(See ReCode)   STRUCTURE OF THE CODE

“The structure of the draft Zoning Code Outline is now organized by the building blocks of the Zoning Code shown in the diagram above. That organizational structure enables an even more customizable Zoning Code that can be tailored to fit the needs of every unique neighborhood in the City of Los Angeles. By comparison, the previous outline prepackaged sets of Form Districts, Frontages, and Development Standards, with Contexts providing organizational structure. By changing the organization of this draft Outline, the new Zoning Code has now un-bundled these packages, making the Code more flexible and modular.

While Context has been removed to maximize the flexibility of each part of the Zoning Code, Development Standard Sets are the big new addition. The new Development Standard Sets are listed in Article 4 of the draft Zoning Code Outline. Development Standards allow for some grouping of regulations that apply in specific situations, like Hillside neighborhoods, Coastal neighborhoods, and neighborhoods with easy access to public transit options. In Article 4, Divisions 4.1 through 4.6 list the goals and purpose of each of the sets. Development standards are grouped in sets, similar to how Contexts worked for Forms and Frontages in previous iterations of the new Zoning Code, but will only be deployed as necessary. For example, grading quantities need to be limited in Hillside communities, but may not be as necessary in flatter parts of the City.”

 

(See ReCode)    DRAFT OUTLINE OF THE CODE

“The draft outline is now available on the re:code LA website, and has been shared with the Zoning Advisory Committee and PlanCheckNC, an organization representing Neighborhood Councils around the city on matters of planning and land use. While re:code LA has previously released snippets of the draft Zoning Code through various public channels, this is the first time an outline for the entire Code has been released to the public.

The draft Zoning Code Outline represents a kind of a crossroads in the process of revising the City’s Zoning Code, reflecting all the work dedicated to the project so far, while also showing the path forward for remaining work.”

 

1ST STEP – ORDINANCE NO. 184,802   (The following was obtained from CPC 2015-3484-CA)

Ordinance No, 184, 802,  adopted March 1, 2017,  amends Sections 12.03, 12.07, 12.07.01, 12.07.1, 12.08, 12.21, and 12.23 of the Los Angeles Municipal Code (LAMC) to modify single-family development standards for properties zoned R1, RA, RE, and RS citywide. The ordinance updated the Baseline Mansionization Ordinance and Baseline Hillside Ordinance (BMO and BHO) provisions relating to the size and bulk of new and enlarged single-family residences and modify permitted grading quantities for single-family lots in designated “Hillside Areas”.

The intent of the ordinance is to fix R1 regulations that allow large, box-like structures that compromise the character of established neighborhoods and limit light and air to adjacent buildings. The ordinance is necessary in order to preserve and maintain the character and scale of existing single-family neighborhoods and ensure that future development is more compatible. The new regulations allow for the construction of structures that are slightly larger, but still compatible with a typical single-family neighborhood. Furthermore, current building envelope allowed for single-family homes in the R1 Zone is inadequate because it does not further limit the setback distance of the upper portions of these walls, adding significantly to the looming nature of structures. The new building envelope requires walls over a certain height be set back further than required on the ground floor.

With regard to the BFIO, currently there are no limits to the quantity of grading from beneath the footprint of the structure. This has resulted in major alterations of the City’s natural terrain, the loss of natural on-site drainage courses, increased drainage impacts to the community, off-site impacts, and increased loads on under-improved hillside streets during construction. In order to address these issues, while still allowing for reasonable construction and grading activity, the Baseline Hillside Ordinance proposes to link the amount of grading allowed on a property to the size of the lot, and restrict the volume of earth allowed to be imported and exported from a property, including that beneath the footprint of the house.

 

 

 

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