Zoning Code Manual and Commentary - LADBS

1 As a covered entity under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City of Los Angeles does not discriminate on the basis of disability and, upon request, will provide reasonable accommodation to ensure equal access to its programs, services and activities. City of Los Angeles Zoning Code Manual and Commentary Fourth Edition The City of Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety ( LADBS ) is pleased to announce the publication of the newly updated fourth edition of the Zoning Code Manual and Commentary . This Manual will assist in providing consistent and uniform interpretations of the Zoning Code. The Zoning Code Manual and Commentary provides a cumulative summary of more than 230 written policies and interpretations made by the Department of Building and Safety, the Department of City Planning, and the Office of the City Attorney pertaining to the interpretation and administration of specific sections of the City of Los Angeles Planning and Zoning Code.

2 Many of the original versions of these policies and interpretations were decades old, not easily located and consequently, not consistently applied. The obsolete policies and interpretations were not included in this Manual . Each topic has been presented in this Manual in a Question and Answer format with illustrated examples and a simplified explanation of the underlying concept intended to facilitate the user s understanding of the code and provide an easy reference to the various interpretations. Ten new interpretations related to Zoning issues contained in the previously released collection of LADBS Information Bulletins have been included in this Manual and the corresponding updated Bulletins have been made a part of the appendices for reference purposes. This Manual is a Commentary that should be used as a supplement to the Code and not as a substitute for it.

3 A final decision regarding a particular Zoning issue will be made only after due consideration has been given to all other applicable Zoning Code provisions. As a part of our continuing effort to enhance customer service and assist the development industry, the Zoning Code Manual and Commentary has been made available on LADBS Internet site at under the heading Zoning . We will continue to update this Zoning Code Manual and Commentary on the Department s website and will include new Zoning Code issues and commentaries to facilitate the efficient distribution of information to the public. Your comments and suggestions for improving this document are requested and welcome. REFERENCES Each topic covered in this Manual is based on specific reference material that was previously distributed or, in some cases, the topic is only an illustration or summary of the code.

4 The reference legend is indicated at the bottom of each topic in parenthesis including the corresponding date or document number. The following is a glossary of the abbreviations used throughout the Manual . Board of Zoning Appeals Bldg. Bur. Chief Building Bureau Chief memorandum Bldg. Bur. Dir. Building Bureau Directive Bldg. Bur. memo Building Bureau Memorandum City Attorney's Opinion Code item Summary of Code and/or graphic illustration Director of Planning Department communication DCP Department of City Planning IB LADBS Information Bulletin LADBS Department of Building and Safety Chief Plan Check Chief memorandum Unsigned Memo Historical written material widely used Zoning Manual Van Nuys Office Zoning Manual ZA Zoning Administrator's Case ZAI Zoning Administrator's Interpretation memo Zoning Engineer's memorandum ZA/ ZE Joint memo by LADBS and DCP Zoning Engineer's Interpretation ZI Zoning Information File EXEC.

5 OFFICE MEMO Memorandum by the Executive Officer of LADBS Prior Editions Technical Editor: Zoning Engineer, Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety 1st edition, April 1993 2nd edition, December 1993 3rd edition, July 1996 4th edition, 2005 4th edition Revision 1 July 2011 4th edition Revision 2 July 2013 4th edition Revision 3 October 2013 4th edition Revision 4 June 2014 4th edition Revision 5 August 2014 4th edition Revision 6 April 2015 4th edition Revision 7 August 2016 4th edition Revision 8 March 2019 4th edition Revision 9 June 2021 i Table of Contents Code Section Topic Page Section Commenced Construction 1 Section Accessory Buildings 2 Section Accessory Living Quarters 3 Section Accessory Use - Uses in a more restrictive zone. 4 Section Accessory Use - Home classes 6 Section Accessory Use - Storage of Tow Trucks.

6 7 Section Ground Floor Additions 8 Section Accessory Uses of a Church - Community Oriented Uses 9 Section Building Area for a Development combining residential and commercial Uses. 10 Section Definition of a Family 12 Section Community Care Faculties 13 Section Definition Frontage 18 Section Guest House/Room, Accessory Living Quarters, Second Dwelling Unit per 1866 19 Section Building Height - Use of Retaining Walls 20 Section Building Height - Excavated Areas. 21 Section Non-commercial Birds Keeping (Not Including Fowl) Pigeon Keeping 23 Section Kennel - Definition. 24 Section Lot - Land locked. 25 Section Lot Cuts - Acceptable documentation required to establish legality of a lot cut. 26 Section Lot cut dates and lot size requirements. 27 ii Section Lot Tie Affidavit - When required. 30 Section Rear Lot Line 31 Section Mini-Shopping Center - Definition.

7 33 Section Mini-Shopping Centers and Commercial Corner Developments - Service Stations and Accessory Car-Wash. 34 Section Non-conforming Building. Definition. 35 Section Nurseries - Netted Horticultural Structures (floor area) 36 Section Outdoor Dining and Eating Areas Definition. 37 Section Recreation Room. Definition. 39 Section Habitable Room - Kitchen defined for Parking Requirements. 40 Section Story Determination on Sloping Lots 41 Section Story Determination for Irregularly-shaped Buildings. 42 Section Street - Old Venice District. 43 Section Front Yard Setback for lots fronting on Hillside Streets. 44 Section Yards - method of measurement. 45 Section Balconies Projection for Height and Floor Area . 46 Section Multi- zone and Multi- Height District lots. 48 Section Signs in PF Zones 50 Section Nurseries in the A1 and A2 zones - Conditions of Operation.

8 51 Section Parks and playgrounds in the A2 zone Privately built and managed 52 Section Distribution of Farming Products in the RA Zone. 53 Section Prevailing Setback Frontage 54 Section Prevailing Setback - Calculation 55 Section Front Yard - Key Lot, Adjoining Commercial Reversed Corner Lot 57 iii Section Front Yard - Double Key lots and Key Lots Side by Side. 58 Section Minimum Side Yards for Lots less than 30' Wide. 59 Section Side yards in R2 Zone. 61 Section Lot area - Non-conforming RD-zone lots. 62 Section Mobilehome Parks - City Jurisdiction. 63 Section Public Use of Restaurant Facilities in Apartment/ Hotels and Hotels in R5 Zone. 64 Section Minimum Lot Area for Guest Rooms in R5 Zone. 65 Section (b) Signs in the P or PB zone. Dual P and C zone lots. 66 Section Clinics are not permitted in the CR zone.

9 67 Section (g)(h) Rapid HIV Screening Tests in the CR Limited Commercial. 68 Section Open Storage in the CR zone. Trash enclosures 71 Section (a)25 Open Storage in the C1 zone. Trash Enclosures. 72 Section (b)2 zone Use limitations. Second-Hand Stores. 73 Section Open storage in the zone. Trash enclosures. 74 Section Location of Front Line. zone- Corner lot 75 Section C2 Zone Use Regulations. Automobile Tow Truck Operation incidental to Existing Auto Repair Shop. 76 Section C2 zone Use Regulations. Baseball Batting Cages. 77 Section C2 Zone regulations. Definition of Retail use. 78 Section C2 Zone use regulations. Live poultry sales. 79 Section Sale of Used Merchandise in the C2 Zone. 80 Section (a) Storage building in the C2 zone. 81 Section (b)(2) C2 regulations. Bakery Goods Distribution. 82 Section (b)(2) C2 zone regulations.

10 Small Aircraft Parts/Accessories - Wholesale. 83 iv Section (b)(2) Storage space in conjunction with a Retail Store. 84 Section C2 zone Regulations. Billiard or Pool Halls Restrictions. 85 Section C2 zone regulations. Bicycle race track. 86 Section C2 zone Regulations. Self-service Car Wash. 87 Section Open Storage in Conjunction with Automotive Repair Shops. 88 Section C2 zone Regulations. Tow Truck Dispatching Business 89 Section (c) Solid Fence Enclosure Construction. 90 Section Dance Studio and Yoga Studio in C4 Zone. 91 Section Food stands and Restaurant sales through a window. 92 Section (o) Sale of Second Hand Merchandise in the C4 zone. 93 Section , Multi-Media Production in the MR1 and MR2 Zones. 94 Section , Federal Credit Union Operation Permitted by Right in the MR Zones 95 Section (f) Storage or wrecked automobiles not permitted in the Mr1 zone.