Division 1.3 — ORIENTATION

This Division (Orientation) provides an overview of the structure of this Zoning Code (Chapter 1A).

The combination of zoning districts applied to a lot including, Form District (Part 2B.), Frontage District

(Part 3B.), Development Standards District (Part 4B.), Use District (Part 5B.), and Density District (Part

6B.).

A. Zone String Brackets

1. A zone is comprised of the following districts, as established in Sec. 1.5.2. (Zoning Map) :

[FORM - FRONTAGE - STANDARDS] [USE - DENSITY]

BUILT ENVIRONMENT

ACTIVITY

2. In order to regulate the built environment and activities allowed on a property, as provided

for in this Zoning Code (Chapter 1A), land is designated with the districts listed in Sec. 1.3.1.B.

(Zoning Districts) for zoning purposes. The zone of a lot is separated into two or more bracket

sets [ ] in order to reinforce the separation of the built environment from the types of activities as two distinct permissions on a lot. The first bracket set contains the zoning districts that

determine the built environment, and the second bracket set contains the zoning districts

that determine the types of activities allowed on a lot. Although the districts that make up the

zone string may refer, or have standards that are tied, to other districts in the zone string, each

district in the string is independent, and the various districts are combined in response to the

variety of planning needs found throughout the City.

B. Zoning Districts

All zoning districts that compose a zone string including Form District (Part 2B.), Frontage District

(Part 3B.), Development Standards District (Part 4B.), Use District (Part 5B.), and Density District

(Part 6B.).

BUILDING RELATIONSHIP TO THE STREET DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS PERMITTED USES NUMBER OF UNITS

-     -     

[FORM FRONTAGE STANDARDS] [USE DENSITY]

Sec. 1.3.1. (Zone String) Established by Ord. 188,418, Eff. 01/20/2025, Oper. 01/27/2025

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Introductory Provisions | ARTICLE 1 Div. 1.3. (Orientation)

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City of Los Angeles Zoning Code Chapter 1A

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1. Article 2. (Form) regulates the placement, scale, and intensity of buildings and structures on

a lot to ensure building forms are compatible with their context and to promote projects that

support community goals.

2. Article 3. (Frontage) regulates the portions of a lot and exterior building facades that impact

the public realm. Frontage Districts (Part 3B.) help ensure that projects respond to the public

realm in a contextually appropriate manner. The regulations in Frontage Districts (Part 3B.)

range from minimal standards for Warehouse Frontages to a robust set of standards for

Shopfront Frontages which require projects to support a high-quality public realm that is

active, comfortable, safe, and visually interesting, with strong connections between the public

realm and uses inside buildings.

3. Article 4. (Development Standards) regulates site design, including location and characteristics

of access, parking, landscape, and other site features. Development Standards Districts (Part

4B.) consist of regulations that are appropriate to a variety of contexts such as city centers,

suburban neighborhoods, and rural hillsides.

4. Article 5. (Use) establishes Use Districts (Part 5B.), Use Standards (Part 5C.), and Use Definitions

(Part 5D.) that regulate the activities on a lot and to mitigate any potential impacts within a lot

and on surrounding property as a result of those activities.

5. Article 6. (Density) establishes Density Districts (Part 6B.), which regulate the number of

household dwelling units or efficiency dwelling units permitted on a lot, otherwise known as

density. Density Districts (Part 6B.) allow for a wide variety of zoning approaches to housing.

C. Specific Plans & Supplemental Districts

Article 8. (Supplemental & Special Zoning) establishes additional regulations that may be applied

through the use of Specifc Plani s and Supplemental Districts. These are represented in a third

bracket set of the zone string, and separated by a hyphen (-) when more than one is applied. For further details, see Sec. 1.5.2.A.3. (Specific Plans & Supplemental Districts) .

D. Special Zones

Article 8. (Supplemental & Special Zoning) also establishes unique zone designations called Special

Zones that, where applied, serve in lieu of zoning districts, Specifc Plani s, and Supplemental

Districts. Special Zones respond to unique conditions that do not lend themselves to the

regulations established in this Zoning Code (Chapter 1A). For further details, see Sec. 1.5.2.A.4.

(Special Zoning) .

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Sec. 1.3.1. (Zone String) Established by Ord. 188,418, Eff. 01/20/2025, Oper. 01/27/2025

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Introductory Provisions | ARTICLE 1 Div. 1.3. (Orientation)

City of Los Angeles Zoning Code Chapter 1A

In addition to the zoning district articles, other articles in the Zoning Code (Chapter 1A) include:

A. Article 7. (Alternate Typologies), governs instances where the desired physical form for

development on a lot is prohibited by the applied zoning. The zoning districts established in this

Zoning Code (Chapter 1A) recognize that, in general, the physical form of development need

not be determined by its use. There are certain cases, however, in which the physical form that development takes is directly tied to a specific use or activity. In those cases, Article 7. (Alternate Typologies) outlines a series of regulatory solutions that override specific regulations otherwise

addressed by zoning districts applied to a lot. Article 7. (Alternate Typologies) establishes eligibility

criteria for each Alternate Typology, and what regulations are superseded from the applicable

zoning districts.

B. Article 9. (Public Benefit Systems) details procedures for implementing state density bonus

provisions to increase the production of affordable housing, as well as other programs to facilitate the provision of public benefits to communities in the vicinity of new development in the City,

consistent with the General Plan and other housing-related policies.

C. Article 10. (Streets & Parks) provides standards for the development of streets and parks.

D. Article 11. (Division of Land) governs the division of land in accordance with the Subdivision Map

Act.

E. Article 12. (Nonconformities) provides relief from the requirements of this Zoning Code (Chapter

1A) for existing lots, buildings and structures, and uses that conformed to the zoning regulations

at the time they were lawfully established, but do not conform to current district standards or use

permissions.

F. Article 13. (Administration) provides the procedures for various approvals under this Zoning Code

(Chapter 1A) and Chapter I. (General Provisions and Zoning) of this Code. This is the only Article in

this Zoning Code (Chapter 1A) that applies to both Chapters.

G. Article 14. (General Rules), includes general rules that apply to development, as well as defining

glossary terms with specific meaning in this Zoning Code (Chapter 1A).

H. Article 15. (Fees) details the fees required for various approvals.

Sec. 1.3.2. (Non-Zone String Articles) Established by Ord. 188,418, Eff. 01/20/2025, Oper. 01/27/2025

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Introductory Provisions | ARTICLE 1 Div. 1.3. (Orientation)

City of Los Angeles Zoning Code Chapter 1A

Throughout this Zoning Code (Chapter 1A), relief statements specify the only relief options available for the standards or rules to which the statements apply. If a relief option is not specified for a

particular standard or rule, that relief option is not available, unless otherwise stated by the City of Los

Angeles Charter .

Sec. 1.3.3. (Relief) Established by Ord. 188,418, Eff. 01/20/2025, Oper. 01/27/2025

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Introductory Provisions | ARTICLE 1 Div. 1.4. (Introductory Provisions)