Division 4C.8 — SCREENING

City of Los Angeles Zoning Code Chapter 1A

A frontage screen is a device or combination of elements, including fences, walls, trees and other

plants, along a frontage lot line that conceals, obstructs or protects the public realm from adjacent

uses, activities, or site elements.

A. Intent

The intent of the standards of this Section (Frontage Screens) is to mitigate negative impacts from subject uses, activities, or site elements with significant impacts on the public realm, promoting

visual interest and increasing comfort for users of the public realm.

B. Applicability

Frontage screen standards apply to specified project activities when required by this Zoning Code

(Chapter 1A), including, but not limited to, the applied Use District (Part 5B.), Sec. 4C.2.2. (Motor

Vehicle Use Area), Sec. 4C.2.2.C.3. (Drive-Through Facilities), Sec. 4C.2.2.C.2. (Freight Loading

Areas), Sec. 4C.4.4. (Parking Lot Design) or Sec. 4C.4.5. (Parking Structure Design) .

C. Standards

1. General

a. Required frontage screens shall be located between the use, area, or site element subject

to screening requirements and all frontage lot lines. Any wall and planting area required by

the frontage screen type shall be continuous with the following exceptions:

i. Openings in a required frontage screen accommodating pedestrian accessways are

allowed for a width no greater than eight feet in width for each individual pedestrian

accessway. Where an opening in the frontage screen accommodates both pedestrian

and automobile access, the maximum allowable opening width is eight feet greater

than the maximum allowed driveway width.

ii. Openings in a required frontage screen accommodating automobile access are

allowed for a width no greater than the maximum allowed driveway width allowed by

the applied Development Standards District (Part 4B.) .

iii. For portions of frontage lot lines where a building of at least 10 feet in height is located

between the frontage lot line and the use, area, or site element subject to frontage

screening requirements, no wall is required as part of the frontage screen, provided

that the building is contiguous with the required wall.

b. Required frontage screens including their sub-grade elements, such as footings or

foundations, shall be located entirely on-site.

Sec. 4C.8.1. (Frontage Screens) Established by Ord. 188,418, Eff. 01/20/2025, Oper. 01/27/2025

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[ FORM - FRONTAGE - STANDARDS ] [ USE - DENSITY ] Div. 4C.8. (Screening)

City of Los Angeles Zoning Code Chapter 1A

c. Where there are overlapping frontage screen requirements, the screen type with the

highest minimum height of fence or wall shall apply. Where none of the required screen

types have a fence or wall requirement, the screen type with the widest required planting

area shall apply.

d. Where a required frontage screen includes a wall, the wall may only be located in the

frontage yard if the wall complies with the allowed frontage yard fence & wall standards specified by the applied Frontage District (Part 3B.) . Uses, activities, or site elements subject

to frontage screening requirements shall not be located in a frontage yard if the required minimum wall height specified by the frontage screen exceeds the maximum height of allowed frontage yard fence & walls as specified by the applied Frontage District (Part 3B.) .

e. Where a required frontage screen includes a wall with a minimum height that exceeds the

maximum height allowed in the rear yard or side yard per Sec. 4C.7.2.C.2. (Side/Rear Yard

Fences & Walls) pursuant to Sec. 4C.7.2.E. (Exceptions), the maximum wall height standard

for side yard and rear yard fences and walls shall be two feet greater than the minimum

wall height required for the frontage screen.

f. All walls provided in a frontage screen shall comply with Sec. 4C.7.3. (Fence/Wall Design &

Installation) .

g. All plants provided in a frontage screen shall comply with Sec. 4C.6.4. (Plant Design &

Installation) .

h. Maximum wall and fence height is regulated by Sec. 4C.7.1. (Frontage Yard Fences & Walls)

and Sec. 4C.7.2. (Side/Rear Yard Fences & Walls) .

i. Walls provided to meet the standards of any required frontage screen shall not include

barbed wire or concertina.

j. For a lot affected by a public access easement, see Sec. 14.2.17.B.8. (Frontage Screens &

Transition Screens)

Sec. 4C.8.1. (Frontage Screens) Established by Ord. 188,418, Eff. 01/20/2025, Oper. 01/27/2025

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[ FORM - FRONTAGE - STANDARDS ] [ USE - DENSITY ] Div. 4C.8. (Screening)

2. Frontage Screen Types

Frontage screen types are packages of standards for required frontage screens.

City of Los Angeles Zoning Code Chapter 1A

a. F Screen 1

This screen type is intended for screening motor vehicle

Sec. 4C.8.1. (Frontage Screens)

Established by Ord. 188,418, Eff. 01/20/2025, Oper. 01/27/2025

b. F Screen 2

This screen type is intended for screening motor vehicle

[ FORM - FRONTAGE - STANDARDS ] [ USE - DENSITY ] Div. 4C.8. (Screening)

c. F Screen 3

This screen type is intended for screening motor vehicle

• Additional planting area may be required to accommodate large species trees.

Sec. 4C.8.1. (Frontage Screens) Established by Ord. 188,418, Eff. 01/20/2025, Oper. 01/27/2025

City of Los Angeles Zoning Code Chapter 1A

d. F Screen 4

This screen type is intended for screening outdoor areas

[ FORM - FRONTAGE - STANDARDS ] [ USE - DENSITY ] Div. 4C.8. (Screening)

e. F Screen 5

Sec. 4C.8.1. (Frontage Screens) Established by Ord. 188,418, Eff. 01/20/2025, Oper. 01/27/2025

City of Los Angeles Zoning Code Chapter 1A

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[ FORM - FRONTAGE - STANDARDS ] [ USE - DENSITY ] Div. 4C.8. (Screening)

D. Measurement

1. Planting Area

a. Width

City of Los Angeles Zoning Code Chapter 1A

For measuring planting area width see Sec. 4C.6.4.D.1. (Planting Area Width) .

b. Frequency

For measuring planting frequency, for example 5 per 50', see Sec. 14.2.8. (Frequency) .

c. Screening Plants

For measuring compliance with screening plant standards see Sec. 4C.6.4.C.3.b. (Screening

Plants) .

d. Large Species Trees

For measuring compliance with large species tree standards see Sec. 4C.6.4.C.3.a. (Trees) .

2. Walls

a. Height

Frontage screen wall height is measured for the portion of the wall constructed of

concrete or masonry that has a minimum thickness of eight inches and meets the minimum opacity specified by the frontage screen type. For measuring wall height in a

rear yard or side yard, see Sec. 4C.7.2.D. (Measurement) . For measuring wall height in a

frontage yard see Sec. 3C.3.2.D.2. (Fence & Wall Height) .

b. Opacity

For measuring opacity see Sec. 14.2.13. (Opacity (%)) .

E. Relief

1. Alternative Compliance to frontage screen standards may be granted in accordance with Sec.

13B.5.1. (Alternative Compliance) .

2. A deviation from any frontage screen dimensional standard of 10 percent or less may be

granted in accordance with Sec. 13B.5.2. (Adjustment) .

3. A deviation from any frontage screen standard may be granted as a variance in accordance

with Sec. 13B.5.3. (Variance) .

Sec. 4C.8.1. (Frontage Screens) Established by Ord. 188,418, Eff. 01/20/2025, Oper. 01/27/2025

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[ FORM - FRONTAGE - STANDARDS ] [ USE - DENSITY ] Div. 4C.8. (Screening)

City of Los Angeles Zoning Code Chapter 1A

A transition screen is defined as a device or combination of elements along a common lot line that

conceals, obstructs or protects abutting lots from impactful uses, activities, or site elements.

A. Intent

The intent of the standards of this Section (Transition Screens) is to mitigate negative impacts from

subject uses, activities, or site elements on adjacent uses, promoting visual interest and increasing

comfort for users of the subject lot, the public realm and adjacent lots.

B. Applicability

Transition screen standards apply to specified project activities when required by this Zoning Code

(Chapter 1A), including, but not limited to, the applied Use District (Part 5B.), Sec. 4C.2.2. (Motor

Vehicle Use Area), Sec. 4C.2.2.C.3. (Drive-Through Facilities), Sec. 4C.2.2.C.2. (Freight Loading

Areas), Sec. 4C.4.4. (Parking Lot Design), Sec. 4C.4.5. (Parking Structure Design), Sec. 4C.8.2.C.2.a.

(Freeway Screening), or Sec. 8.3.2.B.3. (Freeway Screening) .

C. Standards

1. General

a. Required transition screens shall be located between the use, area, or site element subject

to screening requirements and all common lot lines. Any walls and planting areas required

by the transition screen shall be continuous with the following exceptions:

i. Openings in a required transition screen accommodating pedestrian accessways are

allowed for a width no greater than six feet in width for each individual pedestrian

accessway.

ii. For portions of common lot lines where a building of no less that 10 feet in height is

located between the common lot line and the use, area, or site element subject to

transition screen requirements, no wall is required as part of the transition screen,

provided that the building is contiguous with the required wall.

b. Required transition screens including their sub-grade elements, such as footings or

foundations, shall be located entirely on-site.

c. Where there are overlapping transition screen requirements, the screen with the highest

minimum height wall shall apply. Where none of the required transition screens have a

fence or wall requirement, the transition screen with the widest required planting area shall

apply.

d. Where a required transition screen includes a wall, the wall may only be located in the

frontage yard if the wall complies with the allowed frontage yard fence & wall standards specified by the applied Frontage District (Part 3B.) . Uses, activities, or site elements subject

Sec. 4C.8.2. (Transition Screens) Established by Ord. 188,418, Eff. 01/20/2025, Oper. 01/27/2025

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[ FORM - FRONTAGE - STANDARDS ] [ USE - DENSITY ] Div. 4C.8. (Screening)

City of Los Angeles Zoning Code Chapter 1A

to screening requirements shall not be located in a frontage yard if the required minimum wall height specified by the transition screen exceeds the maximum height of allowed frontage yard fence & walls as specified by the applied Frontage District (Part 3B.) .

e. Where a required transition screen includes a wall with a minimum height requirement that

exceeds the maximum height allowed in the rear yard or side yard per Sec. 4C.7.2. (Side/

Rear Yard Fences & Walls), pursuant to Sec. 4C.7.2.E. (Exception) the maximum wall height

standard for Side/Rear Yard Fences & Walls shall be two feet greater than the minimum

wall height required for the transition screen.

f. All walls provided in a transition screen shall comply with Sec. 4C.7.3. (Fence/Wall Design &

Installation) .

g. All plants provided in a transition screen shall comply with Sec. 4C.6.4. (Plant Design &

Installation) .

h. Maximum wall and fence height is regulated by Sec. 4C.7.1. (Frontage Yard Fences & Walls)

and Sec. 4C.7.2. (Side/Rear Yard Fences & Walls) .

i. Walls provided to meet the standards of any required transition screen shall not include

barbed wire or concertina.

j. For a lot affected by a public access easement, see Sec. 14.2.17.B.8. (Frontage Screens &

Transition Screens) .

2. Freeway Screening

a. Lots abutting a Freeway (FWY) Special Zone (Sec. 8.3.2.) shall provide a T-Screen 3

(4C.8.2.C.3.c.) for the entire length of any lot line abutting a Freeway (FWY) Special Zone.

b. On lots with an applied Freeway (FWY) Special Zones (Sec. 8.3.2.), transition screens shall

be provided as according to Sec. 8.3.2.B.3. (Freeway Screening) .

Sec. 4C.8.2. (Transition Screens) Established by Ord. 188,418, Eff. 01/20/2025, Oper. 01/27/2025

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[ FORM - FRONTAGE - STANDARDS ] [ USE - DENSITY ] Div. 4C.8. (Screening)

3. Transition Screen Types

a. T Screen 1

Sec. 4C.8.2. (Transition Screens)

Established by Ord. 188,418, Eff. 01/20/2025, Oper. 01/27/2025

City of Los Angeles Zoning Code Chapter 1A

b. T Screen 2

[ FORM - FRONTAGE - STANDARDS ] [ USE - DENSITY ] Div. 4C.8. (Screening)

c. T Screen 3

City of Los Angeles Zoning Code Chapter 1A

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Sec. 4C.8.2. (Transition Screens) Established by Ord. 188,418, Eff. 01/20/2025, Oper. 01/27/2025

[ FORM - FRONTAGE - STANDARDS ] [ USE - DENSITY ] Div. 4C.8. (Screening)

D. Measurement

1. Planting Area

a. Width

City of Los Angeles Zoning Code Chapter 1A

For measuring planting area width see Sec. 4C.6.4.D.1. (Planting Area Width) .

b. Frequency

For measuring planting frequency, for example 5 per 50', see Sec. 14.2.8. (Frequency) .

c. Screening Plants

For measuring compliance with screening plant standards see Sec. 4C.6.4.C.3.b. (Screening

Plants) .

d. Large Species Trees

For measuring compliance with large species tree standards see Sec. 4C.6.4.C.3.a. (Trees) .

2. Walls

a. Height

Transition screen wall height is measured for the portion of the wall constructed of

concrete or masonry that has a minimum thickness of eight inches and meets the minimum opacity specified by the transition screen type pursuant to Sec. 4C.8.2.C.3.

(Transition Screen Types) above. For measuring wall height in a rear yard or side yard,

see Sec. 4C.7.2.D. (Measurement) . For measuring wall height in a frontage yard see Sec.

3C.3.2.D.2. (Fence & Wall Height) .

b. Opacity

For measuring opacity see Sec. 14.2.13. (Opacity (%)) .

E. Relief

1. Alternative Compliance to transition screen standards may be granted in accordance with Sec.

13B.5.1. (Alternative Compliance) .

2. A deviation from any transition screen dimensional standard of 10 percent or less may be

granted in accordance with Sec. 13B.5.2. (Adjustment) .

3. A deviation from any transition screen standard may be granted as a variance in accordance

with Sec. 13B.5.3. (Variance) .

Sec. 4C.8.2. (Transition Screens) Established by Ord. 188,418, Eff. 01/20/2025, Oper. 01/27/2025

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[ FORM - FRONTAGE - STANDARDS ] [ USE - DENSITY ] Div. 4C.8. (Screening)

i

City of Los Angeles Zoning Code Chapter 1A

i

Outdoor storage screening is defined as fences or walls surrounding outdoor storage areas in which

goods, material, and equipment, new or used, are held outside of a building for future use

A. Intent

The intent of the standards of this Section (Outdoor Storage Screening) is to ensure storage,

outdoor areas are designed in a manner that conceals, obstructs or protects abutting lots from

impactful activities associated with storage, outdoor.

B. Applicability

Outdoor storage screening standards apply to new construction or a site modifcationi when

required by an applied Use District (Part 5B.) .

C. Standards

1. Location

Storage, outdoor and its screening enclosure shall not be located in any of the following

locations:

a. In a frontage yard.

b. Closer to any frontage lot line than the frontage lot line setback listed in the applicable

outdoor storage screening type pursuant to Paragraph 3. (Outdoor Storage Screening

Types) below.

2. Screening Enclosure

a. Storage, outdoor areas shall be screened with the outdoor storage screening type

specified by the applied Use District (Part 5B.) .

b. Gates provided in the screening structure shall meet the standards of the applicable

outdoor storage screening type pursuant to Paragraph 3. (Outdoor Storage Screening

Types) below in addition to the following standards:

i. Shall have a height of no less than the minimum required fence or wall height.

ii. Where a screening structure is taller than the minimum height, gates shall be no more

than one foot shorter than the height of the wall or fence provided.

iii. In no case shall gates exceed the height of the screening structure by more than one

foot.

c. No material or equipment shall be stored to a height greater than the height of the

enclosing wall or fence.

d. All provided fences and walls shall comply with Sec 4C.7.3. (Fence/Wall Design and

Installation) .

i

Sec. 4C.8.3. (Outdoor Storage Screening) Established by Ord. 188,418, Eff. 01/20/2025, Oper. 01/27/2025

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[ FORM - FRONTAGE - STANDARDS ] [ USE - DENSITY ] Div. 4C.8. (Screening)

3. Outdoor Storage Screening Types

FENCES & WALLS Sec. 4C.8.3.D.

Sec. 4C.8.3. (Outdoor Storage Screening) Established by Ord. 188,418, Eff. 01/20/2025, Oper. 01/27/2025

City of Los Angeles Zoning Code Chapter 1A

[ FORM - FRONTAGE - STANDARDS ] [ USE - DENSITY ] Div. 4C.8. (Screening)

D. Measurement

1. Siting

a. For frontage yard designation, see Sec. 14.2.16.C.1. (Frontage Yard) .

City of Los Angeles Zoning Code Chapter 1A

b. Frontage lot line setbacks are measured perpendicular from all frontage lot lines toward

the interior of the lot

c. For lot line designation, see Sec. 14.2.12. (Lot Line Determination) .

d. For measurement of storage, outdoor space area, the area of storage, outdoor space

is measured as all portions of a lot used for storage, outdoor uses and enclosed by a

screening structure. The area does not include the screening structure.

2. Fences & Walls

a. For measurement of an enclosure, see Sec. 14.2.4. (Enclosure) .

b. For measurement of fence or wall height in a rear yard or side yard, see Sec. 4C.7.2.D.

(Measurement) .

c. For measurement of fence or wall height in a frontage yard, see Sec. 3C.3.2.D.2. (Fence &

Wall Height)

d. For measurement of opacity, see Sec. 14.2.13. (Opacity (%)) .

E. Relief

1. Alternative Compliance to outdoor storage screening standards may be granted in accordance

with Sec. 13B.5.1. (Alternative Compliance) .

2. A deviation from any outdoor storage screening type dimensional standard of 15 percent or

less may be granted in accordance with Sec. 13B.5.2. (Adjustment) .

3. Deviation from any outdoor storage standard may be granted as a variance in accordance with

Sec. 13B.5.3. (Variance) .

Sec. 4C.8.3. (Outdoor Storage Screening) Established by Ord. 188,418, Eff. 01/20/2025, Oper. 01/27/2025

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[ FORM - FRONTAGE - STANDARDS ] [ USE - DENSITY ] Div. 4C.9. (Grading & Retaining Walls)