Division 10.1 — STREET DEDICATION & IMPROVEMENT

A. Street Standards Committee

This Section creates a Street Standards Committee comprised of the Director (as Chair), the City

Engineer, and the General Manager of the Department of Transportation, or their designees. This

Street Standards Committee shall:

1. Recommend to the City Planning Commission minimum width and improvement standards

for all classes of public and private streets and alleys. The City Planning Commission shall

adopt such minimum width and improvement standards as it determines necessary for the

safe and adequate movement of pedestrians, bicyclists, equestrians, transit service, and vehicular traffic, the increased retention and detention of stormwater, the installation of

necessary utilities, and for reasonable and proper access to abutting properties. Such standards

shall not be applicable to any street or alley for which the City Council, by ordinance, adopts specific standards.

2. Modify the Complete Street Design Guide (CSDG) on an as-needed basis to align the CSDG

with current and innovative street design practice.

3. Develop guidelines consistent with the goals and intent of the Circulation Element of the

General Plan, as determined by the City Planning Commission. These guidelines shall also

establish a procedure for providing notice to interested persons, including the Councilmember

of the district where the property is located.

B. Adoption of Standards

A public hearing shall be conducted by the City Planning Commission, pursuant to Sec. 13B.1.5.

(Guidelines or Standards Adoption/Amendment), prior to the approval of any change in the

standards.

Sec. 10.1.1. (Street Standards) Established by Ord. 188,418, Eff. 01/20/2025, Oper. 01/27/2025

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Streets & Parks | ARTICLE 10 Div. 10.1. (Street Dedication & Improvement)

City of Los Angeles Zoning Code Chapter 1A

A. No building or structure shall be erected or enlarged, and no building permit shall be issued,

on a lot in a Residential Use District (Div. 5B.3.) with an applied Density District (Part 6B.) of 2

through 8, or in a Commercial-Mixed Use District (Div. 5B.5.), Industrial-Mixed Use District (Div.

5B.6.), Industrial Use District (Div. 5B.7.), or Public Use District (Div. 5B.8.) where such lot abuts a

boulevard, avenue, or collector street, unless the one-half of the boulevard, avenue, or collector

street that is located on the same side of the center of the boulevard, avenue, or collector street as

such lot has been dedicated and improved for the full width of the lot, so as to meet the standards

for such boulevard, avenue, or collector street provided in Sec. 10.1.9. (Improvement Standards) ; or

such dedication and improvement has been assured to the satisfaction of the City Engineer.

B. In the case of either a corner lot or an L-shaped interior lot abutting a boulevard, avenue, or

collector street and a local standard street or local limited street that intersect, that one-half of the

local standard street or local limited street, on the same side of the center of the local standard

street or local limited street as such lot, has been dedicated and improved for that portion of said

lot or lots within 300 feet of the ultimate property line of said boulevard, avenue, or collector

street so as to meet the standards for local standard street or local limited street provided in Sec.

10.1.9. (Improvement Standards) and provide adequate right-turn ingress to, and egress from, the

boulevard, avenue, or collector street; or such dedication and improvement has been assured to

the satisfaction of the City Engineer.

C. As used in this Division (Street Dedication & Improvement), the center/control line of the

boulevard, avenue, or collector street, shall mean the center of those boulevards, avenues, or

collector streets shown on the Citywide General Plan Circulation System map of the Circulation

Element of the General Plan or, with respect to collector streets, on the adopted Community Plans of the Land Use Element of the General Plan on file in the offices of the Department of City

Planning.

D. The maximum area of land required to be so dedicated shall not exceed 25 percent of the area of

any such lot which was of record on March 1, 1962 in the Los Angeles County Recorder’s Office. In

no event shall such dedication reduce the lot below a width of 50 feet or an area of 5,000 square

feet.

E. No such dedication for any boulevard, avenue, or collector street; or any other street shall be

required with respect to those portions of such a lot occupied by a legally existing main building

that is to remain.

F. No additional improvements shall be required on a lot where complete roadway, curb, gutter, and

sidewalk improvements exist within the present dedication contiguous to the lot.

G. No building or structure shall be erected on any such lot within the dedication required by Sec.

10.1.9. (Improvement Standards) .

H. No dedication shall be required where the existing public right-of-way is equal to or greater than

the street standard, even where the improved sidewalk does not meet the standard dimension.

Sec. 10.1.2. (Requirements) Established by Ord. 188,418, Eff. 01/20/2025, Oper. 01/27/2025

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Streets & Parks | ARTICLE 10 Div. 10.1. (Street Dedication & Improvement)

City of Los Angeles Zoning Code Chapter 1A

I. Where the existing improved roadway meets or exceeds the street standard, no dedication shall be

required, except as necessary to bring the abutting sidewalk dimension into compliance with the

street standard as depicted in the most recent version of the Bureau of Engineering's standard plan

number S-470-1. (Standard Street Dimensions) .

J. Nothing in this Section (Street Standards) shall preclude the decision-maker on a discretionary

entitlement from requiring a dedication or improvement greater than what is set forth in this

Division (Street Dedication & Improvement), where the decision-maker determines that a greater

dedication or improvement bears an essential nexus and rough proportionality to the project's

impact.

K. For streets accompanied by a parallel frontage or service road, and for streets designated as

divided streets, existing roadway dimensions are deemed to be in compliance with the street

standards, and no additional dedication or improvement is required. A dedication for sidewalk

improvement shall be required, however, as necessary to bring the abutting sidewalk dimension

into compliance with the street standard.

L. Additional dedication and improvement requirements may be imposed in order to ensure

compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act .

M. Notwithstanding the above, in order to achieve consistent public right-of-way dimensions, the

Bureau of Engineering on a by-right project, or the decision-maker on a discretionary entitlement,

may modify this Division (Street Dedication & Improvement) 's dedication and improvement

requirements for meandering streets or portions of streets that lack uniform roadway widths,

including for divided streets, and streets accompanied by a parallel frontage or service road.

N. The guidelines developed by Street Standards Committee shall be consistent with the goals

and intent of the Circulation Element of the General Plan as determined by the City Planning

Commission. These guidelines shall also establish a procedure for notice to interested persons,

including the Councilmember of the district where the property is located.

Sec. 10.1.2. (Requirements) Established by Ord. 188,418, Eff. 01/20/2025, Oper. 01/27/2025

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Streets & Parks | ARTICLE 10 Div. 10.1. (Street Dedication & Improvement)

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City of Los Angeles Zoning Code Chapter 1A

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The provisions of Sec. 10.1.2. (Requirements) shall not apply to the following construction projects:

A. A single-dwelling unit with customary accessory buildings when erected on a vacant lot.

B. Additions and accessory buildings incidental to a legally existing residential building, provided no

additional dwelling units are created.

C. Additions and accessory buildings incidental to a legally existing non-residential building, provided

that the total cumulative foor areal of all such additions and accessory buildings shall not exceed

500 square feet.

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Sec. 10.1.3. (Exceptions) Established by Ord. 188,418, Eff. 01/20/2025, Oper. 01/27/2025

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Streets & Parks | ARTICLE 10 Div. 10.1. (Street Dedication & Improvement)

City of Los Angeles Zoning Code Chapter 1A

Any person required to dedicate land pursuant to the provisions of this Division (Street Dedication & Improvement) shall make an offer to dedicate, properly executed by all parties of interest including beneficiaries in deeds of trust as shown by a current preliminary title report prepared by a title

company approved by the City Engineer for that intent. The trustee under a deed of trust shall not be

required to execute the dedicatory instrument, unless, in the view of the City Engineer, such execution

is necessary to satisfactorily dedicate the land. Such report shall be furnished by the applicant. Such offer shall: be on a form approved by the City Attorney and the City Engineer; be in such terms as to

be binding on the owner, heirs, assignees or successors in interest; and shall continue until the City Council accepts or rejects such offer or until one year from the date such offer is filed with the City Engineer for processing, whichever occurs first. The offer shall provide that the dedication will be complete upon acceptance by the City Council. The offer shall be recorded by the City Engineer with the Office of the Los Angeles County Recorder upon its acceptance by the City Engineer. The City Engineer shall accept or reject the offer for recordation within 10 days after it is filed with the City Engineer. The offer shall be promptly processed by the City Departments concerned and submitted to the City Council, in order to complete the dedication within one year. If the offer is rejected by the City Council or not processed within one year, the City Engineer shall issue a release from such offer which shall be recorded with the Office of the Los Angeles County Recorder unless the parties making the offer wish to have the time extended.

Sec. 10.1.4. (Dedication Procedure) Established by Ord. 188,418, Eff. 01/20/2025, Oper. 01/27/2025

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Streets & Parks | ARTICLE 10 Div. 10.1. (Street Dedication & Improvement)

City of Los Angeles Zoning Code Chapter 1A

A. Any person required to make improvements by the provisions of this Division (Street Dedication

& Improvement) shall either make and complete the improvements to the satisfaction of the City Engineer or shall file with the City Engineer a bond in an amount as the City Engineer shall estimate

and determine to be necessary to complete all of the improvements required.

B. Such bond may be either a cash bond or a bond executed by a company authorized to act as a

surety in the State of California. The bond shall be payable to the City and be conditioned upon the

faithful performance of any and all work required to be done, and that should the work not be done or completed within the time specified, the City may, at its option, cause the work to be done or completed, and the parties executing the bond shall be firmly bound under a continuing obligation

for the payment of all necessary costs and expenses incurred in the construction. The bond shall

be executed by the owner of the lot as principal, and if a surety bond, shall also be executed by a

corporation authorized to act as a surety under the laws of the State of California.

C. Whenever the owner elects to deposit a cash bond, the City is authorized, in the event of any default

on the owner's part, to use any or all of the deposit money to cause all of the required work to be done

or completed, and for payment of all costs and expenses. Any money remaining shall be refunded to

the owner.

D. When a substantial portion of the required improvement has been completed to the satisfaction of

the City Engineer and the completion of the remaining improvements is delayed due to conditions

beyond the owner’s control, the City Engineer may accept the completed portion and consent to

a proportionate reduction of the surety bond in an amount estimated and determined by the City

Engineer to be adequate to assure the completion of the required improvements remaining to be

made.

E. Whenever a surety bond has been filed in compliance with this Division (Street Dedication &

Improvement), the City is authorized, in the event of any default on the part of the principal, to enforce

collection under such bond, for any and all damages sustained by the City by reason of any failure on

the part of the principal faithfully and properly to do or complete the required improvements, and in

addition may cause all of the required work to be done or completed, and the surety upon the bond shall be firmly bound for the payment of all necessary costs for completing the work.

F. The term of the bond shall begin on the date of the deposit of cash or the filing of the surety

bond, and shall end upon the date of the completion to the satisfaction of the City Engineer of all

improvements required to be made. The fact of such completion shall be endorsed by a statement of

completion signed by the City Engineer, and the deposit shall be returned to the owner, or the surety

bond may be exonerated at any time thereafter.

G. For purposes of this Division (Street Dedication & Improvement), improvements shall be considered

satisfactorily assured when the City Engineer accepts the cash or surety bond provided for in this

Division (Street Dedication & Improvement), or the improvements required to be made have been

completed to the City Engineer's satisfaction. When the City Engineer accepts the bond or the work

has been completed to the City Engineer's satisfaction, the City Engineer shall notify the Department

of Building and Safety of the completion.

Sec. 10.1.5. (Improvement Procedure) Established by Ord. 188,418, Eff. 01/20/2025, Oper. 01/27/2025

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Streets & Parks | ARTICLE 10 Div. 10.1. (Street Dedication & Improvement)

City of Los Angeles Zoning Code Chapter 1A

When all dedication and improvements required by this Division (Street Dedication & Improvement)

have been completed or satisfactorily assured, a building permit may be issued.

Sec. 10.1.6. (Issuance of Building Permits) Established by Ord. 188,418, Eff. 01/20/2025, Oper. 01/27/2025

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Streets & Parks | ARTICLE 10 Div. 10.1. (Street Dedication & Improvement)

City of Los Angeles Zoning Code Chapter 1A

In addition to all other required fees, the fees pursuant to Sec. 15.3.14. (Streets Fees) shall be charged

for services provided for processing applications under the provisions of this Division (Street

Dedication & Improvement) .

Sec. 10.1.7. (Bureau of Engineering Fees) Established by Ord. 188,418, Eff. 01/20/2025, Oper. 01/27/2025

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Streets & Parks | ARTICLE 10 Div. 10.1. (Street Dedication & Improvement)

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City of Los Angeles Zoning Code Chapter 1A

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On lots affected by street widening required by the provisions of this Division (Street Dedication &

Improvement), lot area, lot width, foor area ratiol, and density shall be calculated based on the lot lines

that existed immediately prior to such required street widening. All other provisions of this Zoning

Code (Chapter 1A) shall be measured and calculated from the new lot lines being created by any

widening, including when street widening is required by or included as part of the subdivision process.

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Sec. 10.1.8. (Lots Affected by Street Widening) Established by Ord. 188,418, Eff. 01/20/2025, Oper. 01/27/2025

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Streets & Parks | ARTICLE 10 Div. 10.1. (Street Dedication & Improvement)

City of Los Angeles Zoning Code Chapter 1A

A. All boulevards, avenues, and collector streets shall be constructed and improved in accordance

with the standards adopted by the City Planning Commission pursuant to Sec. 10.1.1. (Street

Standards) .

B. All streets not designated as boulevards, avenues, or collector streets, but that intersect a

boulevard, avenue, or collector street, shall be dedicated to a maximum width of 60 feet. Roadway

and parkway widths shall conform to those standards adopted by the City Planning Commission in accordance with Sec. 10.1.1. (Street Standards), depending upon street classification type.

Whenever uncertainty exists as to the application of the provisions of this Division (Street Dedication & Improvement), or in instances of streets so classified as requiring less than 60 feet of

dedication in order to conform to the minimum width standards as adopted in accordance with

Sec. 10.1.1. (Street Standards), the City Engineer shall make any necessary determinations.

C. All improvements required to be made by the provisions of this Division (Street Dedication &

Improvement) shall be made in accordance with the current applicable provisions of the Standard Specifications for Public Works Construction adopted by the City Council.

D. The City Engineer may approve and allow variations from the Standard Specifications for Public

Works Construction as determined necessary based on conditions of terrain and the existing

improvements contiguous to the property involved.

Sec. 10.1.9. (Improvement Standards) Established by Ord. 188,418, Eff. 01/20/2025, Oper. 01/27/2025

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Streets & Parks | ARTICLE 10 Div. 10.1. (Street Dedication & Improvement)

City of Los Angeles Zoning Code Chapter 1A

This Section shall constitute the exclusive mechanism for waivers and appeals of dedication and

improvement requirements under this Division (Street Dedication & Improvement) . Waivers of

dedication or improvement requirements may not be granted by City Council motion.

A. Waivers for By-Right Projects

Any person seeking a waiver of this Division (Street Dedication & Improvement) 's dedication or improvement requirements for a project that does not require a discretionary entitlement shall file

an application for a waiver with the Director.

1. Notice

Within 10 calendar days of the receipt of an application for a waiver, the Director shall mail

notice of the requested waiver to the following individuals and entities with a notice that all

comments shall be submitted to the Director no later than 14 calendar days following mailing

of the notice:

a. Owners of property across the street or alley from the subject property;

b. Owners of property with frontage along the same street that has a common corner with or

abuts the subject property;

c. Owners of property with frontage along the same street that has a common corner with or

abuts any properties listed in Subparagraph a. or Subparagraph b. above;

d. The Councilmember of the district where the subject property is located; and

e. The Department of Transportation and Bureau of Engineering.

f. Notification pursuant to this Division (Street Dedication & Improvement) shall also be provided to Advisory Agency members for waivers that require the modification of a map.

i. Any person seeking a waiver that requires a modification of a map shall submit a map modification request and payment of map modification fees to the Bureau of

Engineering as required by Div. 13B.7. (Division of Land) .

2. Findings

The Director may waive, reduce, or modify the required dedication or improvement as appropriate after making any of the following findings, in writing, based on substantial

evidence in the record:

a. The dedication or improvement requirement does not bear a reasonable relationship to

any project impact.

b. The dedication or improvement is not necessary to meet the City's mobility needs for the

next 20 years, based on guidelines established by the Street Standards Committee.

Sec. 10.1.10. (Waiver & Appeals) Established by Ord. 188,418, Eff. 01/20/2025, Oper. 01/27/2025

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Streets & Parks | ARTICLE 10 Div. 10.1. (Street Dedication & Improvement)

c. The dedication or improvement requirement is physically impractical.

3. Written Determination

City of Los Angeles Zoning Code Chapter 1A

The Director shall issue a determination regarding the request no sooner than 15 calendar days

following mailing of the notice described above, and no later than 75 days from receipt of the

waiver application, or within any additional period mutually agreed upon by the applicant and

the Director. The Director shall mail the determination letter to all individuals to whom notice

of the application was provided.

4. Appeal

Any person required to dedicate land or make improvements pursuant to this Division

(Street Dedication & Improvement) may appeal the Director's decision to the Area Planning Commission. The appeal shall be filed within 15 calendar days of the date of mailing of the Director's determination letter. Such appeal shall be made in writing, shall be filed at the

Department of City Planning's public counter, shall state in clear and concise language the grounds for the appeal, and shall be accompanied by a filing fee pursuant to Sec. 15.3.14.A.4.

(Street Dedication & Improvement Fees) .

a. Before acting on any appeal, the Area Planning Commission shall set the matter for

a hearing, giving at least 15 calendar days notice to the individuals identified in Sec.

10.1.10.A.1. (Notice) .

b. On appeal, the Area Planning Commission shall consider the waiver request de novo based

on the findings set forth in Sec. 10.1.10.A.2. (Findings) . The Area Planning Commission

shall act to approve or deny the appeal within 75 calendar days after the expiration of the

appeal period or within any additional period mutually agreed upon by the applicant and

the Area Planning Commission.

B. Waivers for Discretionary Projects

1. For projects that require a discretionary entitlement, an applicant shall file a waiver request as

part of the City Planning application or subdivider's statement for the project. In such case, the

decision-maker for the discretionary entitlement shall process the waiver request pursuant to

the procedures established for the discretionary entitlement, but may only grant a waiver after making one of the required findings set forth in Sec. 10.1.10.A.2. (Findings) . The waiver request shall be set forth in the application filed with the Department of City Planning, and may not be raised for the first time at the hearing on the entitlement or at any entitlement appeal hearing.

The applicant may appeal the waiver determination pursuant to the same procedures that

govern the entitlement. Except in the case of projects that include a tentative tract map, the

waiver determination is subject to only one level of appeal. On appeal, the decision maker shall consider the waiver request de novo based on the findings set forth in Sec. 10.1.10.A.2.

(Findings) .

Sec. 10.1.10. (Waiver & Appeals) Established by Ord. 188,418, Eff. 01/20/2025, Oper. 01/27/2025

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Streets & Parks | ARTICLE 10 Div. 10.1. (Street Dedication & Improvement)

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City of Los Angeles Zoning Code Chapter 1A

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2. If the discretionary entitlement for a project has already been approved prior to March 4, 2017,

an applicant may apply for a waiver following the procedures in Sec. 10.1.10.A. (Waivers for By-

Right Projects) .

C. Waivers for a Map Modification

Notwithstanding the parcel map, tentative tract map, or fnal tract mapi modification procedures

set forth in Article 13. (Administration), projects that have an approved or recorded map, and where

the street standards for which the original dedication or improvements were revised after the map

was either approved or recorded, may apply for a waiver from a street dedication or improvement

using the procedures in Sec. 10.1.10.A. (Waivers for By-Right Projects), with the Director acting for

the Advisory Agency.

D. Exceptions

Projects located in a Hillside Area that seek to obtain a waiver from a required street dedication or

improvement shall use the procedures described in Sec. 13B.2.1. (Class 1 Conditional Use Permit),

as applicable.

E. Authority of the City Engineer

Notwithstanding any other requirement of this Zoning Code (Chapter 1A), the City Engineer may

waive or modify any condition of approval or other obligation related to public right-of-way

improvement or dedication consistent with the Circulation Element of the General Plan without requiring any discretionary entitlement, including, but not limited to, a modification under Sec. 10.1.10.C. (Waivers for a Map Modification) and Article 13. (Administration) . Nothing in this Division

(Street Dedication & Improvement) is intended to relieve applicants and the City of compliance

with the Subdivision Map Act and state law.

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Sec. 10.1.10. (Waiver & Appeals) Established by Ord. 188,418, Eff. 01/20/2025, Oper. 01/27/2025

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Streets & Parks | ARTICLE 10 Div. 10.1. (Street Dedication & Improvement)

City of Los Angeles Zoning Code Chapter 1A

Upon proper application to the City Council and upon recommendation of the City Engineer, the City

may accept and provide for contribution toward the cost of making any improvement required by

the provisions of this Division (Street Dedication & Improvement) which the City Engineer determines

will cost an amount greatly in excess of the cost to other property owners who are required to

make improvements under the provisions of this Division (Street Dedication & Improvement) in the

immediate vicinity of the improvement.

Sec. 10.1.11. (Cost-Sharing for Unusual Improvements) Established by Ord. 188,418, Eff. 01/20/2025, Oper. 01/27/2025

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Streets & Parks | ARTICLE 10 Div. 10.1. (Street Dedication & Improvement)

City of Los Angeles Zoning Code Chapter 1A

No building or structure, except a fence, shall be erected or maintained on any portion of a lot which

has been designated as a future street or future alley, as provided by this Article (Streets & Parks), nor

shall any portion of said future street or future alley be used in providing minimum automobile parking

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

Sec. 10.1.12. (Use Of Future Streets & Alleys) Established by Ord. 188,418, Eff. 01/20/2025, Oper. 01/27/2025

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Streets & Parks | ARTICLE 10 Div. 10.1. (Street Dedication & Improvement)

City of Los Angeles Zoning Code Chapter 1A

Whenever uncertainty exists as to the proper application of the provisions of this Division (Street

Dedication & Improvement) in the matter of street alignment, the City Engineer shall determine their

application in conformity with the spirit and intent of this Division (Street Dedication & Improvement) .

Sec. 10.1.13. (City Engineer to Determine Street Alignment) Established by Ord. 188,418, Eff. 01/20/2025, Oper. 01/27/2025

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Streets & Parks | ARTICLE 10 Div. 10.1. (Street Dedication & Improvement)

City of Los Angeles Zoning Code Chapter 1A

When the City Engineer determines that the provisions of this Division (Street Dedication &

Improvement) are applicable to any building permit application, the City Engineer shall inform the applicant of that determination, of the specific requirements of this Division (Street Dedication &

Improvement) determined to be applicable, and of the availability and procedure for appeal of this

determination to the City Council.

Sec. 10.1.14. (Written Notification Required) Established by Ord. 188,418, Eff. 01/20/2025, Oper. 01/27/2025

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Streets & Parks | ARTICLE 10 Div. 10.2. (Dedication by Lease)