Division 3A.2 — GENERAL RULES
Los Angeles Zoning Code — LAMC Chapter 1A · 2025 edition · ingested 2026-07-08 · Los Angeles
Sec. 3A.2.1. FRONTAGE ¶
City of Los Angeles Zoning Code Chapter 1A
This Article (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. Frontage Districts range from minimal standards (for example
Warehouse Frontages) to a robust set of standards (for example 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.
Sec. 3A.2.1. (Frontage) Established by Ord. 188,418, Eff. 01/20/2025, Oper. 01/27/2025
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Div. 3A.2. (General Rules)
Sec. 3A.2.2. FRONTAGE APPLICABILITY ¶
A. General
City of Los Angeles Zoning Code Chapter 1A
All project applications filed after the effective date of this Zoning Code (Chapter 1A) must comply with the Frontage District standards and rules in this Article (Frontage), as further specified in the
applicability statement of each Section in Part 3C. (General Frontage Rules) and Part 3D. (Character
Frontage Rules) . For vested rights, see Sec. 1.4.5. (Vested Rights), and for continuance of existing
development, see Sec. 1.4.6. (Continuance of Existing Development) .
B. Applicable Components of Lots, Buildings, & Structures
- General
Frontage standards apply only to the applicable facades, portions of a lot, and building depth, as specified in Paragraph 3. (Frontage Applicable Facades) below. Specific Frontage District
standards or rules may further limit which components of buildings and lots are required to
comply with the standard within Part 3C. (General Frontage Rules) and Part 3D. (Character
Frontage Rules) .
- Frontage Applicable Portions of a Lot
Frontage District standards apply to the following portions of a lot:
a. Frontage yards, see Sec. 14.2.16. (Yards) ;
b. Public amenity spaces or pedestrian amenity spaces, see Sec. 2C.3.3. (Amenity Space
Types) ;
c. Build-to zones; and
d. Parking setbacks.
Sec. 3A.2.2. (Frontage Applicability) Established by Ord. 188,418, Eff. 01/20/2025, Oper. 01/27/2025
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Div. 3A.2. (General Rules)
- Frontage Applicable Facades
City of Los Angeles Zoning Code Chapter 1A
Frontage standards apply to the following facades up to the top of the 12th story, unless otherwise specified by the applied Frontage District (Part 3B.) :
a. Frontage Lot Line-Facing Facades
i. Facades facing a frontage lot line, including street-facing facades, special lot line facing facades, and when a Dual Frontage District (Div. 3B.8.) is applied.
ii. These facades shall meet the standards specified by the applied Frontage District (Part
3B.) along the frontage lot line that the facade faces (primary street lot line, side street
lot line or special lot line).
b. Lot Line-Facing Facades (Non-Frontage Lot Line)
i. Lot line-facing facades that do not face a frontage lot line and are:
a) Located vertically above the top of the fourth story; and
b) Located 10 feet or more from a common lot line or centerline of an alley,
measured horizontally.
ii. Lot line-facing facades (non-frontage lot line) facades shall meet the standards
specified by the applied Frontage District (Part 3B.) for the side street lot line.
Sec. 3A.2.2. (Frontage Applicability) Established by Ord. 188,418, Eff. 01/20/2025, Oper. 01/27/2025
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Div. 3A.2. (General Rules)
City of Los Angeles Zoning Code Chapter 1A
c. Pedestrian Amenity Space and Public Amenity Space-Facing Facades
i. Facades that face a pedestrian amenity space or public amenity space, see Sec.
14.2.6.C. (Pedestrian Amenity & Public Amenity-Facing Facade) .
ii. These facades shall meet the standards specified by the applied Frontage District (Part
3B.) for the frontage lot line that the pedestrian amenity space or public amenity space
abuts. Where the pedestrian amenity space or public amenity space abuts multiple frontage lot lines, the standards specified for the frontage lot line that abuts the
pedestrian amenity space or public amenity space for the greatest length applies.
- Frontage Applicable Building Depth
Frontage District standards apply to portions of a building interior within 15 feet of a frontage
lot line-facing facade pursuant to Sec. 3A.2.2.B.3.a. (Frontage Lot Line-Facing Facades) or
frontage applicable facades facing a pedestrian amenity space or public amenity space
pursuant to Sec. 3A.2.2.B.3.c. (Pedestrian Amenity Space and Public Amenity Space-Facing
Facades) .
Sec. 3A.2.2. (Frontage Applicability) Established by Ord. 188,418, Eff. 01/20/2025, Oper. 01/27/2025
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Div. 3A.2. (General Rules)
C. Nonconformities
City of Los Angeles Zoning Code Chapter 1A
Article 12. (Nonconformities) may provide relief from the requirements of this Article (Frontage) for
existing lots, site improvements, buildings and structures, and uses that conformed to the zoning
regulations, at the time they were established, but do not otherwise conform to current district standards or use permissions. Unless otherwise specified by Div. 12.3. (Frontage Exceptions),
project activities must conform with applicable frontage standards.
Sec. 3A.2.2. (Frontage Applicability) Established by Ord. 188,418, Eff. 01/20/2025, Oper. 01/27/2025
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Contents
City of Los Angeles Zoning Code Chapter 1A
Part 3B. FRONTAGE DISTRICTS
Div. 3B.1. Drive Frontage Districts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-18
Div. 3B.2. Multi-Unit Frontage Districts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-19
Sec. 3B.2.1. Multi-Unit 1 (MU1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-19
Sec. 3B.2.2. Multi-Unit 2 (MU2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-20
Div. 3B.3. General Frontage Districts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-21
Sec. 3B.3.1. General 1 (G1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-21
Div. 3B.4. Shopfront Frontage Districts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-22
Sec. 3B.4.1. Shopfront 1 (SH1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-22
Sec. 3B.4.2. Shopfront 2 (SH2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-23
Div. 3B.5. Market Frontage Districts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-24
Sec. 3B.5.1. Market 1 (MK1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-24
Div. 3B.6. Large Format Frontage Districts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-25
Div. 3B.7. Warehouse Frontage Districts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-26
Sec. 3B.7.1. Warehouse 1 (WH1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-26
Div. 3B.8. Dual Frontage Districts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-27
Sec. 3B.8.1. Alley Market (AL1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-27
Sec. 3B.8.2. Alley Shopfront (AL2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-28
Div. 3B.9. Character Frontage Districts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-29
Sec. 3B.9.1. Historic Core (CHC1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-29
Sec. 3B.9.2. Daylight Factory (CDF1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-33
Sec. 3B.9.3. Daylight Factory / River (CDR1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-37
Article 3. Frontage Article Publication Update | July 23, 2025
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[ FORM - FRONTAGE - STANDARDS ] [ USE - DENSITY ] Div. 3B.1. (Drive Frontage Districts)