Los Angeles Zoning Code — LAMC Chapter 1A Div. 4C.13 Environmental Protection

A. Findings

1. Development in the city has the potential to negatively impact the environment from construction activities and the future use and operations of the development, including but not limited to causing adverse impacts to people residing or working in the city, neighboring properties to the development, and the flora and fauna in and around the city.

2. ceQA requires the city to develop and impose feasible mitigation measures to avoid significant impacts to the environment from projects approved under this chapter.

3. in addition to the requirements of ceQA, the city desires to protect people, properties, and flora and fauna in and around the city from the detrimental impacts of development approved by the city.

4. Many mitigation measures historically developed and imposed by the city to mitigate commonly identified environmental impacts from development can be standardized.

5. Standardizing mitigation measures and imposing them as regulations on future projects can ensure that development in the city avoids impacts to the environment and can streamline ceQA review for future development projects.

6. reducing constraints and barriers to housing development by streamlining environmental review is consistent with the city’s Housing element.

7. the city's historical practice of adopting mitigation measures into individual ordinances to comply with CEQA Guidelines California Code of Regulations, Title 14. (Natural Resources), Sec. 15126.4(a)(2), (Consideration and Discussion of Mitigation Measures Proposed to Minimize Significant Effects.) . results in an inefficient use of resources as it has led to multiple versions of similar regulations in different ordinances, the need to draft additional regulations, and the need for staff and the public to familiarize themselves with the variations in different ordinances of similar regulations.

8. environmental standards and mitigation measures often rely on best available technology or practices that change over time based on evolving technology and science and are therefore best suited to flexible administrative adoption processes, which may be informed by technical experts.

9. Mitigation measures are required by ceQA to be enforceable and it is desirable to ensure that mitigation measures or other environmental standards adopted through an administrative process are made enforceable requirements under the code.

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Sec. 4C.13.1. (Environmental Protection Measures) Last amended by Ord. 189,007, Eff. 08/20/2026

[ FOrM - FrONtAGe - STANDARDS ] [ USe - DeNSitY ] Div. 4C.13. (Environmental Protection)

City of Los Angeles Zoning Code Chapter 1A

B. Intent

the intent of the standards of this Section (Environmental Protection Measures) is the following:

1. ensure that development in the city, and its related construction and operational activities, does not result in detrimental impacts to the environment, including to people residing, visiting, or working in the city, and to the property and the flora and fauna in and around the city;

2. Provide a mechanism for mitigation measures adopted pursuant to ceQA for city plans, policies, or regulations to be made enforceable on future development projects consistent with CEQA Guidelines, California Code of Regulations, Title 14. (Natural Resources), Sec. 15126.4. (Consideration of Mitigation Measures Proposed to Minimize Significant Effects) ;

3. Provide a mechanism for standardized mitigation measures to be developed and adopted and imposed on development to address significant impacts that result from development in the city;

4. Provide a mechanism to administratively adopt mitigation measures and environmental standards to allow a flexible means to update them as science and technology evolves; and

5. Provide a flexible mechanism to adopt and amend uniformly applicable environmental development standards to allow streamlined environmental review, including pursuant to CEQA Guidelines, California Code of Regulations, Title 14. (Natural Resources), Sec. 15183.3. (Streamlining for Infill Projects) .

c. Applicability

No permit shall be issued by the Department of Building and Safety without the applicant demonstrating compliance with any regulations adopted to implement environmental protection measures by the Director under this Section (Environmental Protection Measures) .

D. Adoption and Maintenance of the Environmental Protection Measures

the Director is authorized to, and shall, as they deem necessary and appropriate, prepare, maintain, amend, and adopt environmental protection measures to meet the intent of this Section (Environmental Protection Measures) and to adopt regulations to implement environmental protection measures. the Director may, as the Director deems appropriate, use technical consultants or a consultant advisory panel to make recommendations on new environmental protection measures or updates to existing environmental protection measures.

e. Council

the city council may require the Director to implement mitigation measures or other environmental standards as environmental protection measures. the city council reserves the right to amend or rescind any environmental protection measures or implementing regulations adopted by the Director.

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Sec. 4C.13.1. (Environmental Protection Measures) Last amended by Ord. 189,007, Eff. 08/20/2026

[ FOrM - FrONtAGe - STANDARDS ] [ USe - DeNSitY ] Div. 4C.13. (Environmental Protection)

City of Los Angeles Zoning Code Chapter 1A

F. Noncompliance

Failure to comply with the environmental protection measures or any condition or commitments made in compliance with the environmental protection measures, or regulations adopted to implement environmental protection measures, is a violation of the code, subject to all available administrative, criminal and civil remedies. Additionally, upon verification of non-compliance, the city may require the applicant or property owner to retain at its own expense an independent consultant, subject to the city’s approval, to ensure compliance with the environmental protection measures and any conditions or commitments made in compliance with the environmental protection measures and regulations.

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Sec. 4C.13.1. (Environmental Protection Measures) Last amended by Ord. 189,007, Eff. 08/20/2026

[ FOrM - FrONtAGe - STANDARDS ] [ USe - DeNSitY ]

City of Los Angeles Zoning Code Chapter 1A

Div. 4C.13. (Environmental Protection)

A. Intent

the intent of this Section (Freeway Adjacency) is to protect freeway-adjacent properties from air pollution and to inform users of government properties or public parks of the health risks associated with the nearby vehicle exhaust and particulate matter.

B. Applicability

Freeway Adjacency standards apply to all new construction and site modification within areas identified within the 1,000 Foot Freeway Buffer identified pursuant to Sec. 1.5.19. (Freeway Adjacency Map) .

c. Standards

1. Any property abutting a freeway is subject to the screening requirements specified in Sec. 4C.8.2.C.2. (Freeway Screening) .

2. Any government owned, leased or operated building, or public park, subject to the city’s zoning authority, located within 1,000 feet of a freeway shall post a sign meeting the following standards:

   • a. the sign be in english or english and Spanish using Garamond bold condensed font type at 28 point size and read:

NOtice: Air pollution studies show a strong link between the chronic exposure of populations to vehicle exhaust and particulate matter from major roads and freeways and elevated risk of adverse health impacts, particularly in sensitive populations such as young children and older adults. Areas located within 500 feet of the freeway are known to experience the greatest concentration of ultrafine particulate matter and other pollutants implicated in asthma and other health conditions.

• b. the sign shall be fixed to a wall, door, or other physical structure and posted at any required street-facing entrance or facility. Public parks shall post signage at exterior entrances to restrooms.

• c. the sign shall be a minimum of 8.5 inches x 11 inches.

• d. the sign shall be durable and made from plastic or aluminum or another hard surface; and

D. Measurement

Not applicable.

e. Relief

1. Deviation from freeway screening requirements may be granted as specified in Sec. 4C.8.2.F. (Relief) .

2. Deviation from any Freeway Adjacency standard may be granted as a variance in accordance with Sec. 13B.5.3. (Variance) .

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Sec. 4C.13.2. (Freeway Adjacency) Established by Ord. 189,007, Eff. 08/20/2026

[ FOrM - FrONtAGe - STANDARDS ] [ USe - DeNSitY ] Div. 4C.14. (Development Review)

City of Los Angeles Zoning Code Chapter 1A