Los Angeles Zoning Code — LAMC Chapter 1A Div. 5D.3 Public & Institutional Uses

Public & institutional uses are defined as uses dedicated to serving the public through the provision of government services, utilities, healthcare, education, and culture.

A cemetery is defined by California Health and Safety Code, Sec. 7003. (Definitions). A cemetery includes columbarium, crypt, and mausoleum facilities integrated within a burial ground. This use does not include crematoriums, for such uses see Sec. 5D.6.11. (Postmortem Services).

Civic facility is defined as any publicly accessible facility that provides governmental or cultural services to the general public and is operated by or in partnership with a governmental institution. A civic facility includes a post office, civic center, community center, public museum, courthouse, government office, or library.

A. Local

A civic facility: local is defined as a civic facility that occupies no more than 50,000 square feet of total floor area. This use does not include similar uses that occupy more than 50,000 square feet of total floor area, for such uses see Sec. 5D.3.2.B. (Civic Facility: Regional).

B. Regional

A civic facility: regional is defined as a civic facility that occupies more than 50,000 square feet of total floor area. This use does not include similar uses that occupy 50,000 square feet or less of total floor area, for such uses see Sec. 5D.3.2.A. (Civic Facility: Local).

Civic fleet services include maintenance, storage, and management of government or publicly operated motor vehicles, such as school buses, municipal transit vehicles, emergency response vehicles, public utility vehicles, or waste hauling vehicles, in service of any civic facility use. Where uses, such as dispatch, do not include motor vehicle maintenance or storage, they are allowed pursuant to Sec. 5D.3.2. (Civic Facility).

Detention facility is defined as any facility where persons are incarcerated, or otherwise involuntarily confined under the jurisdiction and custody of a governmental entity. Detention facilities include correctional facilities and penal institutions.

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Div. 5D.3. (Public & Institutional Uses) Established by Ord. 188,418, Eff. 01/20/2025, Oper. 01/27/2025

[ FOrM - FrONtAGe - StANDArDS ] [ USE - DeNSitY ] Div. 5D.3. (Public & Institutional Uses)

City of Los Angeles Zoning Code Chapter 1A

Hospital is defined as an inpatient or outpatient healthcare facility that provides direct medical treatment to patients.

A. Local

Hospital: local is defined as an inpatient or outpatient acute or subacute care facility with a capacity of 100 or fewer beds that provides direct medical treatment to patients. This use does not include outpatient facilities not providing acute or sub-acute care, for such uses see Sec. 5D.6.8. (Medical Clinic).

B. Regional

Hospital: regional is defined as an inpatient acute care and sub-acute care facility with a capacity of more than 100 beds that provides direct medical treatment to patients. This use does not include inpatient facilities providing sub-acute care with a capacity of fewer than 100 beds, for such uses see Sec. 5D.3.5.A. (Hospital: Local).

Parking is defined as a facility intended for the temporary storage of operable vehicles belonging to a site's occupants, employees, or visitors and is designed to meet the standards of Sec. 4C.4.4. (Parking Area Design). Includes parking structures and surface parking lots. This use does not include long term vehicle storage, for such uses see Sec. 5D.7.5. (Storage, Outdoor).

A public safety facility is defined as any government facility that provides public safety services. Public safety facility includes fire stations and police stations.

Community assembly is defined as any non-residential and not-for-profit facility that is oriented around an assembly space used primarily for the temporary gathering of people for a shared social purpose. Access to the general public may be limited based on association. Community assembly includes any place of worship, community meeting room, private club, event space, assembly hall, social club, or union hall.

A. Local

Community assembly: local is defined as any community assembly use that includes an assembly space 2,000 square feet or less. This use does not include similar uses that occupy more than 2,000 square feet of total assembly space floor area, for such uses see Sec. 5D.3.8.B. (Community Assembly: Regional).

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Div. 5D.3. (Public & Institutional Uses) Established by Ord. 188,418, Eff. 01/20/2025, Oper. 01/27/2025

[ FOrM - FrONtAGe - StANDArDS ] [ USE - DeNSitY ] Div. 5D.3. (Public & Institutional Uses)

City of Los Angeles Zoning Code Chapter 1A

B. Regional

Community assembly: regional is defined as any community assembly use that includes an assembly space larger than 2,000 square feet. This use does not include similar uses that occupy 2,000 square feet or less of total assembly space floor area, for such uses see Sec. 5D.3.8.A. (Community Assembly: Local).

School is defined as an institution of academic learning and social development that provides facilities for teaching and instruction to accommodate a student body. A school use is inclusive of preschool, K-12, post-secondary education, and associated athletic and recreational facilities. This use does not include avocational, recreational, or other educational or instruction-based uses, for such uses see Sec. 5D.6.6. (Instructional Services). This use does not include a campus auditorium or stadium facilities with a seating capacity greater than 3,000 seats, for such uses see Sec. 5D.4.1. (Amphitheater or Stadium).

A. Preschool/Daycare

School: preschool/daycare is defined as a facility providing care, supervision, and educational services to children during the day. A school: preschool/daycare includes all forms of early childhood education, daycare, and after school supervision. This use does not include in-home child care, for such uses see Sec. 5D.2.2.A. (Household Business: Family Child Care).

B. K-12

School: K-12 is defined as an institution of learning which offers instruction in grades Kindergarten through 12th grade, and associated recreation and athletic facilities serving its students.

c. Post-Secondary

School: post-secondary is defined as an institution offering a formal educational program beyond K-12, including programs whose intent is academic, vocational, or continuing professional education. School: post-secondary includes college, technical school, trade school, and university.

Social services are defined as publicly accessible administrative services and governmental services that support public welfare through social programs. Social services may be operated by a government entity, a non-profit or a non-governmental organization, and includes welfare service, foster family services, day treatment, adult day care, special needs care, and all other non-residential community care facilities.

Utilities use is defined as utility infrastructure as a primary use of land, necessary for the public provision of services such as water, sewer, power, or communications. For the purposes of this

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Div. 5D.3. (Public & Institutional Uses) Established by Ord. 188,418, Eff. 01/20/2025, Oper. 01/27/2025

[ FOrM - FrONtAGe - StANDArDS ] [ USE - DeNSitY ] Div. 5D.3. (Public & Institutional Uses)

City of Los Angeles Zoning Code Chapter 1A

definition, utilities uses exclude the following off-site systems: transmission lines, pipes, or other systems for conveying and transmitting services within utility easements, as those systems are not regulated as a use of land by this Article (Use).

A. Minor

Utilities: minor is defined as utility infrastructure that does not require significant health, safety, and environmental precautions, and do not require on-site personnel. Utilities: minor includes renewable energy generation, including wind turbines, geothermal systems, and solar photovoltaic systems serving no more than 10 different lots with supporting on-site storage, control and transmission equipment, storm water retention or detention ponds, aeration and septic systems, reservoirs, lift stations, water supply wells and water tanks or towers, telecommunications switching facilities, and electrical substations.

B. Major

Utilities: major is defined as utility infrastructure that requires significant health, safety, and environmental precautions due to potential adverse impacts immediate surroundings, and requires on-site personnel. Utilities: major include non-solar power generation facilities, wastewater treatment, and water supply treatment.

c. Solar Energy Facility

Utilities: solar energy facility is defined as utility infrastructure that generates energy for the general public using a solar photovoltaic system primarily for off-site use or sale serving 11 or more lots.

D. Wireless Facility, Freestanding

Utilities: wireless facility, freestanding is defined as a freestanding device or system including a monopole, tower, or antenna for the transmitting or receiving of electromagnetic signals, including, but not limited to, radio waves and microwaves, for cellular technology, personal communications services, mobile services, paging systems and related technologies. Facilities include antennas, microwave dishes, parabolic antennas and all other types of equipment used in the transmission and reception of such signals; structures for the support of such facilities, associated buildings or cabinets to house support equipment, and other accessory structures or development. A utilities: wireless facility, freestanding is a type of telecommunications facility.

e. Wireless Facility, Rooftop

Utilities: wireless facility, rooftop is defined as a device or system that is mounted on a building or structure rooftop for the transmitting or receiving of electromagnetic signals, including, but not limited to, radio waves and microwaves, for cellular technology, personal communications services, mobile services, private antennas, paging systems and related technologies. Facilities include antennas, microwave dishes, parabolic antennas and all other types of equipment used in the transmission and reception of such signals; structures for the support of such facilities, associated buildings or cabinets to house support equipment, and other accessory structures or development. A utilities: wireless facility, rooftop is a type of telecommunications facility.

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Div. 5D.3. (Public & Institutional Uses) Established by Ord. 188,418, Eff. 01/20/2025, Oper. 01/27/2025

[ FOrM - FrONtAGe - StANDArDS ] [ USE - DeNSitY ] Div. 5D.4. (Open Space & Recreation Uses)

City of Los Angeles Zoning Code Chapter 1A