Skip to content

Part 3D — CHARACTER FRONTAGE RULES

Article 4 — DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS

Los Angeles Zoning Code — LAMC Chapter 1A · 2026-08 edition · updated 2026-09-09 · Los Angeles

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

Part 4A. Introduction

Part 4B. Development Standards Districts

Part 4c. Development Standards Rules

Article Publication Update | August 20, 2026

[ FORM - FRONTAGE - STANDARDS ] [ USE - DENSITY ] Contents

City of Los Angeles Zoning Code Chapter 1A

CONTENTS

Part 4A.
In		 troduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
Div. 4A.1. Orientation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4
Div. 4A.2. General rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-8
Part 4B.
D		 evelopment Standards Districts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-10
Div. 4B.1. Development Standards District Group "A" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-11
Div. 4B.2. Development Standards District Group "B" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-13
Div. 4B.3. Development Standards District Group "c" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-15
Div. 4B.4. Development Standards District Group "D" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-15
Div. 4B.5. Development Standards District Group "e" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-16
Part 4C.
D		 evelopment Standards Rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-17
Div. 4c.1. Pedestrian Access . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-20
Div. 4c.2. Automobile Access . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-34
Div. 4c.3. Bicycle Parking. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-47
Div. 4c.4. Automobile Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-61
Div. 4c.5. transportation Demand Management. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-95
Div. 4c.6. Plants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-102
Div. 4c.7. Fences & Walls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-115
Div. 4c.8. Screening. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-120
Div. 4c.9. Grading & retaining Walls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-134
Div. 4c.10. Outdoor lighting & Glare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-137
Div. 4c.11. Signs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-140
Div. 4c.12. Site elements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-180
Div. 4c.13. environmental Protection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-203
Div. 4c.14. Development review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-207
Div. 4c.15. resident Protections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-210
4-2

Article 4. Development Standards Article Publication Update | August 20, 2026

[ FORM - FRONTAGE - STANDARDS ] [ USE - DENSITY ] Contents

City of Los Angeles Zoning Code Chapter 1A

PArt 4A. INTRODUCTION
Div. 4A.1. Orientation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-4
Sec. 4A.1.1. relationship to Zone String. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4
Sec. 4A.1.2. How to Use Article 4. (Development Standards) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5
Sec. 4A.1.3. Development Standards District Naming convention . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-7
Div. 4A.2. General Rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-8
Sec. 4A.2.1. Development Standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-8
Sec. 4A.2.2. Development Standards Applicability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-9
4-3

Article 4. Development Standards Article Publication Update | August 20, 2026

[ FOrM - FrONtAGe - STANDARDS ] [ USe - DeNSitY ] Div. 4A.1. (Orientation)

City of Los Angeles Zoning Code Chapter 1A

Div. 4A.1. ORIENTATION

Sec. 4A.1.1. RELATIONSHIP TO ZONE STRING

A zone string is composed of the following districts:

[ FORM- FRONTAGE - STANDARDS ] [ USE - DENSITY ]

Standards District

the Development Standards District is a separate and independent component of each zone.

| 4-4

Sec. 4A.1.1. (Relationship to Zone String) Established by Ord. 188,418, Eff. 01/20/2025, Oper. 01/27/2025

[ FOrM - FrONtAGe - STANDARDS ] [ USe - DeNSitY ] Div. 4A.1. (Orientation)

City of Los Angeles Zoning Code Chapter 1A

Sec. 4A.1.2. HOW TO USE ARTICLE 4. (DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS)

A. Identify the Applicable Development Standards District

the third component in a zone string is the Development Standards District applied to a property.

B. Development Standards District Regulations

  1. Development Standards District regulations are located in Part 4B. (Development Standards Districts) . each Development Standards District page identifies the requirements specific to that Development Standards District.

  2. each standard or standards package on a Development Standards District page in Part 4B. (Development Standards Districts) provides a reference to Part 4C. (Development Standards Rules) where the standard or standards package is explained in detail. Additionally, Part 4C. (Development Standards Rules) includes general standards that apply across all Development Standards Districts. text in italics below a heading provides a definition of that heading

| 4-5

Sec. 4A.1.2. (How to Use Article 4. (Development Standards)) Last amended by Ord. 188,418 (Resolution), Eff. 06/18/2025

[ FOrM - FrONtAGe - STANDARDS ] [ USe - DeNSitY ] Div. 4A.1. (Orientation)

City of Los Angeles Zoning Code Chapter 1A

Sec. 4A.1.3. DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS DISTRICT NAMING CONVENTION

All Development Standards District names are identified as a number. All Development Standards Districts are numbered in the order they fall within this Article (Development Standards) .

| 4-7

Sec. 4A.1.3. (Development Standards District Naming Convention) Established by Ord. 188,418, Eff. 01/20/2025, Oper. 01/27/2025

[ FOrM - FrONtAGe - STANDARDS ] [ USe - DeNSitY ] Div. 4A.2. (General Rules)

City of Los Angeles Zoning Code Chapter 1A

Div. 4A.2. GENERAL RULES

Sec. 4A.2.1. DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS

this Article (Development Standards) regulates site design including location and site characteristics, such as access, parking, landscape, environmental features and other site features. Development Standards Districts consist of a combination of regulations that are appropriate to a variety of contexts ranging from auto-oriented to pedestrian-oriented.

| 4-8

Sec. 4A.2.1. (Development Standards) Established by Ord. 188,418, Eff. 01/20/2025, Oper. 01/27/2025

[ FOrM - FrONtAGe - STANDARDS ] [ USe - DeNSitY ] Div. 4A.2. (General Rules)

City of Los Angeles Zoning Code Chapter 1A

Sec. 4A.2.2. DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS APPLICABILITY

A. General

All projects filed after the effective date of this Zoning code (chapter 1A) shall comply with the Development Standards Districts and rules in this Article (Development Standards) , as further specified in the applicability statement of each Section in Part 4C. (Development Standards 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 and Structures

Unless otherwise provided, Development Standards Districts (Part 4B.) apply to all portions of a lot and all buildings and structures on a lot.

c. Nonconformities

Article 12. (Nonconformities) may provide relief from the requirements of this Article (Development Standards) for existing lots, site improvements, buildings, structures, and uses that conformed to the zoning regulations at the time they were established, but do not conform to current district standards or use permissions. All project activities shall conform with Development Standards District regulations unless otherwise specified by Div. 12.4. (Development Standards Exceptions) .

| 4-9

Sec. 4A.2.2. (Development Standards Applicability) Established by Ord. 188,418, Eff. 01/20/2025, Oper. 01/27/2025

[ FORM - FRONTAGE - STANDARDS ] [ USE - DENSITY ] Contents

City of Los Angeles Zoning Code Chapter 1A

Get a plain-English answer with a citation back to this text.

Ask AI about this code
Export this section
▸Contents — Los Angeles Zoning Code — LAMC Chapter 1A
Los Angeles Zoning Code — LAMC Chapter 1A
  1. Article 1 — INTRODUCTORY PROVISIONS
  2. Article 2 — FORM
  3. Part 2B — (Form Districts)
  4. Part 3B — (Frontage Districts) (Frontage Districts)
  5. Part 3C — (General Frontage Rules)
  6. Part 3B — (Frontage Districts)
  7. Part 3D — (Character Frontage Rules) (Character Frontage Rules)
  8. Part 3C — GENERAL FRONTAGE RULES
  9. ▸Part 3D — CHARACTER FRONTAGE RULES
    Overview
    1. Article 4 — DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS
  10. Part 4B — DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS DISTRICTS
  11. Part 4c — DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS RULES
  12. Part 5B — (Use Districts)
  13. Part 6B — (Density Districts) (Density Districts)
  14. Part 6C — (Density Rules)
  15. Part 7c — ALTERNATE TYPOLOGY RULES
  16. Part 13B — PROCESSES & PROCEDURES

GoCodebook provides public access, search, citation, multilingual explanation, and practical interpretation of legally adopted building regulations. It is not a substitute for the official ICC or California code publications.