§ 12.5

• A. Where a building in any Open Space Use District (Div. 5B.1.) , Agricultural Use District (Div. 5B.2.) , Residential Use District (Div. 5B.3.) , Residential-Mixed Use District (Div. 5B.4.) , Commercial-Mixed Use District (Div. 5B.5.) or Public Use District (Div. 5B.8.) includes an existing nonconforming use, any residential portion of the building may be enlarged, provided that the addition does not create any additional dwelling units or lodging units, and the addition or expansion meets all other requirements for the applied zone.

• B. An establishment dispensing, for sale or other consideration, alcoholic beverages, including beer and wine, for on-site or off-site consumption shall not be continued or re-established after September 13, 1997 without conditional use approval granted in accordance with the provisions of Sec. 13B.2.2. (Class 2 Conditional Use Permit) , where there is a substantial change in the mode or character of operation of the establishment, including any addition by more than 20 percent of the foor area, seating or occupancy, whichever applies. construction for which a building permit is required in order to comply with an order issued by the Department of Building and Safety to repair or remedy an unsafe or substandard condition is exempt from this provision. Any addition of less than 20 percent of the foor area, seating or occupancy, whichever applies, requires the approval of plans pursuant to Sec. 13B.5.4. (Modification of Entitlement) .

• C. Any lot or portion of a lot in a Commercial-Mixed Use District (Div. 5B.5.) , Industrial-Mixed Use District (Div. 5B.6.) , or Industrial 1 (I1) (Sec. 5B.7.1.) Use District that was being used on June 1, 1951, for the temporary storage of abandoned, dismantled, partially dismantled, obsolete or wrecked automobiles, but not for the dismantling or wrecking of automobiles nor for the storage or sale of used parts, may continue.

• D. Any Light Industrial Uses (Div. 5D.8.) lawfully existing prior to March 22, 1981, in any portion of any building in a Commercial-Mixed Use District (Div. 5B.5.) shall not be extended beyond that portion of the building except in accordance with Sec. 13B.2.2. (Class 2 Conditional Use Permit) .

• E. Joint living & work quarters are considered nonconforming to household business, and may be continued. Additional flexibility and incentives may be granted for existing buildings that are eligible for adaptive reuse projects pursuant to Sec. 9.4.5. (Downtown Adaptive Reuse Program) and Sec. 12.4.6. (Citywide Adaptive Reuse Program) .

• F. in the Industrial Use Districts (Div. 5B.7.) , the nonconforming use of land where no buildings are occupied in connection with the use or where the only buildings occupied are accessory to or incidental to the use, may be continued, subject to the following limitations:

  1. the nonconforming use shall not be enlarged in any way beyond the limits of what was originally permitted.

2. the nonconforming use shall be completely enclosed within a building or within an area enclosed on all sides with a type t1 transition screen pursuant to Sec. 4C.8.2.C.3.a. (T-Screen 1) , within one year from the date the use becomes nonconforming.

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Sec. 12.5.1. (Use Permission Exceptions) Last amended by Ord. 188,418 (Resolution), Eff. 06/18/2025

Nonconformities | Article 12 Div. 12.5. (Use Exceptions)

City of Los Angeles Zoning Code Chapter 1A

• G. in the Industrial Use Districts (Div. 5B.7.) :

  1. A building that is nonconforming as to use with no dwelling units shall not be redesigned or rearranged to contain dwelling units.

  2. A building that is nonconforming as to use with dwelling units shall not be redesigned or rearranged so as to increase the number of dwelling units in the building.

  3. caretaker Units in Industrial Use Districts (Div. 5B.7.) are permitted to continue.

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Sec. 12.5.1. (Use Permission Exceptions) Last amended by Ord. 188,418 (Resolution), Eff. 06/18/2025

Nonconformities | Article 12 Div. 12.5. (Use Exceptions)

City of Los Angeles Zoning Code Chapter 1A

Where a temporary use is nonconforming as to Use District (Part 5B.) standards it may be continued until the expiration of the temporary use permit. When a nonconforming temporary use is subject to a new temporary use permit, it shall meet all of the Use District (Part 5B.) standards.

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Sec. 12.5.2. (Use Standards Exceptions) Established by Ord. 188,418, Eff. 01/20/2025, Oper. 01/27/2025

Nonconformities | Article 12 Div. 12.5. (Use Exceptions)

City of Los Angeles Zoning Code Chapter 1A

A. Lot Area Exception

in a Residential Use District (Div. 5B.3.) where animal keeping: equine, non-commercial is permitted, equines may be kept and a stable may be erected or maintained on any lot, provided the lot had the area required for the keeping of equines at the time the lot was established.

B. Equine Use Exceptions

1. Animal keeping: equine, non-commercial uses shall be allowed to be continued if, after the legal establishment of the animal keeping: equine, non-commercial use, an adjacent property is granted a building permit to construct a dwelling unit within the 75 foot required distance between an animal keeping: equine, non-commercial use and the adjacent property’s dwelling unit. the nonconforming animal keeping: equine, non-commercial use shall be subject to the following limitations:

   • a. the subject lot shall have been designated by an equine license to stable at least one licensed equine during the 12 months prior to the issuance of the building permit for the adjacent property’s dwelling unit.

   • b. the equine enclosure shall not be closer than 35 feet to the habitable rooms of any dwelling unit.

   • c. the equine enclosure shall not be expanded, extended or relocated in such a manner as to reduce the nonconforming distance between the enclosure and the habitable rooms of the neighbor’s dwelling unit.

   • d. the nonconforming animal keeping: equine, non-commercial use shall be discontinued if, during a successive three year period, no equine is licensed by the Department of Animal Services to be stabled on the subject lot.

2. if, pursuant to Sec. 13B.2.1. (Class 1 Conditional Use Permit) , the Zoning Administrator grants permission for a dwelling unit on an adjacent property to be constructed closer than 35 feet from a legally existing equine enclosure, the equine enclosure may be considered relocated not closer than 35 feet from the habitable rooms attached to any dwelling unit, and retain its nonconforming status. the nonconforming animal keeping: equine, non-commercial use shall be subject to the following limitations:

   • a. the subject lot shall have been designated by an equine license to stable at least one licensed equine during the 12 months prior to the issuance of the building permit for the adjacent property’s dwelling unit.

   • b. the equine enclosure shall not be closer than 35 feet to the habitable rooms of any dwelling unit.

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Sec. 12.5.3. (Equine Keeping Exceptions) Established by Ord. 188,418, Eff. 01/20/2025, Oper. 01/27/2025

Nonconformities | Article 12 Div. 12.5. (Use Exceptions)

City of Los Angeles Zoning Code Chapter 1A

• c. the equine enclosure shall not be expanded, extended or relocated in such a manner as to reduce the nonconforming distance between the enclosure and the habitable rooms of the residential building on an adjacent lot.

• d. the nonconforming animal keeping: equine, non-commercial use shall be discontinued if, during a successive three year period, no equine is licensed by the Department of Animal Services to be stabled on the subject lot.

3. if an animal keeping: equine, non-commercial use was legally established prior to November 22, 1982, that use shall be allowed to continue, even though the city issued a building permit between November 22, 1982 and July 1, 1986, to construct a residential building on an adjacent lot within the 35 foot required distance between an animal keeping: equine, non- commercial use and the habitable rooms of a residential building on the adjacent lot. this provision shall not apply to building permits authorized by the Zoning Administrator, pursuant to Sec. 13B.2.1. (Class 1 Conditional Use Permit) . this nonconforming equine use shall be subject to the following limitations:

   • a. the subject lot shall have been designated by an equine license to stable at least one licensed equine during the 12 months prior to the issuance of the building permit for the residential building on an adjacent lot.

   • b. the equine enclosure shall not be expanded, extended, or relocated in such a manner as to reduce the nonconforming distance between the enclosure and the habitable rooms of the residential building on an adjacent lot.

   • c. the nonconforming animal keeping: equine, non-commercial use shall be discontinued if, during a successive three year period, no equine is licensed by the Department of Animal Services to be stabled on the subject lot.

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Sec. 12.5.3. (Equine Keeping Exceptions) Established by Ord. 188,418, Eff. 01/20/2025, Oper. 01/27/2025

Nonconformities | Article 12 Div. 12.5. (Use Exceptions)

City of Los Angeles Zoning Code Chapter 1A

• A. All oil, gas, or hydrocarbon wells including those operating pursuant to any discretionary permit in all zones, whether by ordinance or approval of a Zoning Administrator, and all oil wells in an M3 Zone as established in Chapter I. (General Provisions and Zoning) of this code, are nonconforming uses as of January 18, 2023, the effective date of Ord. No. 187,709 . No new oil, gas, or hydrocarbon well for the production of oil, gas or other hydrocarbon substances, which is a nonconforming use, shall be maintained, drilled, re-drilled, or deepened, except to prevent or respond to a threat to public health, safety, or the environment, as determined by the Zoning Administrator.

• B. the operation of all nonconforming oil, gas, or hydrocarbon wells shall cease within 20 years from January 18, 2023, the effective date of Ord. No. 187,709 , which deemed such uses nonconforming.

• C. After the time period set forth in Subsection B. , above, all nonconforming oil, gas, or hydrocarbon wells shall be abandoned in a manner consistent with and in strict accordance with all applicable local, state, and federal laws, regulations, rules, and standards.

• D. if an oil, gas, or hydrocarbon well is abandoned, or its operation is discontinued or idled for a continuous period of one year, such use shall be deemed terminated.

• E. A well operator as defined by California Public Resources Code, Div. 3. (Oil and Gas), Sec. 3237. shall comply with the mitigation measures and mitigation monitoring program adopted with Ord. No. 187,709 (effective 1/18/23) in the plugging and abandoning of all wells.

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Sec. 12.5.4. (Nonconforming Oil, Gas, or Hydrocarbon Well Use Exceptions) Established by Ord. 188,418, Eff. 01/20/2025, Oper. 01/27/2025

Nonconformities | Article 12 Div. 12.6. (Density Exceptions)

City of Los Angeles Zoning Code Chapter 1A

Div. 12.6. DENSITY EXCEPTIONS

the expansion of foor area does not increase the degree of nonconformity as to any density standard. Only a change in the number of dwelling units impact the degree of nonconformity as to a density standard.

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Div. 12.6. (Density Exceptions) Established by Ord. 188,418, Eff. 01/20/2025, Oper. 01/27/2025

Nonconformities | Article 12 Div. 12.7. (Damaged or Earthquake Hazardous Buildings)

City of Los Angeles Zoning Code Chapter 1A

Div. 12.7. DAMAGED OR EARTHQUAKE HAZARDOUS BUILDINGS