Chapter 16.08 — DEFINITIONS

Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, all terms used in this title which are defined in the Subdivision Map Act are used in this title as so defined, unless from the context hereof it clearly appears that a different meaning is intended; the singular number includes the plural and the plural the singular; other terms used are defined as follows in this chapter.

(Ord. 4815 § 3.00 (part), 1967)

A.

"Advisory agency" means a hearing officer appointed by the director. The advisory agency shall make investigations and reports on the design and improvement of proposed divisions of land, including subdivisions as defined in the Subdivision Map Act, and in all cases shall report directly to the subdivider. City staff may provide the advisory agency with technical and planning support.

B.

The "subdivision committee" of the city shall be composed of three members. One member shall be a zoning administrator of the city, one member shall be the general manager of the water and power department, or an employee representative designated in writing by the general manager, and one member shall be the director of public works, or an employee representative designated in writing by the director of public works. No map or application shall be considered approved or granted unless it receives the unanimous approval from all three members of the subdivision committee.

(Ord. 7022 § 1, 2005; Ord. 5525 § 3, 1981; Ord. 4815 § 3.00(A), 1967)

"Approved record of survey map" means a map prepared as was provided in the Subdivision Map Act prior to September 17, 1965, for approval by the board of directors, of subdivisions as defined therein, which were excepted from, or not included in, the definition of "subdivision" in the Subdivision Map Act, including all maps that were referred to in subdivisions (b) and (c) of Section 11535 of the Subdivision Map Act as it then existed.

(Ord. 4815 § 3.00(B), 1967)

"Block" means an area of land within a subdivision which area is entirely bounded by streets, highways or ways, except alleys; or by streets, highways or ways, except alleys, and the exterior boundary or boundaries of the subdivision.

(Ord. 4815 § 3.00(C), 1967)

"Board of directors" means the legislative body of the city.

(Ord. 4815 § 3.00(D), 1967)

"Building site" means that portion of the lot or parcel of land upon which the building and appurtenances are to be placed, or are already existing, including adequate areas for sewage disposal, clearances, proper drainage, appropriate easements, and, if applicable, the requirements of other ordinances.

(Ord. 4815 § 3.00(E), 1967)

"Chapter" means a chapter of this title unless some statute or other ordinance is referred to.

(Ord. 4815 § 3.00(F), 1967)

"City council" means the legislative body of the city, formerly known as the board of directors. The two terms are used interchangeably in this title.

(Ord. 6610 § 4A, 1994)

"City engineer" means the director of public works or the city engineer, as designated by the director of public works.

(Ord. No. 7454, § 1, 8-25-2025; Ord. 6039, § 4, 1983; Ord. 4815, § 3.00(G), 1967)

"Conversion project" means the conversion of existing dwelling units within an apartment building or group of buildings to a condominium project, or a community apartment project, or the conversion of 5 or more existing dwelling units to a stock cooperative project.

(Ord. 5455 § 1, 1980)

"Director" means the director of planning and community development, any successor official, or the director's designee.

(Ord. 6610 § 4B, 1994)

(Ord. No. 7364, § 20, 5-18-2020)

"County surveyor" means the Los Angeles County engineer.

(Ord. 4815 § 3.00(H), 1967)

"Key lot" means a lot the side line of which adjoins the rear line of 1 or more adjoining lots.

(Ord. 4815 § 3.00(I), 1967)

"Lease" includes an oral as well as a written lease, tenancy at will, month to month or similar tenancy.

(Ord. 4815 § 3.00(J), 1967)

"Lot" and parcel are used synonymously.

(Ord. 4815 § 3.00(K), 1967)

"Minor land division" refers to any parcel or contiguous parcels of land which are divided for the purpose of transfer of title, sale, lease or financing into 2, 3 or 4 parcels, whether present or future, except that minor land division does not include:

A.

Land dedicated for cemetery purposes under the Health and Safety Code of the state of California;

B.

The leasing of apartments, offices, stores or similar space within an apartment building, industrial building, commercial building or trailer park;

C.

Division by agricultural, gas, oil or mineral leases;

D.

The leasing of buildings for commercial or industrial purposes;

E.

The leasing of vehicle parking areas or the division of land for operating public utility purposes and the conveyance of land by a public utility to a contiguous ownership;

F.

Leasing or financing of land or buildings which serve as a functional unit of a hospital, school or church;

G.

A division of land defined by this chapter as a subdivision or resubdivision;

H.

Divisions of land created by the acquisition of land by government agencies, including but not restricted to those divisions created by the opening or widening of a public street, flood control channel or other public improvement by dedication, condemnation or purchase.

(Ord. 6039 § 5, 1983; Ord. 4815 § 3.00(L), 1967)

"Ordinance" means an ordinance of the city.

(Ord. 4815 § 3.00(M), 1967)

"Pad" means a building site prepared by artificial means, including grading, excavation or filling, or any combination thereof.

(Ord. 4815 § 3.00(N), 1967)

"Parcel map" means a map showing the division of land as described in Government Code Sections 66444 through 66450.

(Ord. 6039 § 6, 1983: Ord. 4815 § 3.00(O), 1967)

"Plot plan map" means maps submitted for the purpose of obtaining a certificate of exception as set forth in Chapter 16.40.

(Ord. 4815 § 3.00(P), 1967)

"Section" means a section of this title unless reference is made to some statute or other ordinance.

(Ord. 4815 § 3.00(Q), 1967)

Shall is mandatory. May is permissive.

(Ord. 4815 § 3.00(R), 1967)

"Sloping terrain" means any ground surface having a grade of 8 percent or more. The latest available 6 and 7-½ minute United States Geological Survey quadrangles or a survey by a registered civil engineer or licensed land surveyor shall be utilized to determine such grade.

(Ord. 4815 § 3.00(S), 1967)

A.

"Freeway" means a thoroughfare designed for through traffic with no crossings at grade or access from abutting property and which provides for the movement of traffic in opposite directions on either side of a dividing strip.

B.

"Local street" means a street intended wholly or principally for local neighborhood traffic.

C.

"Major highway" means a thoroughfare designed for the movement of 3 or more lanes of moving traffic in each direction, and designated a major highway on the general plan adopted by the board of directors of the city.

D.

"Private street" means any parcel of land not dedicated as a public street and used or intended to be used for ingress to or egress from a lot which may or may not have frontage on a public street.

E.

"Secondary highway" means a thoroughfare designed for the movement of 2 lanes of moving traffic in each direction and designated a secondary highway on the general plan, adopted by the board of directors of the city.

F.

"Service road" means a street adjacent to a major or secondary highway, freeway or parkway, separated therefrom by a dividing strip and providing ingress to and egress from abutting property.

(Ord. 4815 § 3.00(T), 1967)

"Subdivider" means an individual, firm, corporation, partnership or association who causes land to be divided for himself or for others.

(Ord. 4815 § 3.00(U), 1967)

"Subdivision" has the meaning set forth in Government Code Section 66424.

(Ord. 6039 § 7, 1983: Ord. 5455 § 2, 1980: Ord. 4815 § 3.00(V), 1967)

"Urban Lot Split" refers to any parcel zoned for single-family residential uses which is created through the division of an existing lot for the purpose of development with up to two dwelling units of all types. Applications for an Urban lot Split must comply with the following requirements and with the provisions of Government Code Section 66411.7:

A.

In no circumstance may an Urban Lot Split result in more than 2 residential units on any lot, inclusive of Accessory Dwelling Units and Junior Accessory Dwelling Units;

B.

Parcels resulting from the Urban Lot Split must be no less than 40% the size of the original parcel;

C.

Applications for an Urban Lot Split must be submitted concurrently with an application for proposed residential development;

D.

If any existing dwelling unit is proposed to be demolished, the applicant will comply with the replacement housing provisions of Government Code Section 66300(d);

E.

Proposed adjacent or connected dwelling units shall be permitted if they meet building code safety standards and are designed sufficient to allow separate conveyance;

F.

If any existing housing is proposed to be altered or demolished, the owner of the property proposed for an Urban Lot Split shall provide a comprehensive history of the occupancy of the units to be altered or demolished for the past three years (five years if an existing unit is to be demolished); and

Sign an affidavit, in the form approved by the City Attorney, stating that the proposed lot split would not require demolition or alteration of any of the following types of housing:

a.

Housing that is subject to a recorded covenant, ordinance or law that restricts rents to levels affordable to persons and families of moderate, low- or very-low income.

b.

Housing that is subject to any form of rent or price control through a public entity's valid exercise of its police power.

c.

A parcel or parcels on which an owner of residential real property has exercised the owner's rights under Chapter 12.75 (commencing with Section 7060) of Division 7 of Title 1 to withdraw accommodations from rent or lease within 15 years before the date that the development proponent submits an application.

d.

Housing that has been occupied by a tenant in the last three years.

G.

The owner and applicant shall sign an affidavit, in the form approved by the City Attorney, stating that neither the owner nor applicant, nor any person acting in concert with the owner or applicant, has previously subdivided an adjacent parcel using an Urban Lot Split;

H.

Prior to the approval and recordation of the parcel map, the applicant shall record a restrictive covenant in the form prescribed by the City Attorney, which shall run with the land and provide for the following:

A prohibition against further subdivision of the parcel using the Urban Lot Split procedures as provided for in this section; and

A prohibition on non-residential uses of any units developed or constructed on either resulting parcel, including a prohibition against renting or leasing the units for fewer than 30 consecutive calendar days.

A prohibition on the development of a total of more than 2 residential units on any lot, inclusive of Accessory Dwelling Units and Junior Accessory Dwelling Units.

I.

The applicant for an Urban Lot Split shall sign an affidavit, in the form approved by the City Attorney, stating that the applicant intends to occupy one of the housing units on the newly created lots as its principal residence for a minimum of three years from the date of the approval of the Urban Lot Split. This subsection shall not apply to an applicant that is a "community land trust," as defined in clause (ii) of subparagraph (C) of paragraph (11) of subdivision (a) of Section 402.1 of the Revenue and Taxation Code or is a "qualified nonprofit corporation" as described in Section 214.15 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.

J.

Urban Lot Splits are prohibited in very high fire hazard severity zones identified pursuant to Government Code section 51178 within the boundary of the 2025 Eaton Fire. A map of this area shall be maintained on file with the planning and community development department.

(Ord. No. 7455, 2, 9-15-2025; Ord. No. 7385, § 4(Exh. 3), 1-24-2022; Ord. No. 7384, § 4(Exh. 3), 12-13-2021; Ord. No. 7391, § 4(Exh. 3), 5-16-2022)