Chapter 19.06 — RESIDENTIAL ZONING DISTRICTS

This chapter provides regulations applicable to development and land uses in the residential zoning districts established by Section 19.04.020 (Zoning Districts Established). These regulations are intended to encourage the appropriate planning and development of residential uses and provide for a variety of housing types in response to community needs and physical locations, and to enhance and preserve the character of existing residential neighborhoods. Each zoning district is intended to ensure that development in each neighborhood and district preserves the desired character of that district. All residential zoning districts in West Hollywood are intended to provide and continue the sense of an urban village. (Ord. 01-594 § 2, 2001)

• A. R1 (Residential, Single-Family or Two-Unit Low Density) District. The R1 zoning district identifies areas of the city characterized by single-family homes on smaller parcels, together with other low density residential development in specific neighborhoods. The standards of the R1 zoning district are intended to maintain residential neighborhood character, and to ensure that new development is compatible with the existing character. The R1 zoning district is consistent with the R1A, R1B, and R1C residential land use designations of the General Plan.

The application of the R1 zoning district to property on the Zoning Map (Section 19.04.030 ) will include establishing separate R1 zoning districts with specific density requirements and development standards, based on the General Plan designation of the area. These requirements shall be indicated on the Zoning Map by a suffix to the R1 Zoning Map symbol (for example, R1-A, R1-B, and R1-C) which identifies the different areas and corresponding requirements of this chapter that apply. (See Table 2-4.)

• B. R2 (Residential, Low Density) District. The R2 zoning district identifies areas of the City characterized by low density development. The standards of the R2 zoning district are intended to maintain residential neighborhood character, and to ensure that new development is compatible with the existing character. The R2 zoning district is consistent with the R2 residential land use designation of the General Plan. (See Table 2-4).

• C. R3 (Residential, Multi-Family Medium-Density) District. The R3 zoning district provides for the development of a wide range of multi-family dwelling units, including apartments and condominiums. The standards of the R3 zoning district are intended to ensure that new residential projects are compatible with the scale and character of existing medium-density multi-family residential neighborhoods (see Table 2-3). The R3 zoning district is consistent with the R3A, R3B, R3C and R3C-C residential land use designations of the General Plan.

The application of the R3 zoning district to property on the Zoning Map (Section 19.04.030 ) will include establishing separate R3 zoning districts with specific density requirements and development standards, based on the General Plan designation of the area. These requirements shall be indicated on the Zoning Map by a suffix to the R3 Zoning Map symbol (for example, R3-A, R3-B, R3-C, and R3C-C) which identifies the different areas and corresponding requirements of this chapter that apply.

• D. R4 (Residential, Multi-Family High-Density) District. The R4 zoning district provides for the development of a wide range of high-density multi-family housing, including apartments and condominiums. The standards of the R4 zoning district are intended to ensure that new high-density residential projects are compatible with the scale and character of existing high-density residential neighborhoods (see Table 2-3). The R4 zoning district is consistent with the R4A, R4B, and R4B-C residential land use designations of the General Plan.

multi-family housing, including apartments and condominiums. The standards of the R4 zoning district are intended to ensure that new high-density residential projects are compatible with the scale and character of existing high-density residential neighborhoods (see Table 2-3). The R4 zoning district is consistent with the R4A, R4B, and R4B-C residential land use designations of the General Plan.

The application of the R4 zoning district to property on the Zoning Map (Section 19.04.030 ) will include establishing separate R4 zoning districts with specific density requirements and development standards, based on the General Plan designation of the area. These requirements shall be indicated on the Zoning

Map by a suffix to the R4 Zoning Map symbol (for example, R4A, R4B, and R4B-C) which identifies the different areas and corresponding requirements of this chapter that apply. (Ord. 01-594 § 2, 2001; Ord. 12-882 § 7, 2012; Ord. 18-1022 § 7, 2018)

Table 2-2 identifies the uses of land allowed by this Zoning Ordinance in each residential zoning district, and the land use permit required to establish each use, in compliance with Section 19.04.040 . (Zoning District Regulations). Permit requirements for additions to existing structures are determined by the amount of additional proposed floor area; see Chapters 19.42 (Zone Clearances), 19.44 (Administrative Permits), and 19.48 (Development Permits).

Note: Where the last column in the tables ("Specific Use Regulations") includes a section number, the regulations in the referenced section apply to the use; however, provisions in other sections of this Zoning Ordinance may also apply.

TABLE 2-2 ALLOWED USES AND PERMIT REQUIREMENTS FOR RESIDENTIAL ZONING DISTRICTS P – Use Permitted1 CUP – Conditional Use Permit Required MCUP – Minor Conditional Use Permit Required — Use Not Allowed

RI – Rehabilitation Incentives

[Explanatory Notes Follow at the End of the Table]

Notes:

(1) Zone clearance, administrative permit, development permit, or other permit or license may be required; see Chapters 5.66 , 19.42 , 19.44 , 19.48 and 19.54 .

Notes:

• (2) See Section 19.03.020(E) regarding uses not listed. See Article 19-6 for definitions of the listed uses.

• (3) May be approved only within a building that is a designated cultural resource.

• (4) Other uses include day care, residential care, community oriented non-residential use.

• (5) May be approved only on Shoreham Drive and De Longpre Avenue.

• (6) Allowed in R-1-A zoning district only.

• (7) Allowed on San Vicente Boulevard only, or in accordance with the terms of an approved development agreement.

• (8) Subject to the same standards as similar residential uses, which shall be determined by the city based upon the predominant operating characteristics of the use. Only one land use category shall be applied to a use at a time and the city makes the final determination on classification based on the predominant characteristics.

• (9) Does not include supportive and transitional housing, which have separate use categories. The city makes final determination on classification based on the predominant operating characteristics.

• (10) Permitted only in R3C-C and R4B-C zoning district. Commercial uses limited to ground floor. Live/work units shall be permitted on any floor. Alcoholic beverage sales shall not be permitted on lots spanning the R3C-C and R3C Districts.

(Ord. 01-594 § 2, 2001; Ord. 01-610 § 1, 2001; Ord. 02-643 §§ 2, 3, 2003; Ord. 03-657 § 5 (1), 2003; Ord. 12902 § 7, 2012; Ord. 13-914 § 1, 2013; Ord. 14-940 § 6, 2014; Ord. 15-958 § 2, 2015; Ord. 15-965 § 6, 2015; Ord. 16-973 § 6, 2016; Ord. 17-999 § 6, 2017; Ord. 18-1021 § 6, 2018; Ord. 18-1022 § 8, 2018; Ord. 18-1024 §§ 4, 5, 2018; Ord. 21-1143 § 7, 2021; Ord. 22-1181 § 6, 2022; Ord. 22-1186 § 6, 2022; Ord. 24-31, 10/21/2024; Ord. 25-19, 8/18/2025; Ord. 25-27, 12/15/2025; Ord. 25-28, 12/15/2025)

• A. General Requirements. Subdivisions, land uses and structures, and alterations to existing land uses and structures, shall be designed, constructed, and/or established in compliance with the requirements in Table 2-3, in addition to the applicable development standards in Article 19-3 (Site Planning and General Development Standards).

• B. Requirements for the SSP (Sunset Specific Plan) District. Residential development within the SSP (Sunset Specific Plan) zoning district shall comply with the Sunset Specific Plan as well as this Zoning Ordinance. The Sunset Specific Plan shall control in the event of any conflicts.

TABLE 2-3 RESIDENTIAL ZONING DISTRICT GENERAL DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS

TABLE 2-3 RESIDENTIAL ZONING DISTRICT GENERAL DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS

Notes:

• (1) Minimum lot area for parcels proposed in new subdivisions and lot line adjustments. Condominium, townhome, or planned development projects may be subdivided with smaller parcel sizes for ownership purposes, with the minimum lot area requirement determined through the subdivision review process, provided that the overall development site complies with the lot area requirements of this chapter.

• (2) Maximum number of dwellings allowed for each specified unit of land. See also Chapter 19.22 (Affordable Housing Requirements and Incentives) for possible density bonuses.

• (3) If a parcel on either side of the site is not zoned residential, or if the site is a corner lot, the first two adjacent residential lots shall be used for the purposes of calculating the average setback.

• (4) The Director may modify or waive this requirement to accommodate what he/she deems to be exemplary design.

• (5) Where the front yard of a key lot adjoining a reversed corner lot is less than 10 feet in depth, the reversed corner lot may have a street side yard of the same depth, to a minimum of five feet. See Figure 2-1.

• (6) Density limits may be exceeded to permit legalization of illegal dwelling units in accordance with Section 19.36.270 .

• (7) See also Section 19.06.080 for required density development standards.

• (8) Floor area ratio (FAR) calculations shall be used for calculating the maximum non-residential density for neighborhood serving commercial uses, limited to the ground floor of projects in the R3C-C and R4B-C zoning districts. Residential density shall be calculated by residential density standards.

• (9) Additional side stepbacks may be required above the second floor if the Director determines that additional side stepbacks are necessary to ensure compatibility between the uses and structures.

• (10) The review authority may grant deviations from required setbacks where the review authority finds, based on substantial evidence, that the combination of height and setbacks or similar standards for a code compliant development triggers requirements for life safety access methods that would conflict with city plans or policies that have been adopted by the City Council. The deviation shall be to the minimum extent necessary to avoid the conflict with city plans or policies. By way of example only, when the combination of height and setbacks triggers the need for installation of a new fire lane or the removal of mature trees to provide fire department access to the development, the applicable setback may be reduced by the review authority to the minimum extent necessary to site the building closer to the street for the fire department to safely access the building without having to create a new fire lane or require removal of the mature trees.

• (11) See Section 19.36.325 for setback and distance requirements between buildings requirements for twounit projects, and 20.04.051 for urban lot split requirements.

==> picture [204 x 203] intentionally omitted <==

FIGURE 2-1 Key Lot Front Setback

(Ord. 01-594 § 2, 2001; Ord. 01-610 § 2, 2001; Ord. 02-619 § 2, 2002; Ord. 09-812 § 7, 2009; Ord. 09-813U § 7, 2009; Ord. 18-1021 § 7, 2018; Ord. 18-1022 § 9, 2018; Ord. 19-1084 § 6, 2019; Ord. 22-1181 § 7, 2022; Ord. 23-02 § 3, 2023)

The maximum number of dwellings allowed on an existing or proposed parcel in the R1 and R2 zones shall be as shown in Table 2-4. The maximum allowable density for residential development in the R3 and R4 zones is determined by Section 19.06.040 , Table 2-3 (Residential Zoning District General Development Standards).

Notes:

(1) Density limits may be exceeded to permit legalization of illegal dwelling units in accordance with Section 19.36.270 .

(Ord. 01-594 § 2, 2001; Ord. 01-610 § 3, 2001; Ord. 18-1021 § 8, 2018; Ord. 19-1097 § 6, 2020; Ord. 22-1181 § 7, 2022; Ord. 23-02 § 4, 2023; Ord. 24-16, 6/24/2024)

§ 19.06.055. R2 Zoning District Development Standards – Required Density.

All new residential projects in the R2 zoning district shall be built to have no net loss in dwelling units, unless the number of existing dwelling units is greater than allowed by zoning, in which case the project shall build to the maximum number of units allowed by the residential density requirements in Section 19.06.050 . This provision shall apply only if all existing dwelling units on the site are demolished and new dwelling units are constructed.

(Ord. 21-1145 § 6, 2021)

• A. Limitation on Use. Offices for single tenants may be allowed only within existing single-family dwellings located on Shoreham Drive and De Longpre Avenue, in blocks where 50 percent or more of the land area of the block is zoned for, or occupied by, commercial or parking uses.

• B. Findings for Approval. The Review Authority may approve a conditional use permit for an office use within the R4 district only where it first finds that the office use will generate no more vehicle trips than would be generated if the site were developed to the maximum residential density allowed within the R4 district by this chapter, in addition to all findings otherwise required for CUP approval by Chapter 19.52 .

• (Ord. 01-594 § 2, 2001)

The aggregated maximum average size of all dwelling units within a new residential project shall be no greater than 1,500 square feet in the R3 district, and no greater than 1,200 square feet in the R4 district. The calculation of maximum average unit size shall not include any city required inclusionary units. This provision shall apply only if all existing dwelling units on the site are demolished and new dwelling units are constructed. Live/work units in the R4B-C and R3C-C zoning districts shall be exempt from the maximum average unit size requirement.

(Ord. 09-812 § 7, 2009; Ord. 09-813U § 7, 2009; Ord. 14-940 § 7, 2014; Ord. 18-1022 § 10, 2018)

All new residential projects in the R3 and R4 zoning districts shall be built to have no net loss in dwelling units, unless the number of existing dwelling units is greater than allowed by zoning, in which case the project shall build to the maximum number of units allowed by the residential density requirements in Section 19.06.040 . This provision shall apply only if all existing dwelling units on the site are demolished and new dwelling units are constructed.

(Ord. 09-812 § 7, 2009; Ord. 09-813U § 7, 2009; Ord. 14-940 § 8, 2014; Ord. 18-1020 § 6, 2018; Ord. 18-1022 § 11, 2018)

• A. The R3C-C zoning district allows for the same residential density as R3C and allows for live/work units and/or ground floor neighborhood-serving commercial. See Section 19.36.190 for regulations for neighborhood-serving commercial uses. See Section 19.36.160 for regulations for live/work facilities.

• B. The R4B-C zoning district allows for the same residential density as R4B and allows for live/work units and/or ground floor neighborhood-serving commercial.

Commercial uses shall be limited to no more than 50 percent of the total lot area. See Section 19.36.190 for regulations for neighborhood-serving commercial. See Section 19.36.160 for regulations for live/work facilities. (Ord. 18-1022 § 12, 2018)