Inglewood — Design Review

Last reviewed: July 2, 2026

Overview

Inglewood’s local zoning code embeds design review through a mix of a citywide Site Plan Review program and zone-specific Design Review requirements and overlay standards. The code assigns review authority to either the Planning and Building Department Director (or designee) or the Planning Commission depending on the zone and the scope of work, and it ties approval to explicit plan submission, findings, expiration, and appeal rules. See the citywide thresholds and procedures in § 12-39.50–§ 12-39.57 and the zone-specific design review language in articles such as § 12-35 (D Zone) and § 12-31.47 (Downtown/H-C) .

Note: this page treats only what the Inglewood zoning/planning ordinance requires about design review and site-plan review. For building-safety standards, see the California Building Standards Code.

How Inglewood organizes design review (short)

• Citywide administrative Site Plan Review rules and triggers are codified in Article 18.1 (beginning § 12-39.50) and assign Director-level review for many projects, with appeals or Commission review in other cases .
• Certain zones and overlays add mandatory Planning Commission design or plan review (for example, D Zone, O‑S, H‑C downtown standards, SOZ, T‑C/Transportation Corridor and TOD areas) with specific submittal requirements and findings referenced in their articles .

(Links used below for related topics: the city’s zoning overview is at Inglewood Zoning. Where the guidelines refer to parking, setbacks, signage, overlays, landscaping, or ADU rules I link the first natural mention to the corresponding GoCodebook Inglewood menu page.)

Citywide: Site Plan Review (Article 18.1)

• Purpose & triggers: Site Plan Review is required when: the value of proposed new structure(s) exceeds $20,000; an enlargement/remodel exceeds $20,000 in most zones; or new non‑residential gross floor area equals/exceeds 25,000 sq ft (§ 12-39.50) .
• Authority: Initial approval is by the Planning and Building Department Director or designee; if the Director’s interpretation is contested, appeal goes to the Planning Commission (and some matters may then be final) (§ 12-39.56) .
• Submittal: plans must include site plan, landscape plan, architectural elevations, and signage drawings; the Director may require additional information (§ 12-39.51 and related plan requirements) .
• Standards & findings: approvals must ensure positive physical contribution to the community and meet the City’s adopted Objective Design Standards and applicable zoning rules (§ 12-39.51, § 12-35.3) .
• Time limits & revisions: applications expire six months after filing if approval not granted; approvals expire one year after plan approval unless a building permit is issued; limited extensions are available (§ 12-39.54) .
• Maintenance: improvements required by site plan review must be completed prior to certificate of occupancy and thereafter maintained (§ 12-39.57) .

### District-by-district breakdown

The code contains many zones that layer design review over the base zoning rules. Below are zones where the ordinance specifically imposes design/site plan review, what the requirement is for, and where it applies.

D Zone (Supplemental Design Review) — D Zone

• Purpose: The D Zone exists to “ensure the maintenance of high design standards” near public buildings, important thoroughfares, and other civic-significant areas; it supplements whatever base zone applies (§ 12-35.1) .
• Typical approach: It does not change permitted uses of the underlying zone; instead it requires submittal of detailed plans (site plan, landscape plan, architectural elevations, sign drawings) before a building permit and subjects projects to Planning Commission review under the D Zone standards (§ 12-35.2–12-35.4) .
• Key standards: the Planning Commission evaluates traffic/pedestrian circulation, emergency access, scale/proportion, compatibility of elevations, and landscaping/screening (§ 12-35.3) .
• Where it applies: only to properties that the D Zone ordinance supplements (map/ordinance defines which parcels) — confirm exact parcels with Planning Division. Verify with the jurisdiction.

O‑S Zone (Open Space) — O‑S

• Purpose & review: New buildings or enlargements in O‑S require Planning Commission site design approval; applicants must submit site/landscape/architectural plans and pay the design review fee (§ 12-38.25–12-38.26) .
• Standards: Commission looks at circulation, emergency access, scale and proportions, compatibility of elevations, landscaping and lighting; projects must not create hazards from soils/flooding/seismic issues (§ 12-38.27) .
• Where it applies: O‑S designated parcels citywide as mapped in zoning.

Downtown / H‑C Zone — H‑C

• How design review applies: All exterior improvements (façade renovation, parapet/entrance changes), footprint extensions, and new construction in H‑C trigger mandatory Design Review approval (§ 12-31.47) .
• Typical permitted uses: Downtown TOD/H‑C lists a range of commercial and transit-oriented uses (see the TOD plan text incorporated into the code) and includes ADUs where allowed by Article 35 (§ 12-31.46) .
• Key standards: The Planning Commission applies compatibility standards (materials visible from public streets must be approved), parking and loading screening, and building elevation compatibility with surrounding structures and master plans (§ 12-31.1 et seq., 12-31.47) .
• Interaction with TOD: Downtown TOD plans and design guidelines may add further mandatory requirements for projects in the TOD boundaries (verify parcel inclusion) .

SOZ (Sign Overlay Zone) — SOZ

• Purpose & review: The SOZ imposes a Master Sign Plan and requires the Planning Commission (and City Council for master plan approval) to review signage under special findings; in some SOZ cases design review for signs is processed administratively by the Director but with appeal routes (§ 12-38.70–12-38.77) .
• Special notes: A Master Sign Plan may override other IMC sign provisions; design review fees follow the site plan review fee schedule (§ 12-38.75–12-38.77) .

T‑C (Transportation Corridor) and Transportation Corridor Overlay — T‑C

• Purpose & review: The T‑C Zone is for transit infrastructure and associated amenities; some improvements (like parking lots) are expressly subject to Design Review by the Planning Commission (§ 12-38.50(3)). Where properties lie within the Transportation Corridor Overlay, specific ITC Design Guidelines adopted by resolution govern design and may supersede Article 18.1 processes (§ 12-38.52, 12-38.106 ) .
• Interaction with TOD/Specific Plans: If in an area covered by a TOD plan or Hollywood Park Specific Plan, that plan’s design standards or the ITC Design Guidelines will control where they conflict with base zone design review rules (§ 12-38.51–12-38.52) .

Planned Assembly / Large Projects (Planned Assembly Development)

• For large multi‑parcel developments the process uses Special Use Permit/Site Plan Review in tandem: conceptual/preliminary plans go to the Planning Commission and final phase plans are treated as site plan review applications; findings and interagency sign‑offs are required for final approval (§ 12-39.3–12-39.9) .

Quick reference table — decision‑relevant standards and references

Checklist — what an applicant must include to satisfy design/site-plan review

• Submit full site plan, to-scale landscape plan, and architectural elevations showing materials and colors (§ 12-39.51, § 12-38.26) .
• Include plans for parking and loading, showing spaces, drive aisles, turning radii and pedestrian circulation (refer to parking) (§ 12-39.51) .
• Show signage plans and any proposed mural (murals require design review) (§ 12-14(F), § 12-38.26) .
• Pay applicable filing fees per the Master Fee Schedule (design review/site plan review fees) (§ 12-30, referenced across review articles) .
• If project is in an overlay (e.g., Transportation Corridor Overlay, SOZ, TOD area), provide documentation showing compliance with the overlay’s adopted design guidelines (ITC Design Guidelines, Master Sign Plan, etc.) (§ 12-38.52, § 12-38.75) .
• Allow for public hearing/notice if Commission review is required and prepare responses to the applicable standards (traffic/parking, emergency access, scale/compatibility, landscaping/screening) (§ 12-35.3, § 12-38.27) .
• Track expiration and request extensions if necessary (see § 12-39.54) .

Risks & Ambiguities

Plain-English Summary

Inglewood requires design or site‑plan review for many projects: smaller jobs that change a building’s exterior or signs in Downtown and certain overlays, and larger projects citywide when construction or remodels exceed roughly $20,000 or reach specific square‑foot thresholds. The Director usually reviews and can approve administratively; larger or contested proposals go to the Planning Commission, which decides based on harmony with surrounding buildings, circulation, safety and landscape/screening (§ 12-39.50–12-39.56, § 12-31.47) .

Source References

• Inglewood Municipal Code, Article 18.1 Site Plan Review: § 12-39.50 et seq.
• Inglewood Municipal Code, Article 14 D Zone (Supplemental Design Review): § 12-35.1–12-35.7
• Inglewood Municipal Code, O‑S Zone plan/site design requirements: § 12-38.25–12-38.30
• Inglewood Municipal Code, Downtown/H‑C: design review requirement for exterior work: § 12-31.46–12-31.48
• Inglewood Municipal Code, Sign Overlay (SOZ) and Master Sign Plan findings: § 12-38.70–12-38.77
• Inglewood Municipal Code, Transportation Corridor / ITC Design Guidelines reference: § 12-38.50–12-38.52 and § 12-38.106–12-38.107
• Design review appeals, expirations, and plan revision rules: § 12-39.54–12-39.57, § 12-39.56
• Murals and sign design review references: § 12-14(F) and relevant sign articles § 12-38.75

(If you need copies of the Objective Design Standards or parcel‑specific overlay maps referenced above, request them from the Inglewood Planning Division — they are not fully reproduced in the retrieved ordinance excerpts. Verify parcel-specific applicability with the jurisdiction.)

Retrieved passages

• Inglewood Zoning Code (Section are) High relevance show source text
• Inglewood Zoning Code (§ 12-34.6.) High relevance show source text
• Inglewood Zoning Code (Section are) High relevance show source text
• Inglewood Zoning Code (Section are) High relevance show source text
• Inglewood Zoning Code (Article 33) High relevance show source text
• Inglewood Zoning Code (§ 12-38.28.) Medium relevance show source text
• Inglewood Zoning Code (§ 12-39.8.) Medium relevance show source text
• CFC § 12 (§ 12-39.4.) Medium relevance show source text

Cited sections

• Inglewood Municipal Code, Article 18.1 Site Plan Review: § **12-39.50** et seq. (Article 18.1)
• Inglewood Municipal Code, Article 14 D Zone (Supplemental Design Review): § **12-35.1–12-35.7** (Article 14)
• Inglewood Municipal Code, O‑S Zone plan/site design requirements: § **12-38.25–12-38.30**
• Inglewood Municipal Code, Downtown/H‑C: design review requirement for exterior work: § **12-31.46–12-31.48**
• Inglewood Municipal Code, Sign Overlay (SOZ) and Master Sign Plan findings: § **12-38.70–12-38.77**
• Inglewood Municipal Code, Transportation Corridor / ITC Design Guidelines reference: § **12-38.50–12-38.52** and § **12-38.106–12-38.107**
• Design review appeals, expirations, and plan revision rules: § **12-39.54–12-39.57**, § **12-39.56**
• Murals and sign design review references: § **12-14(F)** and relevant sign articles § **12-38.75**
• Inglewood_ZoningCode.md

• Official Inglewood code library