Local zoning · Whittier

Whittier — Design Review

Q: If my multifamily project meets the Objective Design Standards, can it be processed ministerially?

Yes—Chapter 18.93 provides for nondiscretionary review of qualifying multifamily/mixed‑use projects: small projects (1–4 units) are Director review; projects >4 units that meet ODS are handled by the Design Review Board per the chapter’s procedures. Chapter 18.93

Q: Are there special step‑back rules near single‑family neighborhoods?

Yes—several zones (e.g., C‑2-HO , MU and MED ) require building step‑backs at the third story and above to transition massing adjacent to single‑family zones; these are shown in the applicable zone figures and tables. Check § 18.30.040 and § 18.35.030(F) for specifics. § 18.30.040 § 18.35.030(F)

Q: How long does the Director have to check my application for completeness?

The Director has 30 calendar days to review a submitted development‑review application for completeness and notify the applicant of deficiencies; the city will not process incomplete applications further until corrected. § 18.56.040

Design Review under the Whittier local zoning and planning code, with the controlling citations.

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Last reviewed: July 3, 2026

Overview

In Whittier, design review is the local discretionary and ministerial process that checks architectural compatibility, site planning, and compliance with local design guidelines before building permits are issued. The rules live in Title 18 (zoning) of the Whittier Municipal Code: the development-review procedures and submission checklist are in § 18.56.010–.060, objective design standards for qualifying multifamily and mixed-use projects are in Chapter 18.93, and historic-resource work is coordinated through the historic-preservation rules in Chapter 18.84. See the city zoning portal for related context on parking, setbacks, overlays and other topics referenced below. § 18.56.020 | § 18.93.010 | § 18.84.170

Note: this page focuses only on what Whittier’s zoning/planning ordinance says about design/architectural/site-plan review; for building safety, construction permits and code compliance see the California Building Standards Code. Linked resources used in this summary: parking, development standards, overlay districts, historic preservation, signage, ADUs, and California Building Standards Code.

How Whittier organizes design review (process & authorities)

Purpose: ensure design fits neighborhood character, complies with applicable laws, and meets development standards/guidelines. § 18.56.010
When required: development review is required before a building permit for most residential (single‑family, duplex, multifamily), mixed‑use, office, commercial and industrial development, and for many additions; historic‑district projects have separate certificate-of-appropriateness provisions (Chapter 18.84). § 18.56.020
Application content: plans must provide property/legal description, lot dimensions, building footprints/elevations, parking/landscaping, conceptual adjacent elevations, and any other information the director needs. § 18.56.030
Completeness and timing: the Director has 30 days to review for completeness; incomplete applications are returned. § 18.56.040
Who decides (approval authority thresholds):
- Director of Community Development: many small residential projects, projects of up to 2 dwelling units, multifamily projects of up to 4 units that meet the Objective Design Standards (ODS), nonresidential projects up to 5,000 sf, and routine items such as signs, awnings, fences and landscaping. § 18.56.045(A)
- Zoning Administrator: mid‑sized projects (3–9 units not meeting ODS), nonresidential between 5,000–15,000 sf, certain exceptions and variances. § 18.56.045(B)
- Planning Commission: larger discretionary projects (10+ units not meeting ODS; nonresidential > 15,000 sf); also entitlements tied to tentative maps and CUPs. § 18.56.045(C)
- Design Review Board: reviews and approves citywide design for specified items including residential projects with more than four units that follow ODS, nonresidential projects/additions > 1,000 sf, Uptown façade remodels, certain signs and murals, and other items referred by an approval authority. § 18.56.045(D)
Notice, appeals, and validity: public-noticing thresholds and appeal periods are set in § 18.56.045–.056; appeals generally go to the Planning Commission and then City Council if further appealed. § 18.56.055–.065

District-by-district breakdown (where design review requirements intersect zoning)

Below are Whittier zones that most commonly interact with design review. For each I list the ordinance-stated purpose, typical permitted uses (as the code frames them), the most decision‑relevant dimensional/design standards the code lists, and where the zone’s design standards or overlays are applied.

Note: every district name and numerical standard below is shown in bold. Where a required item (for example specific front-setback measurement) could not be found in the retrieved materials for a particular zone, that cell states "Not found in retrieved materials." Verify parcel‑specific standards with the jurisdiction.

R-1 (Single‑Family Residential)

Purpose: to provide for single‑family residential development consistent with neighborhood character. § 18.42.020
Typical permitted uses: single‑family dwellings, accessory uses; detailed lists are in the R‑zone chapters (see Title 18). Not all use tables are reproduced here. Not found in retrieved materials for the full use table in R‑1.
Key dimensional/design items: planned‑development open‑space/density rules reference R‑1 minimums (open-space formulas, minimum lot widths inside planned developments). See PD rules for R‑zone open-space guidance. § 18.42.060(B–D)
Where it applies: citywide single‑family neighborhoods; small R‑zone projects are typically handled by the Director under the development‑review rules. § 18.56.045(A)(1)

R-2 (Two‑Family Residential)

Purpose: multi‑unit/residential development at moderate density. See R‑zone chapters. § 18.42.020
Typical permitted uses: multi‑family dwellings, accessory residential uses per R‑zone rules (detailed lists in chapter). Not found in retrieved materials for full table here.
Key dimensional/design items: explicit open‑space requirements (e.g., 350 sf per unit overall and 250 sf private per unit), maximum height 35 ft in R‑2, and many pedestrian/landscape requirements. § 18.22.040–.050
Where it applies: low‑ to moderate‑density residential areas; small additions and alterations may be Director‑approved; larger multi‑unit projects may go to the Zoning Administrator or Design Review Board depending on ODS compliance. § 18.56.045

R-3 / R-4 / R-5 (Medium → High Multiple Residential)

Purpose: accommodate progressively higher intensity multiple‑family housing. See each zone chapter (e.g., R‑5 purpose in § 18.23.010). § 18.23.010
Typical permitted uses: multi‑family dwellings by density formulas; accessory uses as allowed in underlying chapters. § 18.23.020
Key dimensional/design items:
- R‑5: maximum height 60 ft, private open space 100 sf/unit, common open space 150 sf/unit, lot‑width minima tied to lot creation rules; projects must comply with Chapters 18.93/18.94 design standards. § 18.23.010–.020
- R‑3 and R‑4 open‑space and density formulas appear in the Planned Development chapter when PDs are used; see § 18.42.060(B–D). § 18.42.060
Where it applies: multifamily corridors and higher‑density neighborhoods; larger projects (>4 units or not meeting ODS) are routed to the Design Review Board or Planning Commission per § 18.56.045–.056.

R‑E (Estate Residential) and H‑R (Hillside Residential)

Purpose and uses: R‑E provides large‑lot residential; H‑R addresses hillside/residential special conditions. Specific intended uses and flexible PD-type development are covered in the PD chapter and the respective zone chapters. § 18.42.020
Dimensional/design: detailed lot‑area and open‑space formulas for R‑E appear in PD provisions (see § 18.42.060(D)). Not all base setback numbers for H‑R/R‑E were found in the retrieved snippets — verify with the code. § 18.42.060

C‑O (Commercial‑Office)

Purpose: light commercial and professional office uses. § 18.26.010
Typical permitted uses: offices, medical offices, limited retail accessory uses — full use lists in the C‑zone chapters. § 18.26.020
Key design points: commercial zone development standards are collected in Chapter 18.24 (yard/height/landscaping rules; alternative standards possible under § 18.24.050). § 18.24.010–.050
Where it applies: office/commercial corridors and nodes; nonresidential projects often have Director or Zoning Administrator review depending on size. § 18.56.045

C‑2 with Housing Overlay (C‑2‑HO)

Purpose: integrate general commercial with housing opportunities (the Housing Overlay). § 18.30.040(A)
Typical permitted uses: mixed‑use development (vertical residential over nonresidential permitted); stand‑alone residential is restricted per the HO rules. § 18.30.040(B–C)
Key dimensional/design standards (Table 18.30.040‑C / excerpt): maximum density 25 du/ac, maximum FAR 0.75, maximum primary structure height 40 ft, front/setback and step‑back rules (build‑to line, step‑back at third story adjacent to single‑family zones). § 18.30.040
Where it applies: commercial corridors designated with the Housing Overlay; these parcels also must meet Objective Design Standards and specific overlay rules — design review is commonly required for new mixed‑use projects. § 18.30.040

MU‑1 / MU‑2 / MU‑3 (Mixed‑Use zones)

Purpose: create medium‑ to high‑intensity mixed‑use centers with tiered intensity. § 18.35.010
Typical permitted uses: residential (stand‑alone allowed in MU zones), neighborhood retail, offices, restaurants — specific use tables define whether a use is Permitted, Accessory, or Conditional in each MU zone. § 18.35.020
Key dimensional/design standards (Table 18.35.030 / summaries): typical primary building heights 40–50 ft with Tiered heights in MU‑3 up to 60–75 ft depending on tier; front, street‑side and rear setbacks vary by MU tier; building step‑back requirements at third story where adjacent to single‑family zones. (See Table 18.35.030) § 18.35.030
Where it applies: near transit corridors, multimodal corridors, and neighborhood activity centers; MU projects often trigger design‑review layers and may be eligible for reduced parking subject to shared‑use rules. § 18.35.020 / 18.48 (parking)

MED and PQP (Special commercial/medical and project‑specific zones)

Purpose/uses and standards: MED has specific design rules for higher‑rise buildings, base/middle/top treatments, and special corner treatments; PQP lists an FAR, height limits, setbacks and lot‑coverage rules (see Table 18.39.030). § 18.37.040 | § 18.39.030
Where it applies: site‑specific or district plans; parking structures and large scale developments follow Chapter 18.99 (parking structure design and review). § 18.99.020–.070

Key decision‑relevant rules (quick reference table)

Issue / standard	What the ordinance requires	Code Reference
When development review is required	Most new construction and additions for residential, mixed‑use and nonresidential uses; historic projects may need a certificate of appropriateness instead	§ 18.56.020
Required application materials	Legal description, lot area/dimensions, building footprints/elevations, parking/landscaping plans, adjacent elevations, notification info, other items director deems necessary	§ 18.56.030
Director approval thresholds	Small residential (≤2 units), multifamily ≤4 units meeting ODS, nonresidential ≤5,000 sf, signs/awnings/fences, etc.	§ 18.56.045(A)
Design Review Board triggers	Residential >4 units (that use ODS), nonresidential >1,000 sf, Uptown façade remodels, certain signs, murals	§ 18.56.045(D)
Objective Design Standards for qualifying projects	Non‑discretionary, citywide ODS for qualifying multifamily/mixed‑use projects; small projects (1–4 units) = Director review; >4 units = Design Review Board	Chapter 18.93
Historic resources / Certificate of Appropriateness	Secretary review; waiver possible if consistent with preservation guidelines; otherwise COA required and governed by Chapter 18.84	Chapter 18.84
Parking‑structure design & review	Parking structures must follow Chapter 18.99 standards; planning commission review for parking-structure development review	Chapter 18.99
Alternative/optional development standards	Alternative standards are available if they increase project quality and meet findings in § 18.10.040 / zone specific alt standards (e.g., § 18.24.050)	§ 18.10.040

Checklist — what an applicant must submit (development‑review application)

Completed Development Review application form and fee. § 18.56.030(1)
Street address and legal description; names of serving streets. § 18.56.030(2)
Lot area, lot dimensions, and lot map. § 18.56.030(3)
Site plan showing building footprints, parking layout and striping, and landscape areas. § 18.56.030(4–5)
Detailed elevations for all building faces; conceptual elevations of adjacent buildings if requested. § 18.56.030(7–8)
Floor plans and approximate square footage. § 18.56.030(4,7)
Notification plan (addresses to be notified) consistent with level of review. § 18.56.030(9)
Any technical reports required by the director (e.g., traffic, drainage, geotech). § 18.56.040
For projects claiming objective standard compliance: show how each ODS item is satisfied (see Chapter 18.93). Chapter 18.93

Risks & Ambiguities

Issue	Why it matters	What to verify
ODS vs discretionary review	Projects that qualify for ODS may be processed ministerially (faster) but must precisely meet ODS. Mis‑classification risks discretionary review and delay.	Confirm whether your project meets Chapter 18.93 ODS before assuming Director-level or ministerial processing. § 18.93.010–.020
Historic resources overlap	Work on historic resources may require a Certificate of Appropriateness even if small; COA rules can override routine design-review pathways.	Check Chapter 18.84 and ask the Preservation Secretary whether a waiver or COA is needed. § 18.84.170–.190
Public notice thresholds	Some Director approvals still require mailed notice (e.g., certain additions) and have fixed minimum radius/property counts for noticing.	Confirm that your proposal falls into one of the public-notice categories in § 18.56.045 to avoid surprise appeal windows. § 18.56.045(A)(2)(3)(7)
Step‑back and adjacency rules	MU, MED, and C‑2‑HO zones have explicit step‑back rules for third story and above adjacent to single‑family zones; failure to model the imaginary plane can cause denial.	Model and dimension any required third‑story stepbacks per Table/figures in § 18.30.040 and § 18.35.030(F). § 18.30.040 § 18.35.030(F)
Parking reductions for mixed‑use	The code allows shared‑use parking reductions in MU/C‑2‑HO, but reductions are discretionary and tied to design and operations.	If you plan a parking reduction, document shared parking agreements and justify reductions per Chapter 18.48; verify with the Director. § 18.30.040 / 18.35.030 / 18.48
Scope of “design review” vs building code	Design review covers form, siting and materials; it does not replace structural, fire or accessibility reviews under the California Building Standards Code.	Design approval does not equal building-code approval — coordinate permits with plan check under Title 15/Title 24 (verify with Building Department). Not found in retrieved materials for Title 15 cross-reference. Verify with the jurisdiction.

Plain-English summary (for a homeowner)

If you are planning to build or significantly change the outside of a home or commercial building in Whittier, you will usually need a development review application that shows where the building goes, how it looks, and how parking and landscaping will work; small projects are handled by the Director, bigger or special projects go to the Design Review Board or Planning Commission, and historic‑area work may require a certificate of appropriateness. § 18.56.020–.045

Source References

Whittier Municipal Code, Chapter 18 (Development Review): § 18.56.010–.060 (Development review purpose, when required, application materials, review/approval authorities, notice, appeals).
Whittier Municipal Code, Chapter 18.93 (Multi‑Family and Mixed‑Use Objective Design Standards). Chapter 18.93.
Whittier Municipal Code, Chapter 18.84 (Historic Preservation — Certificate of Appropriateness procedures and waivers). Chapter 18.84.
Whittier Municipal Code, Chapter 18.30 (C‑2 with Housing Overlay — development standards: density, FAR, heights, stepbacks). § 18.30.040.
Whittier Municipal Code, Chapter 18.35 (MU‑1 / MU‑2 / MU‑3 mixed‑use zones: purposes, uses, development standards). Chapter 18.35.
Whittier Municipal Code, Chapter 18.23 (R‑5 zone: purpose, permitted uses, heights/open space). Chapter 18.23.
Whittier Municipal Code, Chapter 18.99 (Parking structures: site development, setbacks, circulation and dimensional standards). Chapter 18.99.
Whittier Municipal Code, Chapters 18.24 / 18.26 (commercial zone development standards and C‑O zone purpose). § 18.24 / § 18.26.010.

(These citations reference the uploaded Whittier zoning code excerpts used to prepare this page. For parcel‑specific verification or the full ordinance text, consult the official municipal code and planning staff.)

Sources

Retrieved passages

Whittier Zoning Code (§ 5) High relevance
Whittier Zoning Code (Title 17) High relevance
Whittier Zoning Code (Chapter 18.56) High relevance
Whittier Zoning Code (section and) High relevance
Whittier Zoning Code (section and) Medium relevance
Whittier Zoning Code (§ 1) Medium relevance
Whittier Zoning Code (Section 18.24.040) Medium relevance
CBC § 6 (§ 6) Medium relevance
Whittier Zoning Code (Section 18.10.020.I.) Medium relevance
Whittier Zoning Code (Chapter 18.48) Medium relevance
Whittier Zoning Code (§ 1) Medium relevance
Whittier Zoning Code (Chapter 18.93.) Medium relevance
Whittier Zoning Code (Section 21662.4) Medium relevance
Whittier Zoning Code (Chapter 18.24.) Medium relevance

Cited sections

Official Whittier code library

Frequently asked questions

Do I need design review in Whittier to add a second story to my single‑family home?

If the addition results in an additional floor/story or an exterior remodel that is visible and exceeds thresholds, development review is required and the Director will review small residential work; see § 18.56.045(A)(4–5) for Director thresholds. Verify whether your addition triggers public notice or referral. § 18.56.045(A)

What triggers the Design Review Board instead of the Director?

Projects such as residential developments of more than four units that use the Objective Design Standards, nonresidential projects/additions larger than 1,000 sf, Uptown façade remodels, certain signs and murals, and items referred by an approval authority are Design Review Board matters. § 18.56.045(D)

What does the application package have to show for a typical development‑review submittal?

The application must include a completed application form, legal description, lot dimensions, building footprints and elevations, parking layout, conceptual landscape plans, proposed uses, floor plans, adjacent building elevations (if required), and notification info; the director may request additional materials. § 18.56.030(1–10)

If my multifamily project meets the Objective Design Standards, can it be processed ministerially?

Yes—Chapter 18.93 provides for nondiscretionary review of qualifying multifamily/mixed‑use projects: small projects (1–4 units) are Director review; projects >4 units that meet ODS are handled by the Design Review Board per the chapter’s procedures. Chapter 18.93

Are there special step‑back rules near single‑family neighborhoods?

Yes—several zones (e.g., C‑2-HO, MU and MED) require building step‑backs at the third story and above to transition massing adjacent to single‑family zones; these are shown in the applicable zone figures and tables. Check § 18.30.040 and § 18.35.030(F) for specifics. § 18.30.040 § 18.35.030(F)

What happens if my project is on a historic resource or in a historic district?

The Preservation Secretary reviews proposed work. If consistent with preservation guidelines, a waiver may be issued; if not, a Certificate of Appropriateness is required and follows Chapter 18.84 procedures and timelines. Chapter 18.84

Can the city reduce parking requirements for a mixed‑use project?

Yes—mixed‑use projects in MU and C‑2‑HO zones may qualify for reduced on‑site parking through shared/joint use arrangements, but reductions are discretionary and must meet the standards and justification requirements in Chapter 18.48 and the MU/C‑2 rules. § 18.35.030 § 18.30.040

How long does the Director have to check my application for completeness?

The Director has 30 calendar days to review a submitted development‑review application for completeness and notify the applicant of deficiencies; the city will not process incomplete applications further until corrected. § 18.56.040

Where are sign and awning design details handled in the code?

Signage and awning fabrication/illumination/location standards are in Chapter 18.76; some freestanding/institutional sign approvals and awning details are specifically routed for design review depending on zone and scale. Chapter 18.76

If I get design review approval, how long is it valid?

The period of validity for a development‑review approval follows the timing rules in § 18.04.110 with extensions per § 18.04.120–.130; see § 18.56.056 for the specific cross‑reference. § 18.56.056

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