New Accessory Dwelling Units can be built in most Hillside neighborhood around Los Angeles and conversion ADUs can be built in all Hillside areas if they meet certain criteria, according to a draft ordinance supported by the City Planning Commission at its hearing last week.
 
The ordinance – which still must get City Council and mayoral support – would allow ADUs in all designated Hillside areas of Los Angeles except where a Hillside Construction Regulation (HCR) Supplemental Use District (SUD) has been established. Even then, ADUs could be permitted in HCR SUDs if the ADU is proposed for a lawfully existing detached accessory structure or will be fully contained within a lawfully existing single-family dwelling.
 
The unanimous vote last week by the CPC was a victory for those who believe ADUs are an important option in the city’s quest to address its housing shortage. Advocates of the draft ordinance said that homeowners in Hillside areas should be allowed to add second residences such as granny flats or servants’ quarters just as homeowners in other parts of the city are allowed. Opponents of the proposal said that adding additional residences to Hillside areas will exacerbate those neighborhoods’ fire and safety issues.
 
The ADU ordinance voted on by the City Planning Commission still has to be reviewed by the City Attorney’s Office and a final, draft ordinance prepared and submitted for City Council review. The City Council’s Planning & Land Use Management (PLUM) Committee is expected to vote on the City Attorney’s draft ordinance first. Once approved by PLUM, the ordinance will go to the City Council for a vote. If approved by the City Council, it will then be forwarded to Mayor Garcetti for his signature. The entire process from this point forward typically takes several months and could take a year or more if PLUM committee members send the draft back to City Planning with requested changes.
 
In the meantime, the current ADU rules are in effect. They were written by the state and became effective on Jan. 1, 2017. The new city ADU ordinance – if approved by the City Council and signed by the mayor – will replace the state rules.
 
The ordinance approved by the CPC can be found at this link: 
 
Approved ADU Ordinance (pdf)
 
The current ADU rules can be found at this link:
 
Current ADU Rules (pdf)

Previously on LandUseLA: Planning Commission to Consider New ADU Rules

http://www.landusela.com/blog/planning-commission-to-consider-new-adu-rules

The Los Angeles City Planning Department recently announced it will soon correct numerous mistakes in its Transit-Oriented Communities maps and related designations on the department’s online information site, ZIMAS. The department announced that these mistakes could “severely impact” future TOC projects, especially in the Valley and in West Los Angeles.

The mistakes primarily involve properties that were erroneously labeled as eligible for certain TOC incentives due to their locations near bus stops. It turns out, these locations do not meet the “Major Bus Stop” requirements in the TOC Guidelines. As a result, many properties will have their Tier determination downgraded or could even be eliminated from TOC eligibility altogether.

In addition, the department announced it will soon measure the required 750-ft. distance for a Tier 4 property located near a metro rail station/Rapid Bus stop only from the nearest metro rail station entrance and not from either the station entrance or nearest Rapid Bus stop at the same intersection. This is expected to impact additional, potential project sites.

The TOC incentives were developed pursuant to Measure JJJ, the measure passed by city voters a few years ago to encourage development of more affordable housing in high-transit areas. The department uses tiers (one through four) to designate the level of incentives and additional housing that is available to a project site. The higher the number, the more incentives.

Revised TOC maps are expected to be released this month, but the department didn’t specifically announce a release date.

Planning staff said these changes will not impact TOC applications that have already been accepted for processing, and that they will honor any TOC application request based on the current map as long at the TOC pre-submittal application is submitted prior to release of the revised map and the fees have been paid.
So any property owners or developers who are considering a TOC project should submit the TOC verification application as soon as possible.

For help with a TOC submittal, please contact Chris Parker at [email protected] or 818-591-9309.