No building or structure located on a site that is less than or equal to sixty feet (60') in width shall exceed three (3) stories or thirty three feet (33') in height.
In addition, no building or structure shall exceed the relevant height limitation imposed by districts A through C as identified on the height district maps adopted by the city council and on file in the office of the city clerk and in the department of planning and community development.
A. Height Limits Of Districts: The following height limitation districts are hereby established in the multiple-family residential zones of the city:
1. Height district A: Structures shall not exceed three (3) stories nor thirty three feet (33') in height.
2. Height district B: Structures shall not exceed four (4) stories nor forty five feet (45') in height.
3. Height district C: Structures shall not exceed five (5) stories nor fifty five feet (55') in height.
B. Exceptions:
1. Rooftop Bathrooms: A maximum of two (2) rooftop bathrooms associated with rooftop swimming pools or spas may exceed the height limit of a building in an R-3, R-4, R-4X1, or R-4X2 zone, provided that:
a. The maximum total area of all rooftop bathrooms does not exceed two hundred (200) square feet;
b. Such structures do not exceed ten feet (10') in height as measured from the adjacent roof deck;
c. Such structures do not exceed thirty three percent (33%) of the roof area upon which they are located;
d. Such structures do not exceed or intersect a line projecting from the perimeter of the roof upward at an angle of forty five degrees (45°) from the horizontal;
e. Pursuant to the provisions of article 28.5 of this chapter, the reviewing authority issues an R-4 permit upon a finding that the subject structures will not adversely affect the privacy of neighboring properties or access of neighboring properties to light, nor will the subject structures significantly increase noise to adjacent properties.
2. Additions To Buildings With Legally Nonconforming Height: If a legally constructed building located adjacent to the business triangle in an R-4 zone does not conform to the height restrictions set forth in this section, additions to existing dwelling units on the nonconforming story of such building may exceed the height restrictions set forth in this article provided that:
a. The additions do not exceed the maximum existing height of the legally nonconforming building as defined in article 1 of this chapter;
b. The additions do not cause the nonconforming story of the building to occupy more than forty percent (40%) of the floor area of the floor immediately below it;
c. The additions are compatible with the building design, the nearby streetscape, and surrounding development. To ensure compliance with this requirement, any additions proposed pursuant to this section shall be subject to the provisions of article 30 of this chapter concerning architectural review;
d. The additions do not result in the creation of any new bedrooms;
e. The additions are not located in the rear thirty three percent (33%) of the existing building footprint if the building is located on a property where the rear property line is adjacent to a residential zone; and
f. Pursuant to the provisions of article 28.5 of this chapter, the reviewing authority issues an R-4 permit upon finding that the additions will not adversely affect the privacy of neighboring properties, access of neighboring properties to light and air, or the integrity of the streetscape.
g. A public benefit is offered to the city that offsets any long term impacts to the affordability of the city's housing inventory that result from the additions.
For the purposes of this exception, the "business triangle" shall be defined as the area bounded by the centerline of Wilshire Boulevard, the centerline of Santa Monica Boulevard, south roadway, and the centerline of North Crescent Drive.
C. Height District Boundaries: The boundaries of height districts A, B, and C are identified on the height district maps adopted by the city council and on file in the office of the city clerk and in the department of planning and community development. For purposes of clarification, where any single block is divided into two (2) or more height districts without an alley separating such height districts, the following provisions shall be applicable:
1. For those multiple-family residential zoned blocks lying within the area bounded on the east by the first alley west of Doheny Drive, bounded on the west by the first alley west of Spalding Drive, and bounded by Wilshire Boulevard on the north and Charleville Boulevard on the south:
a. The first two (2) lots adjacent to the commercial zone south of Wilshire Boulevard shall be in height district C;
b. The first two (2) lots north of Charleville Boulevard shall be in height district A, excepting therefrom the first two (2) lots north of Charleville Boulevard and lying within the first block west of Spalding Drive, the first two (2) lots north of Charleville Boulevard and lying within the first block west of Reeves Drive, and the first two (2) lots north of Charleville Boulevard between Rodeo Drive and the first alley west of Rodeo Drive;
c. All remaining lots in said area shall be in height district B.
2. The first two (2) lots at the southwest corner of Charleville Boulevard and El Camino Drive and the first two (2) lots at the southeast corner of Charleville Boulevard and El Camino Drive shall be in height district A.
3. Those multiple-family residential zoned lots lying south of Olympic Boulevard and abutting Shirley Place or Spalding Drive shall be in height district A; provided that the third story is set back from any common property line an additional fifteen feet (15') beyond any setback required by this code.
4. For those multiple-family residential zoned lots south of Wilshire Boulevard, north of Gregory Way, west of Tower Drive, and east of La Cienega Boulevard:
a. The first two (2) lots adjacent to the commercial zone south of Wilshire Boulevard shall be in height district C;
b. The first two (2) lots north of Gregory Way shall be in height district A; and
c. All remaining lots shall be in height district B.
5. For those blocks bounded by Burton Way on the south, Third Street on the north, Maple Drive on the west, and the city limits on the east:
a. The first two (2) lots adjacent to Burton Way shall be in height district C; and
b. All remaining lots shall be in height district B. (Ord. 95-O-2239, eff. 7-7-1995; amd. Ord. 96-O-2266, eff. 10-18-1996; Ord. 16-O-2699, eff. 3-18-2016)