No building or structure shall be erected or enlarged which exceeds the total floor area, the number of stories or the height limits hereinafter specified for the district in which the building or structure is located. Provided, however, that with respect to height, buildings and structures located within the boundaries of the Century City North and Century City South Specific Plans shall comply solely with the requirements of the respective specific plan and the requirements of Section 12.21.2 of this Code; that buildings and structures located within Community Redevelopment Plan Areas shall comply with the requirements of Section 12.21.3 of this Code; that buildings and structures located within Enterprise Zones shall comply with the requirements of Section 12.21.4 of this Code; that buildings and structures located within Centers Study Areas designated on Maps Numbered 1 through 29 referred to in Section 12.21.5 of this Code, shall comply with the requirements of Section 12.21.5 of this Code; and that buildings and structures located in the R1V, R1F, and R1R One-Family Zone Variations shall comply with the requirements of Section 12.21.6 of this Code. Such designations are consistent with the purposes, intent and provisions of the General Plan. (Amended by Ord. No. 184,802, Eff. 3/17/17.)
In the A1, A2, RZ, RMP, and RW2 Zones, and in those portions of the RD and R3 Zones, which are also in Height District No. 1, no Building or Structure shall exceed 45 feet in height. In the RA, RE, RS, R1 and R2 Zones in Height District No. 1, located in a Coastal Zone, no Building or Structure shall exceed 45 feet in height. In the RU and RW1 Zones, no Building or Structure shall exceed 30 feet in height. In the RA, RE, RS, and R1 Zones in Height District No. 1, located in a Hillside Area, as defined in Section 12.03 of this Code, no Building or Structure shall exceed the height limits established in Paragraph (d) of Subdivision 10. of Subsection C. of Section 12.21 of this Code. (Amended by Ord. No. 181,624, Eff. 5/9/11.)
Notwithstanding the preceding paragraph, the following height regulations shall apply on a Lot that is not located in a Hillside Area or Coastal Zone: In the R2 Zone, no Building or Structure shall exceed 33 feet in height. In the R1, RS, or RE9 Zones, no Building or Structure shall exceed 33 feet in height; except that when the roof of the uppermost Story of a Building or Structure or portion of the Building or Structure has a Slope of less than 25 percent, the maximum height shall be 28 feet. In the RE11, RE15, RE20, RE 40 or RA Zones, no Building or Structure shall exceed 36 feet in height; except that when the roof of the uppermost Story of a Building or Structure or portion of a Building or Structure has a Slope of less than 25 percent, the maximum height shall be 30 feet. (Amended by Ord. No. 181,624, Eff. 5/9/11.)
Notwithstanding the above, when 40 percent or more of the existing One-Family Dwellings with Frontage on both sides of the block have Building heights exceeding these limits, the maximum height for any Building on that block may be the average height of the Dwellings exceeding these limits. Height limitations in Specific Plans, Historic Preservation Overlay Zones or in subdivision approvals shall take precedence over the requirements of this Section 12.21.1. This section shall apply when there are no height limitations imposed on Lots by a Specific Plan or a Historic Overlay Zone or created by a subdivision approval. (Added by Ord. No. 181,624, Eff. 5/9/11.)
In the CR Zone and those portions of the RD, R3, and RAS3 Zones, which are in Height District Nos. 2, 3 or 4, no building or structure shall exceed six stories nor shall it exceed 75 feet in height. However, a building designed and used entirely for residential purposes or a residential building in the RAS3 Zone that has commercial uses on the ground floor, shall only be limited as to the number of feet in height. (Amended by Ord. No. 174,999, Eff. 1/15/03.)
In the PB Zone, no parking building shall exceed a height of two stories in Height District No. 1; provided, however, that the parking of automobiles shall be permitted on the roof of the parking building if a solid enclosing wall or parapet wall at least three feet six inches in height is provided and maintained around all those portions of the roof which are arranged and used for the parking of automobiles. No parking building in a PB zone shall exceed a height of six stories in Height District No. 2, ten stories in Height District No. 3 or 13 stories in Height District No. 4. Basement floors, located entirely below the natural or finished grade of a lot, whichever is lower, shall not be considered in computing the permitted height of parking buildings in the PB Zone. (Amended by Ord. No. 122,569, Eff. 9/2/62.)
A. Limitations.
1. (Amended by Ord. No. 181,624, Eff. 5/9/11.) The total Floor Area contained in all the main Buildings on a Lot in a commercial or industrial zone in Height District No. 1 shall not exceed one-and- one-half times the Buildable Area of the Lot; for a Lot in all other zones, except the RA, RE, RS, and R1 Zones, the total Floor Area contained in all the main Buildings on a Lot in Height District No. 1 shall not exceed three times the Buildable Area of the Lot.
For RA, RE, RS, and R1 Zoned properties not located in a Hillside Area or Coastal Zone, the total Residential Floor Area shall comply with the Floor Area restrictions for each zone. For RA, RE, RS, and R1 Zoned properties located in a Hillside Area, as defined in Section 12.03 of this Code, the total Residential Floor Area shall comply with the limits established in Paragraph (b) of Subdivision 10. of Subsection C. of Section 12.21 of this Code. For RA, RE, RS, and R1 Zoned properties in a Coastal Zone not located in a Hillside Area, as defined in Section 12.03 of this Code, the total Floor Area contained in all the main buildings on a Lot shall not exceed three times the Buildable Area of the Lot.
Portions of Height District No. 1 may be designated as being in an “L” Limited Height District, and no Building or Structure in Height District No. 1-L shall exceed six Stories, nor shall it exceed 75 feet in height. Portions of Height District No. 1 may be designated as being in a “VL” Very Limited Height District, and no Building or Structure in Height District No. 1-VL shall exceed three Stories, nor shall it exceed 45 feet in height. Notwithstanding that limitation, portions of Height District No. 1-VL that are also in the RAS3 or RAS4 Zones shall not exceed 50 feet in height. Portions of Height District No. 1 may also be designated as being in an “XL” Extra Limited Height District, and no Building or Structure in Height District No. 1-XL shall exceed two Stories, nor shall the highest point of the roof of any Building or Structure located in this District exceed 30 feet in height. In the RA, RE, RS, and R1 Zones, portions of Height District No. 1 may also be designated as being in an “SS” Single Story Limit Height District, and no Building or Structure in Height District No. 1-SS shall exceed one Story, nor shall the highest point of the roof of any Building or Structure located in this District exceed 18 feet in height. For the purposes of Height District No. 1-SS, a Basement does not count as a Story when the Elevation of the upper surface of the floor or roof above the Basement does not exceed two feet in height at any point above the finished or natural Grade, whichever is lower.
EXCEPTION: A Building in Height District Nos. 1-XL, 1-VL, designed and used entirely for residential purposes, or a Building in the RAS3 or RAS4 Zones shall be limited as to the number of feet in height, but not as to the number of Stories.
2. The total floor area contained in all the buildings on a lot in Height District No. 2 shall not exceed six times the buildable area of said lot. (Amended by Ord. No. 161,684, Eff. 11/3/86.)
3. The total floor area contained in all the buildings on a lot in Height District No. 3 shall not exceed ten times the buildable area of said lot. (Amended by Ord. No. 161,684, Eff. 11/3/86.)
4. The total floor area contained in all the buildings on a lot in Height District No. 4 shall not exceed thirteen times the buildable area of said lot. (Amended by Ord. No. 161,684, Eff. 11/3/86.)
5. In computing the total floor area within a building, the gross area confined within the exterior walls within a building shall be considered as the floor area of that building, except for the space devoted to bicycle parking, stairways, elevator shafts, light courts, rooms housing mechanical equipment incidental to the operation of buildings, and Outdoor Dining Areas. (Amended by Ord. No. 188,073, Eff. 1/31/24.)
6. Whenever any unusual situation or design of building exists so that it is difficult to determine the precise application of those provisions, the Department of Building and Safety shall make such determinations in a manner to carry out the indicated purpose and intent hereof.
7. (None)
8. In determining the number of stories, any basement containing habitable rooms shall be considered a story. (Added by Ord. No. 131,309, Eff. 4/24/66.)
9. (Amended by Ord. No. 173,492, Eff. 10/10/00.) Additional limitations may be required as set forth in Section 12.32 G.3.
10. (Added by Ord. No. 161,684, Eff. 11/3/86.) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this section, portions of buildings on a C or M zoned lot governed by the provisions of this section shall not exceed the height limits set forth below when located within the distances specified from a lot classified in the RW1 Zone or a more restrictive zone.
Distance | Height |
0 to 49 feet | 25 feet |
50 to 99 feet | 33 feet |
100 to 199 feet | 61 feet |
When the highest existing elevation of the adjacent property in the RW1 Zone or a more restrictive zone exceeds the grade of a C or M zoned property by more than five feet, a building or structure on the C or M zoned property may exceed the height specified above by the number of feet represented by the difference in grade.
Buildings of a height greater than that specified in this subdivision may be authorized by a Zoning Administrator pursuant to Section 12.24 X.22. (Amended by Ord. No. 173,492, Eff. 10/10/00.)
B. Exceptions.
1. In Height District No. 1, motion picture studio stages, scenes or skybackings, temporary towers and the like may be erected to a height of 125 feet if said building and structures observe front, side, and rear yards of one foot for each four feet such building or structure exceeds three stories or 45 feet in height. Said yards shall be in addition to any other yards or setbacks required by other provisions of this article.
2. Whenever the highest point of elevation of the adjoining sidewalk or ground surface within a five- foot horizontal distance measured from the exterior wall of a building exceeds grade level by more than 20 feet, a building or structure may exceed the height in number of feet prescribed in this section by not more than 12 feet. However, such additional height shall not be permitted to the extent that such additional height causes any portion of the building or structure to exceed a height in number of feet as prescribed by this section as measured from the highest point of the roof structure or parapet wall to the elevation of the ground surface which is vertically below this point of measurement. The provisions of this subdivision shall not apply to any one-family dwelling subject to the provisions of Section 12.21 A.17. of this Code. (Amended by Ord. No. 168,159, Eff. 9/14/92.)
3. Roof Structures and Equipment. (Amended by Ord. No. 182,110, Eff. 5/29/12.)
(a) Tanks or similar equipment required to operate and maintain the building, skylights, towers, steeples, flagpoles, smokestacks, wireless masts, water tanks, silos, or similar structures may be erected above the building height limit by up to five feet if the structure is set back from the roof perimeter by five feet.
Chimney, exhaust ducts, solar water heaters, or any roof structure housing stairways, elevators or ventilation fans may also exceed the building height limit by up to five feet, but are not required to provide a setback from the perimeter of the roof. Where height is limited to seventy-five (75) feet, roof structures for the housing of elevators and stairways may exceed the building height limit by up to twenty (20) feet in height, and where height is limited to thirty (30) feet or forty-five (45) feet, roof structures for the housing of elevators and stairways may exceed the building height limit by up to ten (10) feet in height.
No such structure or any other space above the specified height limit shall be allowed for the purpose of providing additional floor space.
(b) In all zones, except the “A”, “R”, “CR”, “C1” and “C1.5”, a roof sign may also be erected above the specified height limit.
(c) Structures and panel assemblies solely supporting solar energy systems (“Solar Structures”).
(1) In all zones, Solar Structures may exceed the roof surface by 3 feet even if the roof surface is at or above the allowable building height limit. The height shall be measured to the highest point of the structure and panel assembly. These structures are not required to provide a setback as described in paragraph (a) of this Subdivision.
(2) Other than the R1 and more restrictive zones, solar structures built on a flat roof may exceed the roof surface by up to 15 feet even if the roof surface is at or above the allowable building height limit. The height shall be measured to the highest point of the structure and panel assembly.
Exception: In the R1 and more restrictive zones, a solar structure may exceed the roof surface by up to 15 feet on a flat roof only if the structure is also used for the purpose of shading a habitable rooftop deck or rooftop parking. The structure(s), however, may not exceed the height limit. Setbacks are not required by this paragraph.
4. In all height districts parking floor space with necessary interior driveways and ramps thereto, space within a roof structure or penthouse for the housing of building operating equipment or machinery, space provided for the landing and storage of helicopters and basement storage space shall not be considered in determining the total floor area within a building. (Amended by Ord. No. 146,704, Eff. 12/9/74.)
5. Notwithstanding the height limitations of the height district in which they are located, municipal buildings under the control, operation or management of City departments or agencies may be built to a maximum height of 35 feet. In addition, sports field lighting standards in parks under the control, operation or management of the Board of Recreation and Park Commissioners and used for recreation purposes as determined by that agency may be built to a maximum height of 75 feet and must be equipped with appropriate beam control to direct the light onto the field and prevent glare and spill light from impacting neighboring properties, and shall include automatic timer control with an on/off scheduling system. (Added by Ord. No. 174,788, Eff. 10/05/02.)
a. (Amended by Ord. No. 173,492, Eff. 10/10/00.) Where one or more of the following discretionary approvals, initiated by application of property owners or their representatives, was granted on or after January 1, 1983, and specifically addressed the height for one or more buildings: change of zone, height district change, exception from a specific plan, conditional use, variance, tract map, parcel map or coastal development permit. If the approval provided for a specific height, then the restriction shall apply to the buildings and structures on the lot; or
b. Where architectural and structural plans sufficient for a complete plan check for a building permit for a building or structure were accepted by the Department of Building and Safety and for which a plan check fee was collected on or before the effective date of this subdivision, and for which no subsequent changes are made to those plans which increase the height. However, any such building permit shall become invalid if construction pursuant to such permit is not commenced within 18 months of the date the plan check fee was collected.