(Added by Ord. No. 160,657, Eff. 2/17/86, Oper. 6/17/86.)
Within the boundaries of the Century City North and Century City South Specific Plans (Ordinance No. 156,122 and 156,121 respectively), the following definitions and regulations shall apply:
A. Definitions.
1. Building, Height of – The vertical distance between the highest point of the adjacent ground elevation and the ceiling of the top story of the building.
2. Grade (Adjacent Ground Elevation) – The lowest point of elevation of the finished surface of the ground between the exterior wall of a building and a point five feet distant from said wall, or the lowest point of elevation of the finished surface of the ground between the exterior wall of the building and the property line if it is less than five feet distant from said wall. In case walls are parallel to and within five feet of a public sidewalk, alley or other public way, the grade shall be the elevation of the sidewalk, alley or public way.
B. Height of buildings or structures.
1. No building shall be erected, enlarged or maintained which exceeds either 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.
2. 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 said 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. (Amended by Ord. No. 174,999, Eff. 1/15/03.)
3. The total floor area contained in all the main building on a lot in Height District No. 2 shall not exceed six times the buildable area of said lot.
4. In computing the total floor area within a building, the gross area confined within the exterior walls within a building, except for the space devoted to stairways, elevator shafts, light courts, and rooms housing mechanical equipment incidental to the operation of buildings, shall be considered as the floor area of that floor of the building.
5. 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 thereof.
6. In any zone or height district where buildings are limited to a specific height or number of stories, no portion of any roof shall exceed the permitted building height by more than 14 feet.
7. In determining the number of stories, any basement containing habitable rooms shall be considered a story.
8. (Deleted by Ord. No. 187,712, Eff. 1/23/23, Oper. 1/22/24; Ord. No. 187,930, Eff. 7/7/23.)
C. 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 buildings 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. Buildings or structures erected on sloping ground may exceed the height in number of feet, prescribed in this subsection, insofar as such additional height may be required to overcome differences in adjoining sidewalk or ground elevations, but no building or structure shall exceed the specified height limit for the district in which it is located, measured from the highest point of the adjoining sidewalk or ground level, nor shall any such building or structure exceed the specified height limit by more than 15 feet from any other point of the adjoining sidewalk or ground level. No such building shall have more stories than hereinabove provided.
3. Penthouses or roof structures for the housing of elevators, stair ways, tanks, ventilating fans or similar equipment required to operate and maintain the building, or fire or parapet walls, skylights, towers, steeples, flagpoles, chimneys, smokestacks, wireless masts, water tanks, silos or similar structures, may be erected above the height limit specified in the district in which the property is located, but no such penthouse or roof structure, or any other space above said height limit shall be allowed for the purpose of providing additional floor space. In all zones, except the “A”, “R”, “CR”, “C1”, and “C1.5”, a roof sign may also be erected above the specified height limit.
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.