For the purpose of this title, words, phrases and terms shall have the meaning ascribed to them in this section. Also see §§ 17.08.040, 17.12.005(B), 17.20.030(C), 17.24.170(B), 17.28.020, 17.40.040, 17.44.010(B), 17.44.020(B), 17.44.170(C), for additional definitions. When consistent with the context, words used in the present tense include the future; words in the singular number include the plural; and those in the plural number include the singular; the word “shall” is mandatory; the word “may” is permissive;
(A) General references.
(1) “Assessor” shall mean the County Assessor of Los Angeles County;
(2) “Building” shall include the word “structure”;
(3) “Commission” shall mean the Planning Commission of the city;
(4) “Committee” shall mean the Development Review Committee;
(5) “County Recorder” shall mean the County Recorder of Los Angeles;
(6) “Director” shall mean the Director of Community Development;
(7) “Department” shall mean the Department of Community Development;
(8) “Incidental” shall mean depending in, directly and immediately pertaining to, involved in, but not an essential part of;
(9) “Used for” shall include the words “arranged for”, “designed for”, “occupied” or “intended to be occupied for.”
(B) Defined terms.
ACCESS. A place or way by which pedestrians and vehicles shall have safe, adequate and usable ingress and egress to a property or use as required by this title.
ACCESSORY BUILDING. A building, part of a building, or structure which is subordinate to, and the use of which is incidental to that of the main building structure or use of the same lot. Where an accessory building is a part of, or joined to the main building, such accessory building shall be counted as part of the main building.
ACCESSORY USE. A use customarily incidental to a principal use established on the same lot or parcel of land, which accessory use shall not alter said principal use nor serve property other than the lot or parcel of land on which the principal use is located. The terms ANCILLARY USE and SECONDARY USE shall have the same meaning as ACCESSORY USE.
ADVISORY AGENCY. The Commission is hereby designated as the Advisory Agency to the Council on all matters related to the zoning and use of land and structures.
ALLEY. A public or private way, at the rear or side of property, permanently reserved as a means of vehicular access to abutting property. Frontage on said alley shall not be construed as satisfying the requirements of this title related to frontage on a dedicated street.
ANCILLARY USE. This term shall have the same meaning as ACCESSORY USE.
APARTMENT. A room or suite of two or more rooms in a multiple-dwelling structure, occupied or suitable for occupancy as a residence for one family.
APARTMENT, EFFICIENCY. A dwelling unit in an apartment house that may be permitted for occupancy by no more than two persons. The efficiency unit shall have a minimum floor area of 220 square feet and shall have a bathroom facility and a partial kitchen. EFFICIENCY LIVING UNIT and EFFICIENCY APARTMENT shall have the same meaning as set forth in Cal. Health and Safety Code § 17958.1.
APARTMENT HOUSE. A building designed and used for occupancy by three or more families, all living independently of each other.
APARTMENT, ONE BEDROOM. A dwelling unit in an apartment house, that contains three habitable rooms, one of which shall be a kitchen.
APARTMENT, STUDIO. A dwelling unit that combines sleeping, living, cooking and dining facilities into one habitable room.
APARTMENT, TWO OR MORE BEDROOMS. A dwelling unit in an apartment house that contains more than three habitable rooms.
ARCADE. Any place open to the public where three or more coin-operated games of skill and science are kept or maintained.
ARCHITECTURAL FEATURE. A part, portion, or projection that contributes to the beauty or elegance of a building or structure and is not intended for occupancy, which may extend beyond the face of the exterior wall, but shall not include signs.
ATTACH. To connect, fasten or structurally affix permanently to a building or structure.
AUTOMOBILE DISMANTLING YARD. Any premises used for the dismantling or wrecking of motor vehicles required to be registered under the Cal. Vehicle Code, including the buying, selling or dealing in such vehicles or integral parts or component materials thereof, and the storage, sale or salvage of dismantled, partially dismantled, or wrecked, inoperative or disabled vehicles in connection with the legal operation of an automobile repair garage or body and fender shop.
AUTOMOBILE IMPOUND YARD. An area designated or maintained for the temporary storage of vehicles legally removed or impounded from public or private property as prescribed by law.
AUTOMOBILE SERVICE STATION. An area which provides for the servicing of motor vehicles, including tire repairs, minor tune-ups, battery charging, storage of merchandise and supplies related to the servicing of motor vehicles, sale of gasoline, automobile grease racks, but excluding body and fender work, engine overhauling or other similar activities.
BASEMENT. A space wholly or partly underground, and having more than one-half of its height, measured from floor to ceiling, below the average adjoining grade. If the finished floor level directly above a basement is more than six feet above grade at any point, such basement shall be considered a story.
BLOCK. A parcel of land bounded by public streets, highways, freeways, railroad right-of-way, flood control channels, creeks, washes, rivers or acreage unsubdivided into urban lots or any combination thereof.
BREEZEWAY. A roofed passageway, open on two sides, where the roof is in keeping with the design and construction of the main building.
BUILDING. Any structure built and maintained for the support, shelter or enclosure of persons, animals, chattels or property of any kind.
BUILDING HEIGHT. The vertical distance from the finished grade at the exterior wall to the highest point of the roof structure. In case of sloping lots, the vertical distance from the finished grade on the exterior wall at a point located midway between the front and rear of the building, or side and side property lines to the highest point of the roof structure.
BUILDING, MAIN. A building, or buildings, within which is conducted the principal use permitted on the lot, as provided by this title.
BUILDING SETBACK LINE. The minimum distance, as prescribed by this title or other city ordinance, between the property line of a lot or parcel of land, or rights-of-way of alleys, streets, or highways, or the centerline thereof, and any point on a building or structure related thereto, exclusive of those architectural features permitted to extend thereinto. In addition, ingress/egress easements for roadway purposes shall not be included for setback measurements.
BUSINESS or COMMERCE. The purchase, sale or other transaction involving the handling or disposition (other than that included in the term “industry” as defined in this chapter) of any article, substance or commodity for profit or a livelihood, including in addition, motels, public garages, office buildings, offices of doctors and other professionals, outdoor advertising signs and structures, recreational and amusement enterprises conducted for profit, shops for the sale of personal services, places where commodities or services are sold or are offered for sale, either by direct handling of merchandise or by agreements to furnish them, but not including dumps and junkyards.
CAMPER. A structure designed to be mounted upon a motor vehicle and to provide facilities for human habitation or camping purposes.
CARPORT. A permanent roofed structure with not more than two enclosed sides used or intended to be used for automobile shelter.
CATTERY. Any premises on which five or more cats over four months of age are kept, boarded or maintained for any purpose and whether or not for compensation.
CENTERLINE. Shall have the same meaning as “street centerline” as defined in this section.
CHURCH. A building, the principal purpose of which is religious worship and including uses in the principal structure or separate buildings, including Sunday-school rooms, assembly rooms, kitchen, library, one-family dwelling unit and day nurseries operated by and located on the same lot or site as the church, but excluding facilities for residences of or training of religious orders.
COMMUNITY APARTMENT PROJECT. Apartment project in which an undivided interest in the land is coupled with the right of exclusive occupancy of any apartment located thereon.
COMPATIBLE USE. A use that by its manner of operation, is suitable in the zone in which it may be nonconforming. Said use of land and/or buildings shall be in harmony with the uses on abutting properties in the same zone.
CONDOMINIUM. An estate in real property consisting of an undivided interest in common in a portion of a parcel of real property, together with a separate interest in airspace in a residential, industrial, or commercial building on such real property, such as an apartment, office or store. A CONDOMINIUM may include, in addition, a separate interest in other portions of such real property. Such estate may, with respect to the duration of an enjoinment, be either:
(1) An estate of inheritance or perpetual estate;
(2) An estate for life; or
(3) An estate for years.
CONDOMINIUM CONVERSION, RESIDENTIAL. The conversion of an existing apartment house, community apartment project, or stock cooperative apartment to a condominium project which is an estate in real property consisting of an undivided interest in common in a portion of a parcel of real property, together with a separate interest in space in a residential unit.
CONFORMING BUILDING. A building which fully conforms to the requirements of the State Housing Act, Fire Zone, Uniform Building Code, the requirements of this and any other applicable chapters of this code as prescribed for the zone in which the building is located.
COURT. An open, unoccupied space, other than a yard, on the same lot with a building and bounded on two or more sides by such building.
COVERAGE. That portion of a lot or building site which is occupied by any building or structure, regardless of whether such building or structure is intended for human occupancy.
CURBLINE. A straight line along the top outer edge of a curb. The curbline for streets without curbs shall be considered to be located six feet, measured at right angles, from the property line. Exception: In the case of streets with established highway setback lines, the future curbline shall be determined by the Director of Public Works.
DOUBLE FRONTAGE LOT. A lot having frontage on two parallel or approximately parallel streets, and having potential access to both of said streets.
DRIVE-IN BUSINESS. Any establishment or business which, whether by design or operation, provides services or products directly to occupants of motor vehicles, or directly to pedestrian traffic from exterior openings or counters or any combination thereof.
DRIVEWAY. A paved access to a required off-street parking facility.
DWELLING. A building or portion thereof designed and used exclusively for residential occupancy, with the exception of permitted home occupations, but not including hotels, motels, motor homes, boarding homes or lodging houses.
DWELLING UNIT. One or more rooms in a dwelling designed for, or occupied by one family for living or sleeping purposes and having only one kitchen.
EASEMENT. An area on a lot or parcel of land, and so indicated in a subdivision map or in a deed, reserved for and/or used for public utilities, public uses and/or private uses.
ENCLOSED BUILDING. A building enclosed by a permanent roof and on all sides by solid exterior walls pierced only by windows and customary entrance and exit doors.
ENCLOSED SPACE. An area enclosed on all sides by a solid physical barrier, such as a solid wood fence or masonry wall.
FAMILY. An individual; two or more people related by blood, marriage or adoption; or any other bona fide single housekeeping unit consisting of a group of persons who reside in one dwelling on a relatively permanent basis and share use of the entire dwelling unit.
FENCE. Any structural device forming a physical barrier which is so constructed that not less than 50% of the vertical surface is open to permit the transmission of light, air and vision through said surface in a horizontal plane. This shall include wire mesh, steel mesh, chain link, louvered, stake and other similar materials. Planting shall be regulated to maintain the required open areas in said fence structure.
FLOOR AREA. The horizontal area of all the floors of a building measured from the exterior surface of the outside walls including all floors below ground level.
FLOOR AREA RATIO. The ratio of floor area to net lot area expressed as a percentage. For example, two square feet of floor area for every five square feet of net lot area would result in a floor area ratio of 40%.
FRONT WALL. The wall of a building or structure nearest the street on which the building fronts, but excluding certain architectural features as cornices, canopies, eaves or embellishments.
FRONT WINDOW VIEW CORRIDOR. A retail type window display visible from the street. The goal is to encourage pedestrian interest in the storefront windows.
FRONTAGE. All property fronting on one side of a street between a street and right-of-way, or between intersecting or intercepting streets, the end of a dead-end street, or city boundary measured along a street line. An intersecting street shall determine only the boundary of the frontage on the side of the street that it intercepts.
GARAGE, PRIVATE. A detached accessory building or a portion of a main building on the same lot as a dwelling, or located in accordance with the historic preservation participation section, and used for the housing of vehicles of the occupants of the dwelling.
GRADE. The average of the finished ground level at the center of all the exterior walls of a building. In cases where the front wall is parallel to and within five feet of a sidewalk, the grade shall be measured at the sidewalk at the centerline of the front of the lot.
GUEST. Any transient person who occupies a room for sleeping purposes.
HEDGE. A plant or series of plants, shrubs or other landscape material so arranged as to form a physical barrier or enclosure.
HOME OCCUPATION. A business conducted by the occupant(s) of a dwelling unit at the site of the dwelling, which business is clearly incidental and secondary to the use of the dwelling for dwelling purposes, does not change the character of the dwelling, is compatible with the surrounding uses and accessory uses, and does not adversely affect the uses and accessory uses permitted in the zone in which it is conducted.
HOUSEHOLD PET. Any domesticated animal commonly maintained in a residence.
INDUSTRY. The manufacture, fabrication, processing, reduction or destruction of any article, substance or commodity, or any other treatment thereof in such a manner as to change the form, character or appearance thereof, and including storage elevators, truck storage yards, warehouses, wholesale storage and other similar types of enterprise.
JUNK AND SALVAGE YARD. Any premises used for the storage or keeping of old, used or secondhand scrap ferrous and nonferrous metals, paper and paper products, roofing and tar paper, cloth and clothing, wood and wood products, paints, clay and porcelain products, trash and similar materials including dismantling of machinery, equipment and parts and the bailing of cardboard boxes, paper and paper products, but shall not include any business defined as an automobile dismantling yard.
KENNEL. Any lot or premises on which four or more dogs over the age of four months, are kept, or boarded, whether or not for compensation.
KITCHEN. Any room designed to be used or maintained for the cooking of food and typically has a stove, oven, full-size refrigerator, sink, and counter.
LANDSCAPING. The planting and maintenance of a combination of trees, shrubs, vines, ground covers, flowers or lawns. In addition, the combination of design may include natural features such as rock and stone; and structural features, including, but not limited to fountains, reflecting pools, art works, screens, walls, fences and benches.
LOADING SPACE. An off-street space or berth on the same lot with a main building, or contiguous to a group of buildings, for the temporary parking of commercial vehicles while loading or unloading. It shall abut a street, alley, or other appropriated means of ingress or egress.
LOT. Shall consist of:
(1) (a) A parcel of real property with a separate and distinct number or other designation shown on plat recorded in the office of the County Recorder; and
(b) A parcel of real property delineated on an approved record of survey, lot split, subdivision, or parcel map abutting at least one public street; and
(c) A parcel of real property containing not less area than required by the zone in which it is located, abutting at least one public street and held under separate ownership from adjacent property prior to the effective date of this title.
(2) Notwithstanding (1)(b) and (c) above, any lot created as part of an historic preservation participation incentive in accordance with § 17.40.140 of this code shall not be required to abut at least one public street.
LOT AREA. The total horizontal area within the property lines of a lot.
LOT AREA, NET. That area of a lot or parcel of land exclusive of:
(1) Public alleys, highways or streets; or
(2) Proposed public facilities such as alleys, highways, streets or other necessary public sites when included within a proposed development project; or
(3) Other public or private easements where the owner of the servient tenement does not have the right to use the entire surface of the land.
LOT, CORNER. A lot located at the intersection of two or more streets.
LOT COVERAGE. That portion of a lot covered by a building, buildings or structures exclusive of the normal roof overhang.
LOT DEPTH. The horizontal distance measured in the mean direction of the side lot lines. For irregular lots, see “lot line, rear,” as defined in this section.
LOT, INTERIOR. A lot other than a corner lot.
LOT, KEY. Any lot where a side property line abuts the rear property line of one or more other lots, and not separated by an alley.
LOT LINE. Any line bounding a lot as defined in this chapter.
LOT LINE, FRONT. A lot line which abuts a public street. In the case of a corner lot, the lot line abutting the narrowest street frontage, except in those cases where the latest tract deed restrictions specify another line as the front lot line.
LOT LINE, REAR. A lot line which is opposite and most distant from the front lot line. In the case of an irregular, triangular or gore shaped lot, a line within the lot, parallel to and at a maximum distance from the front lot line, having a length of not less than ten feet.
LOT LINE, SIDE. Any lot boundary line not a front lot line or a rear lot line.
LOT OF RECORD. A parcel of land as shown on the records of the assessor at the time of the adoption of this title.
LOT, REVERSED CORNER. A corner lot, the side line of which is substantially a continuation of the front lot lines of the lots to its rear, whether across alley or not.
LOT SLOPE. The greatest slope expressed in percent obtained by the difference in elevation between the highest and lowest points within the lot to the horizontal distance between the said points.
LOT, THROUGH. A lot having frontage on two parallel or approximately parallel dedicated streets. The lot frontage in instances such as this shall be determined by the Committee.
LOT WIDTH. The horizontal distance between the side lot lines, measured at right angles to the depth at the established building set back line.
MINI-WAREHOUSE. A fully enclosed building or structure designed to provide leased storage facilities in the form of individual spaces. Such facilities shall not be used for other commercial or industrial uses.
MIXED USE. The development of a variety of separate uses including residential, office, commercial and light industrial as part of an overall planned development.
MOBILE HOME. A manufactured house, shall mean a structure, transportable in one or more sections, and designed to be used as a single-family dwelling, with or without a permanent foundation, when connected to the required utilities and systems contained therein.
MOBILE HOME PARK. Any area or tract of land where four or more mobile home lots are rented or held as a planned unit development.
MOBILE OFFICE UNIT. A factory-built office unit without motor power designed and constructed to permit human occupancy.
MULTI-TENANT BUILDING. One building subdivided into two or more leasable units where the individual leasable areas share common building walls.
NONCONFORMING BUILDING OR STRUCTURE. A building or structure which was lawful when built or structurally altered, but which, because of the application of this title to it, no longer conforms to the provisions of this title.
NONCONFORMING USE. A use of a building or land which was lawfully established, and maintained in compliance with this title, but which because of the application of this title to it, no longer conforms to the use regulations of the zone in which it is located.
OFF-STREET LOADING FACILITY. An approved space or portion of a space for the loading or unloading of vehicles including ingress and egress, access drives and other such requirements.
OFF-STREET PARKING FACILITY. An approved space or spaces located within a building or structure, public or private, for the parking of vehicles.
OPEN SPACE. That portion of a lot which is not covered by a building, buildings, or structure and is open from the ground up, except for normal roof overhang, in residential zones.
OUTDOOR ADVERTISING. See “advertising structure,” as defined in § 17.28.020.
PARKING SPACE, AUTOMOBILE. A readily accessible space exclusive of driveways, ramps, columns, loading areas, office or work areas within a building, or open parking area for the parking of one automobile.
PERSON. An individual, firm, copartnership, joint venture, association, social club, fraternal organization, corporation, estate, trust, receiver, syndicate, the federal or state government, city, county, district, or any other group or combination acting as an entity.
RABBITS, POULTRY AND DOMESTIC FOWL. Any member of the hare family, chinchillas, hamsters, nutria, guinea pigs, and other rodents, pigeons, chickens, chicks, capons, ducks, geese, turkeys, doves, squab, and all other domestic or domesticated fowls and birds.
RECREATION SPACE. Any area, at ground level, enclosed by fencing or other approved means, and open to the sky, used exclusively for active or passive recreational purposes. Recreational buildings designed exclusively for recreational purposes in a senior citizen complex shall also qualify as RECREATIONAL SPACE.
RECREATIONAL VEHICLE. A camper, motor home, travel trailer or tent trailer, with or without motor power, designed for human habitation for recreational or emergency occupancy, with a living area less than 200 square feet, exclusive of built-in equipment such as wardrobes, closets, cabinets, kitchen unit, and the like.
ROOM, HABITABLE. An enclosing subdivision in a building commonly used for sleeping, living, cooking or dining purposes, excluding closets, pantries, bath or toilet rooms, service rooms, connecting corridors, laundries, unfinished attics, foyers, storage spaces, cellars, utility rooms and similar spaces. For purposes of applying parking space requirements:
(1) If any of the above excluded rooms or spaces equals or exceeds 90 square feet of superficial floor area and is capable of being used for living or sleeping purposes, the room or space shall be considered a habitable room; or
(2) If any room or space equals or exceeds 150 square feet of superficial floor area and is so designed to be capable of being used for both cooking and living, living or sleeping, or cooking and sleeping purposes, such room or space shall be considered as two habitable rooms, except in a studio or efficiency apartment. Superficial floor area shall be measured as clear floor space, exclusive of fixed or built-in cabinets or appliances.
SATELLITE RECEIVING ANTENNA. An antenna, dish antenna, or antenna of any configuration as well as appurtenant equipment, the purpose of which is to receive communication or other signals from orbiting satellites or other extraterrestrial sources.
SECONDARY USE. This term shall have the same meaning as ACCESSORY USE.
SIDEWALK. That paved portion of a thoroughfare, other than a roadway, set apart by curbs, barriers, markings, or other delineations for pedestrian travel.
SIGN. Any method of display or part thereof, for visual communication that includes any announcement, declaration, demonstration, display, illustration or insignia, which is used to advertise or promote the interests of any person, business group or enterprise.
SIGN STRUCTURE. Any structure which supports or is capable of supporting any sign as defined in this chapter.
STORAGE YARD. An open space unobstructed from the ground upward used for storage in an entirely screened area.
STORY. A space in a building between the surface of any floor and the surface of the floor next above, or if there is no floor above, then the space between the floor and the ceiling or roof above.
STREET. A public thoroughfare or right-of-way dedicated, deeded or condemned for use as such, other than an alley, which affords the principal means of access to abutting property, including avenue, place, way, drive, lane, boulevard, highway, road and any other thoroughfare, except as excluded in this title.
STREET CENTERLINE. The centerline of a street or right-of-way as established by official surveys.
STREET, SIDE. That street bounding a corner lot and which extends in the same general direction as the line determining the depth of the lot.
STRUCTURAL ALTERATIONS. Any change in the supporting members of a building, such as in a bearing wall, column, beam or girder, floor or ceiling joists, roof rafters, roof diaphragms, foundations, piles or retaining walls or similar components.
STRUCTURE. Anything constructed or built, an edifice or building of any kind, or any piece of work artificially built up or composed of parts joined together in some definite manner, which requires location on the ground or is attached to something having a location on the ground.
SWIMMING POOL. Shall be considered as a structure, except that it shall not be considered as covered space in computing lot coverage.
TRANSIENT. A person who requests accommodations for a price, with or without meals, for a period of not more than 180 days.
USE. The purpose for which land or a building is arranged, designed or intended, or for which either land or building is or may be occupied or maintained.
VISUAL OBSTRUCTION. Any combination of fencing, hedges, trees, shrubs and walls which limits the visibility of persons at intersecting or intercepting streets and alleys over three feet above the ground measured in a vertical plane of the sidewalk area.
WALL. Any structure or device forming a physical barrier, which is so constructed that 50% or more of the vertical surface is closed and prevents the passage of light, air and vision through said surface in a horizontal plane. This shall include concrete, concrete block, wood or other materials that are solid and are so assembled as to form a solid barrier. For WALL see also “fence” as defined in this section.
YARD, FRONT. The open space between the front wall of a main building on a lot closest to the street and the front lot line.
YARD, REAR. The open space between the rear wall of a main building on a lot closest to the rear lot line and the rear lot line.
YARD, SIDE. The open space between the side wall of a main building on a lot and the side lot line.
(`83 Code, § 17.04.080) (Ord. 94-03 § 6, 1994; Ord. 97-08 § 6, 1997; Ord. 98-05 § 2, 1998; Ord. 2005-08 § 6, 2005; Ord. 2008-02 § 5, 2008; Ord. 2009-01 § 13, 2009; Ord. 2016-08 §§ 13-18, 2016; Ord. 2018-03 § 1, 2, 2018; Ord. 2022-06 § 7, 2022)