Los Angeles City Charter § 550 Powers and Duties of the Department.
Sec. 550. Powers and Duties of the Department.
The Department of City Planning shall have and exercise all the powers and duties provided for it in the Charter or by ordinance.
CITY PLANNING DEPARTMENT
Los Angeles City Charter tit. I, art. V, pt. CITY PLANNING DEPARTMENT
in effectLos Angeles City Charter § 551 City Planning Commission.
Sec. 551. City Planning Commission.
The Board of Commissioners of the City Planning Department shall be known as the City Planning Commission and shall consist of nine members. It shall:
(a) give advice and make recommendations to the Mayor, Council, Director of Planning, municipal departments and agencies with respect to City planning and related activities and legislation;
(b) make recommendations concerning amendment of the General Plan and proposed zoning ordinances in accordance with Sections 555 and 558;
(c) make reports and recommendations to the Council and to other governmental officers or agencies as may be necessary to implement and secure compliance with the General Plan; and
(d) perform other functions prescribed by the Charter or ordinance.
Los Angeles City Charter § 552 Area Planning Commissions.
Sec. 552. Area Planning Commissions.
The Council shall adopt an ordinance creating not less than five separate bodies to be known as Area Planning Commissions. The ordinance shall establish the boundaries of the area to be served by each Area Planning Commission, which shall be drawn so that all areas of the City are served by an Area Planning Commission. Each Area Planning Commission shall consist of five members. Members shall be appointed and removed in the same manner as members of the City Planning Commission, except that residency in the area served by the Area Planning Commission shall be a qualification for appointment. Except as provided in subsection (d), Area Planning Commissions are quasi-judicial agencies.
Each Area Planning Commission, with respect to matters concerning property located in the area served by the Area Planning Commission, shall have and exercise the power to:
(a) hear and determine appeals where it is alleged there is error or abuse of discretion in any order, requirement, decision, interpretation or other determination made by a Zoning Administrator;
(b) hear and make determinations on any matter normally under the jurisdiction of a Zoning Administrator when that matter has been transferred to the jurisdiction of the Area Planning Commission because the Zoning Administrator has failed to act within the time limits prescribed by ordinance;
(c) hear and determine applications for, or appeals related to, conditional use permits and other similar quasi-judicial approvals, in accordance with procedures prescribed by ordinance;
(d) make recommendations with respect to zone changes or similar matters referred to it from the City Planning Commission pursuant to Section 562; and
(e) hear and determine other matters delegated to it by ordinance.
Los Angeles City Charter § 553 Director of Planning.
Sec. 553. Director of Planning.
(a) The chief administrative officer of the Department of City Planning shall be known as the Director of Planning and shall be appointed and removed as provided in Section 508. The Director shall be chosen on the basis of administrative and technical qualifications, with special reference to actual experience in and knowledge of accepted practice in the field of City planning.
(b) The Director of Planning or his or her designee shall:
(1) prepare the proposed General Plan of the City and proposed amendments to the General Plan;
(2) prepare all proposed zoning and other land use regulations and requirements, including maps of all proposed districts or zones;
(3) make investigations and act on the design and improvement of all proposed subdivisions of land as the advisory agency under the State Subdivision Map Act; and
(4) have those additional powers and duties provided by ordinance.
Los Angeles City Charter § 554 General Plan - Purpose and Contents.
Sec. 554. General Plan - Purpose and Contents.
The General Plan shall be a comprehensive declaration of goals, objectives, policies and programs for the development of the City and shall include, where applicable, diagrams, maps and text setting forth those and other features.
(a) Purposes. The General Plan shall serve as a guide for:
(1) the physical development of the City;
(2) the development, correlation and coordination of official regulations, controls, programs and services; and
(3) the coordination of planning and administration by all agencies of the City government, other governmental bodies and private organizations and individuals involved in the development of the City.
(b) Content. The General Plan shall include those elements required by state law and any other elements determined to be appropriate by the Council, by resolution, after considering the recommendation of the City Planning Commission.
Los Angeles City Charter § 555 General Plan - Procedures for Adoption.
Sec. 555. General Plan - Procedures for Adoption.
Procedures pertaining to the preparation, consideration, adoption and amendment of the General Plan, or any of its elements or parts, shall be prescribed by ordinance, subject to the requirements of this section.
(a) Amendment in Whole or in Part. The General Plan may be amended in its entirety, by subject elements or parts of subject elements, or by geographic areas, provided that the part or area involved has significant social, economic or physical identity.
(b) Initiation of Amendments. The Council, the City Planning Commission or the Director of Planning may propose amendments to the General Plan. The Director of Planning shall make a report and recommendation on all proposed amendments. Prior to Council action, the proposed amendment shall be referred to the City Planning Commission for its recommendation and then to the Mayor for his or her recommendation.
(c) Commission and Mayoral Recommendations. The City Planning Commission shall hold a public hearing before making any recommendation on a proposed amendment to the General Plan and shall act within the time specified by ordinance. If the Commission recommends disapproval of an amendment initiated by the Commission, it shall report its decision to the Council and Mayor. After the Commission recommends approval of an amendment initiated by the Commission, or takes action concerning an amendment initiated by the Director or the Council, the Commission shall forward its recommendation to the Mayor. The Mayor shall have 30 days to forward his or her recommendation to the Council regarding the proposed amendment to the General Plan. If either the City Planning Commission or the Mayor does not act within the time specified, the Commission or Mayor shall be deemed to have recommended approval of the proposed amendment.
(d) Council Action. The Council shall conduct a public hearing before taking action on a proposed amendment to the General Plan.
If the Council proposes any modification to the amendment approved by the City Planning Commission, that proposed modification shall be referred to the City Planning Commission and the Mayor for their recommendations. The City Planning Commission and the Mayor shall review any modification made by the Council and shall make their recommendation on the modification to the Council in accordance with subsection (c) above.
If no modifications are proposed by the Council, or after receipt of the Mayor’s and City Planning Commission’s recommendations on any proposed modification, or the expiration of their time to act, the Council shall adopt or reject the proposed amendment by resolution within the time specified by ordinance.
(e) Votes Necessary for Adoption. If both the City Planning Commission and the Mayor recommend approval of a proposed amendment, the Council may adopt the amendment by a majority vote. If either the City Planning Commission or the Mayor recommends the disapproval of a proposed amendment, the Council may adopt the amendment only by a two-thirds vote. If both the City Planning Commission and the Mayor recommend the disapproval of a proposed amendment, the Council may adopt the amendment only by a three-fourths vote. If the Council proposes a modification of an amendment, the recommendations of the Commission and the Mayor on the modification shall affect only that modification.
Los Angeles City Charter § 556 General Plan Compliance.
Sec. 556. General Plan Compliance.
When approving any matter listed in Section 558, the City Planning Commission and the Council shall make findings showing that the action is in substantial conformance with the purposes, intent and provisions of the General Plan. If the Council does not adopt the City Planning Commission’s findings and recommendations, the Council shall make its own findings.
Los Angeles City Charter § 557 General Plan Areas.
Sec. 557. General Plan Areas.
For the purpose of reviewing or amending the General Plan, the City Planning Commission shall make its recommendations to the Council relative to the division of the entire City into areas and the Council, after considering the recommendations of the City Planning Commission, shall adopt a resolution providing for those General Plan areas. To the extent feasible, general plan areas shall be drawn to keep areas geographically compact, to keep neighborhoods and communities intact, and to utilize natural boundaries and street lines.
Los Angeles City Charter § 558 Procedure for Adoption, Amendment or Repeal of Certain Ordinances, Orders and Resolutions.
Sec. 558. Procedure for Adoption, Amendment or Repeal of Certain Ordinances, Orders and Resolutions.
(a) The requirements of this section shall apply to the adoption, amendment or repeal of ordinances, orders or resolutions by the Council concerning:
(1) the creation or change of any zones or districts for the purpose of regulating the use of land;
(2) zoning or other land use regulations concerning permissible uses, height, density, bulk, location or use of buildings or structures, size of yards, open space, setbacks, building line requirements, and other similar requirements, including specific plan ordinances;
(3) private street regulations;
(4) public projects; and
(5) the acquisition of, change of area or alignment to, abandonment of, or vacation of any public right of way, park, playground, airport, public building site or other public way, ground or open space, but not including easements for sewers, storm drains or slopes, nor the temporary transfer of jurisdiction over any portion of a street to another local agency.
(b) Procedures for the adoption, amendment or repeal of ordinances, orders or resolutions described in subsection (a) shall be prescribed by ordinance, subject to the following limitations:
(1) Initiation. An ordinance, order or resolution may be proposed by the Council, the City Planning Commission, or Director of Planning or by application of the owner of the affected property if authorized by ordinance.
(2) Recommendation of the City Planning Commission. After initiation, the proposed ordinance, order or resolution shall be referred to the City Planning Commission for its report and recommendation regarding the relation of the proposed ordinance, order or resolution to the General Plan and, in the case of proposed zoning regulations, whether adoption of the proposed ordinance, order or resolution will be in conformity with public necessity, convenience, general welfare and good zoning practice. The City Planning Commission shall act within the time specified by ordinance. After the City Planning Commission has made its report and recommendation, or after the time for it to act has expired, the Council may consider the matter. Failure to act within the time prescribed by ordinance shall be deemed to be a recommendation of approval by the City Planning Commission of the proposed ordinance, order or resolution.
(3) Action by the Council. Before adopting a proposed ordinance, order or resolution, the Council shall make the findings required in subsection(b)(2) of this section.
(A) Planning Commission Recommendation of Approval. If the City Planning Commission recommends approval of the proposed ordinance, order or resolution, the Council may adopt an ordinance, order or resolution conforming to the Commission recommendation by majority vote.
(B) Planning Commission Recommendation Against Approval. If the City Planning Commission recommends against approval of the proposed ordinance, order or resolution, and the matter has been initiated by the filing of an application, the City Planning Commission action shall be final, subject to appeal to the Council in accordance with procedures prescribed by ordinance. The Council shall review the action of the Commission appealed from and may adopt an ordinance, order or resolution contrary to the recommendation of the Commission only by a two-thirds vote. If the City Planning Commission recommends against approval of the proposed ordinance, order, or resolution, and the matter has been initiated by the Council, the Council may take action on the matter without an appeal. The Council may adopt the proposed ordinance, order or resolution only by a two-thirds vote.
(C) Failure of Planning Commission to Act. If the Commission fails to make any recommendation within the time specified by ordinance, an ordinance, order or resolution in conformity with that which was initiated by the Council or by application shall be prepared and presented to the Council, and may be adopted by majority vote.
Los Angeles City Charter § 559 Delegation of Authority.
Sec. 559. Delegation of Authority.
The City Planning Commission may authorize the Director of Planning to approve or disapprove for the Commission any ordinance, order or resolution or modification thereto which is subject to the provisions of Sections 555 or 558. In exercising that authority, the Director must make the same findings as would have been required for the City Planning Commission to act on the same matter. An action of the Director under this authority shall be subject to the same time limits and shall have the same effect as if the City Planning Commission had acted directly.
Los Angeles City Charter § 560 Hearings and Investigations.
Sec. 560. Hearings and Investigations.
The City Planning Commission and Area Planning Commissions may authorize the Director of Planning or his or her designee to conduct hearings on behalf of the commission. The Director of Planning shall make investigations relative to all matters provided for in Sections 555 and 558 as the City Planning Commission may direct and shall file reports with the City Planning Commission.
Los Angeles City Charter § 561 Office of Zoning Administration.
Sec. 561. Office of Zoning Administration.
There shall be a quasi-judicial agency known as the Office of Zoning Administration. The duties of this office shall be performed by one or more Zoning Administrators as authorized by the Council, who shall be appointed by the Director of Planning subject to the civil service provisions of the Charter. If more than one Zoning Administrator is authorized, a position of Chief Zoning Administrator shall be established, the appointment to which shall be made by the Director of Planning, and the others shall be Associate Zoning Administrators. Subject to rules and regulations as may be prescribed by ordinance, the Office of Zoning Administration shall investigate and determine all applications for variances from any of the regulations and requirements of the zoning ordinances, and shall have other powers and duties with respect to zoning and land use as prescribed by ordinance.
The Council shall by ordinance provide time limits within which a Zoning Administrator must act for each type of case under his or her jurisdiction. If no determination is made by a Zoning Administrator within the prescribed time, the applicant may request that the matter be transferred to the jurisdiction of an Area Planning Commission or other board as prescribed by ordinance.
The Chief Zoning Administrator may adopt rules necessary to carry out the requirements prescribed by ordinance and which are not in conflict or inconsistent with those ordinances. All rules and regulations shall be available for inspection in accordance with the requirements of the California Public Records Act.
SECTION HISTORY
Amended by: Third para., Charter Amendment II, approved November 5, 2024, effective January 8, 2025.
Los Angeles City Charter § 562 Variances.
Sec. 562. Variances.
The Council shall prescribe by ordinance the procedures for the granting of variances subject to the following:
(a) Initial Hearing and Determination. All applications for variances shall be heard and determined by a Zoning Administrator except as otherwise provided in Section 564.
(b) Appeals Process. An aggrieved person may appeal a variance decision of the Zoning Administrator to the Area Planning Commission. The grant of a variance by the Area Planning Commission may be further appealed to the City Planning Commission or Council as prescribed by ordinance. There shall be no further appeal from the decision of the Area Planning Commission to deny a variance. However, that action of the Area Planning Commission is subject to Council review pursuant to Section 245.
(c) Findings for Granting a Variance. The following findings shall be made before a variance may be granted:
(1) that the strict application of the provisions of the zoning ordinance would result in practical difficulties or unnecessary hardships inconsistent with the general purposes and intent of the zoning regulations;
(2) that there are special circumstances applicable to the subject property such as size, shape, topography, location or surroundings that do not apply generally to other property in the same zone and vicinity;
(3) that the variance is necessary for the preservation and enjoyment of a substantial property right or use generally possessed by other property in the same zone and vicinity but which, because of the special circumstances and practical difficulties or unnecessary hardships, is denied to the property in question;
(4) that the granting of the variance will not be materially detrimental to the public welfare, or injurious to the property or improvements in the same zone or vicinity in which the property is located; and
(5) that the granting of the variance will not adversely affect any element of the General Plan.
The grant of a variance may include conditions that will remedy a disparity of privileges and that are necessary to protect the public health, safety or welfare and assure compliance with the objectives of the General Plan and the purpose and intent of the zoning ordinance. A variance shall not be used to grant a special privilege or to permit a use substantially inconsistent with the limitations upon other properties in the same zone and vicinity. The Zoning Administrator may deny a variance if the conditions creating the need for the variance were self-imposed.
Los Angeles City Charter § 563 Conditional Use Permits and Other Approvals.
Sec. 563. Conditional Use Permits and Other Approvals.
(a) Subdivisions. The procedure for the approval of parcel maps, subdivision maps and other approvals granted pursuant to the State Subdivision Map Act shall be prescribed by ordinance.
(b) Conditional Use Permits and Other Similar Quasi-Judicial Approvals. The Council shall prescribe by ordinance the procedure for the granting of conditional use permits and similar quasi-judicial approvals subject to the following:
(1) Initial Determination. Applications for conditional use permits and similar quasi-judicial land use approvals shall be heard and determined either by the Zoning Administrator or Area Planning Commission as provided by ordinance. However, the City Planning Commission may adopt rules and regulations, subject to approval by ordinance, that identify classes or categories of quasi-judicial approvals that have citywide impact, and provide for those approvals to be heard and determined by the City Planning Commission instead of an Area Planning Commission.
(2) Appeals Process. An aggrieved person may appeal a decision of the Zoning Administrator with respect to a conditional use permit or similar quasi-judicial approval to the Area Planning Commission. Decisions of an Area Planning Commission, except those decisions made by the Area Planning Commission on appeal from a decision of the Zoning Administrator, may be appealed either to the City Planning Commission or Council, as provided by ordinance. However, the process for the approval of conditional use permits and similar quasi-judicial approvals may not include more than one level of appeal from the decision of a decision-making official or body. For purposes of this restriction:
(A) The use of hearing examiners or other methods by which recommendations are made to a decision-making official or body does not preclude an appeal from the decision of the decision-making official or body.
(B) If the Council is acting as the appellate body, the Council’s action may be subject to Mayoral approval and Council override of Mayoral disapproval by a two-thirds vote of the Council, if so provided by ordinance.
(C) Council review of an action under Charter Section 245 shall not be considered an appeal for purposes of this section.
(D) The restrictions on appeals do not apply to any legislative actions.
Los Angeles City Charter § 564 Projects Requiring Multiple Approvals.
Sec. 564. Projects Requiring Multiple Approvals.
If a project requires approvals by both the Zoning Administrator and either an Area Planning Commission or the City Planning Commission, those approvals that would otherwise be heard and determined by the Zoning Administrator shall be heard and determined by the Area Planning Commission or City Planning Commission, whichever has jurisdiction over the other approvals required for the project. Approvals for a project that requires both quasi-judicial and legislative actions shall be heard and determined by the City Planning Commission, except as provided in Section 565.
Los Angeles City Charter § 565 Delegation of Legislative Authority to Area Planning Commissions.
Sec. 565. Delegation of Legislative Authority to Area Planning Commissions.
The City Planning Commission may adopt rules and regulations, subject to approval by ordinance, identifying classes or categories of legislative actions for projects determined not to have citywide impact, and provide for action on those projects to be taken by an Area Planning Commission in lieu of the City Planning Commission.
Los Angeles City Charter § 566 Time Limits.
Sec. 566. Time Limits.
The Council shall by ordinance establish time limits by which action shall be taken on all requests for quasi-judicial approvals and proposed zone changes initiated by application of the affected property owner.
Source: City of Los Angeles, Charter and Codes (American Legal Publishing, codelibrary.amlegal.com)URL: https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/los_angeles/latest/laac/0-0-0-2419Fetched: 10/24/2026