21 - Street Frontage

Revised on 10-08-2021

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Per LAMC 91.109.3 - Issuance of Certificates, the City Engineer is authorized to review and provide BOE Clearances for LADBS building permit applications in order to verify existing street width and determine the following:

  1. The ADU is located on a lot fronting on a street that is improved with a roadway width of 20 feet or more in unobstructed width, as measured along the entire frontage of the subject property, after any associated dedication and improvement. 
  2. In the event the ADU is located on a through Lot or a corner Lot, the lot must front on at least one street that is improved with a roadway width of 20 feet or more in unobstructed width after any associated dedication and improvement  

LADBS, as part of the new ADU ordinance (Ord. 186481 - Accessory Dwelling Units and Junior Accessory Dwelling Units), is associated with those ADU units within the Hillside Area or Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone.  The ordinance prohibits ADUs in most hillside areas unless several conditions are met, one of which is that the improved street width directly in front of the property is at least 20 feet (per LAMC 12.22 A.33(c)(4)(ii)(c) - Exceptions, Use, Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU) and Junior Accessory Dwelling Units (JADU).  (pending inclusion into the on-line published LAMC)

Note: BOE created the Customer Service Request (CSR) Portal (located in the Customer Portal) to allow members of the public to make contact with City Staff for questions and/or assistance on any permit or development services related matter.  This includes requesting clearances for building permits.

LAWS, CODES, AND REGULATIONS CONCERNING CLEARANCES FOR PERMIT

PROCESSING THE BOE CLEARANCE FOR PERMIT

The following is the process of updating the "Street Frontage" clearance status on the Clearance Summary Worksheet.  This process is done through the LA Department of Building and Safety's (LADBS) Plan Check and Inspection System (PCIS) under the module called "Clearances".

SPECIAL NOTES

  • This is an ADU related clearance NOT a Hillside Ordinance related clearance.
  • There is no ZAD associated with this particular clearance, nor is there a requirement for the CPR roadway widths.
  • If any of the roadways immediately adjacent to the property have a minimum width of 20', BOE would mark the Clearance item as "Approved" (see below for instructions) and identify the roadway and right of way widths in the comments
  1. BOE to request a copy of the Building Permit Application for the subject project.  If the Applicant can't provide a copy, BOE staff can login to PCIS, Clearance and print a copy of the Building Permit Application (see Plan Check and Inspection System (PCIS) Usage instructions, under Printing a Building Permit Application).  Review the Building Permit Application for:
  2. Go to NavigateLA and search the subject property address and verify the following:
    1. Street Frontage Determination
      1. Minimum width of 20':  If any of the roadways immediately adjacent to the property have a minimum width of 20', BOE would mark the Clearance item as "Approved" in PCIS (see below for instructions)
      2. Less than 20' Wide:  If none of the roadways adjacent to the property have a minimum width of 20', and the Applicant wants to have a Building Permit issued, they will be required to widen the roadway to at least 20".  
        1. If the Applicant chooses NOT to improve the street, an ADU cannot be constructed (no ZA relief from this requirement) BOE shall mark the Clearance item as "Denied" (see below for instructions)
        2. If the Applicant chooses to improve the street, the Applicant shall suitably guarantee a "B" Permit and BOE shall confirm:
          1. No additional dedication is required to construct the improvements. BOE would mark the Clearance item as "Approved with Conditions" in PCIS (see below for instructions).
          2. If dedication is required, Applicant will be required to submit to BOE a Highway Dedication package.  Should the Applicant not have all the required information, BOE staff would provide the Applicant with the a Highway Dedication Procedures Handout (located within the on-line Highway Dedication Application database).  Once all required Highway Dedication package documents have been received, BOE staff to login into the Highway Dedication  Tracking System and locate the record.  If no record is found, BOE would be required to enter a new Highway Dedication record per the instructions in Administrative Requirements, 12.37 Highway Dedication Processing, 1-12.37 Highway Dedication Processing (BOE to make a note of the R/W No.  located within the "Property Information" grid in the Highway Dedication Tracking System).  BOE would leave the Clearance item as "Pending" until the Applicant provides all the Highway Dedication documentation.  Once the Applicant has submitted the proper highway dedication documents, BOE would mark the Clearance item as "Approved with Conditions"  (see below for instructions).  Items the Applicant will be required to provide BOE include:
            • Dedication fee per the current BOE Standard Fee List
            • Copy of the Building Permit Application and Clearance Summary Worksheet
            • Title Report that is less that six (6) months old
            • If the property involved is owned by a partnership or LLC, the Partnership Agreement or LP1 must be submitted along with the Preliminary Title Report or Title Insurance Policy showing who is authorized to sign on behalf of the company.
            • If the area to be dedicated is varied, Applicant should provide a private land surveyors Legal Description of the area to be dedicated
  3. BOE staff to login to PCIS and complete the following (additional instructions can also be found in the "Plan Check and Inspection System (PCIS) Usage document in this manual.
  4. Click "Save Status" (if this is not clicked, the worksheet will not save)
  5. Change status to one of the following based on the description of work proposed:
    1. Not Required - Not used 
    2. Exempt - Not used
    3. Approved for Drainage - Not used
    4. Approved with Conditions - Used if any of the roadways immediately adjacent to the property have a minimum width less than 20' and the Applicant DOES want to improve the street and when a "B" Permit #XXXXXX is suitably guaranteed.  Also used if dedication is required.
    5. Approved - Used for properties where an adjacent roadway width is 20' or greater
    6. Denied - Used if any of the roadways immediately adjacent to the property have a minimum width less than 20' and the Applicant DOES NOT wish to widen the street
    7. Pending - Used when the Applicant has not satisfied the conditions of the Clearance including not suitably guaranteeing the "B" Permit or submitting all the required dedication paperwork
  6. Within PCIS click the "Comment" box in the upper right side on the screen.  Typical comments that could be entered include:
    1. Sample "Approved" Comment 1 - Roadway is XXXXX ROW is XXXXX
    2. Sample "Approved with Conditions" Comment 1 - "B" Permit XXXXXXX and R/W XXXXX ( if applicable).  "B" Permit has been suitably guaranteed.  (Approved with Conditions is not used if the Applicant only pays the deposit for the B Permit)
    3. Sample "Denied" Comment 1 - Roadway is XXXX and Applicant does not wish to widen
    4. Sample "Pending" Comment 1 - "B" Permit is required.
    5. Sample "Pending" Comment 2 -  "B" Permit XXXXXXX and XX feet of dedication is required.  "B" Permit has been suitably guaranteed.  
    6. Sample "Pending" Comment 3 -  R/W XXXXX, B Permit is required.