Cities in California are full of exceptions to zoning. Often, these exceptions come in the form of a Specific Plan, a legal tool that allows cities to override zoning with a new layer in a specific area that warrants special attention. Any project in a Specific Plan in Los Angeles needs to get a “Project Permit Compliance” from the Planning Department to show it complies with the Plan.
Specific Plans are designed to resolve the “one size doesn’t fit all” problem, but unfortunately, even Specific Plans have their own shortcomings when it comes down to comparing property to property. Specific Plan shortcomings can be resolved with similar tools as those properties outside of the Plans – Adjustments, Exceptions (similar to a Variance), and Amendments (similar to a General Plan Amendment).
Entitle and Permits has experience working in more than a dozen Specific Plans in the City of Los Angeles and neighboring cities.