The Los Angeles City Planning Commission Thursday recommended approval of a new Processes and Procedures Ordinance that would consolidate more than 100 existing processes to about 50.
The Department of City Planning said ordinance would lay the groundwork for a more user-friendly, transparent, and predictable set of rules for project review.
“These changes recognize how much our city’s Zoning Code has grown in complexity over time,” Planning Commission President Samantha Millman said. “Applicants and residents alike will no longer require the assistance of hired professionals to help them navigate the code or understand the project approval process.”
The proposed ordinance will now go to the city council for potential approval.
The Planning Department said the new provisions of the Zoning Code would centralize them in a new article and chapter of the Los Angeles Municipal Code, which will make it easier for individuals to locate the procedures governing specific project applications.
The proposal would not make changes to land use regulations or the zoning of properties.
The ordinance is part of the re:code LA project, the department’s initiative update the city’s Zoning Code.
“These changes are about fostering a modernized code,” Director of Planning Vince Bertoni said. “The steps we’ve taken today will go a long way in informing future planning considerations — making planning ultimately more relatable and accessible.”