Return & Rebuild Webinar Details Permitting Options

By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor

The offices of Councilmember Traci Park and Mayor Karen Bass co-hosted the Return & Rebuild LA Strong webinar on Wednesday evening, September 17, which included a question and answer period for residents to inquire about rebuild and permitting options in the Palisades.

“We reached a major milestone this month with the completion of the [U.S.] Army Corps of Engineers’ Private Property Debris Removal Program nearly a year ahead of original expectations, and overall the debris removal is 99% complete,” Bass said at the beginning of the 90-minute webinar. “Every week more and more Palisadians are starting the rebuilding process.”

At the time of the meeting, more than 1,400 applications had been submitted, according to Bass, with more than 690 plans approved and 220 homes confirmed to have started construction.

“If you’re having problems at any step along the way in the process, please reach out to us,” Bass said. “I was talking to [Pali Strong Founder] Larry Vein and it was mentioned that people are having problems with the hillsides and slopes, so we want to figure out how to address that. As much as I want to say I want to eliminate all red tape, there will be challenges.”

Bass also spoke on ULA tax, created by the “Measure United to House Los Angeles,” which was approved by voters in the city of Los Angeles in November 2022 to create a real estate transfer tax. The tax applies to the sale of properties valued over a certain threshold (currently 4% for sales over $5.3 million and 5.5% for sales over $10.6 million), to “fund affordable housing projects and provide resources to tenants at risk of homelessness.”

“I don’t want you to lose hope over the ULA issue, as I do believe we’re going to get that done,” Bass said. “I feel passionately that anyone who lost their home or was affected by the fires shouldn’t have to pay the transfer tax.”

Next to speak was Park, who also addressed ULA.

“We await a final report back from the city that will be scheduled in the budget and finance committee before it comes to the full city council for a vote,” Park explained. “ULA reform is a huge issue for many of you, and I’ll continue to work closely with [Bass] on that.”

Park also commented on recovery process, citing the mayor’s support, “particularly on the permit fee waivers.”

The first presentation of the webinar was made by Vince Bertoni, planning director for the city of LA, who said single-family homeowners who want to build back what was lost or explore other zoning compliance design options can do it through a streamlined administrative process “which is less time, less cost and less risk.”

“One of the things we started with is removing planning clearances, any discretionary actions and reviews for like for like rebuilds—what you had before with a little more (up to 110%) in the same location—with no public hearing, no discretionary review and no coastal development permit process,” he explained. “This means all properties that are utilizing Executive Order 1 wouldn’t have any planning clearance. The only ones that would have a planning review would be a new Detached Accessory Dwelling Unit on a bluff. No matter where you are, coastal or non-coastal, there’s no planning review in a like for like, except for that rare situation of the ADU that didn’t exist before.”

Senior City Planner Shannon Ryan, who attended Corpus Christi School and would later get married there, detailed Executive Order 1 (like for like) and Executive Order 8 (zoning compliance). She affirmed that “like for like” applies to all buildings (single-family, multi-family and commercial) with 110% of footprint and height and is exempt from CEQA, Coastal Act and Mello Act reviews, but it excludes development that did not exist before the fire, like pools or retaining walls. LA Department of Building and Safety will determine if a project qualifies for EO 1.

“For those who want to build something larger than what the like for like option would allow, EO 8 could be a good path for you,” Ryan said. “It allows for zoning compliance single-family rebuild in the coastal zone. Under this option any damaged or destroyed house can be rebuilt to the maximum size permitted by the zoning code without coastal or environmental review when meeting the requirements of the order, including adding accessory dwelling units, basements, retaining walls and pools. EO 8 reduces what typically would’ve been an 18- to 24-month long review process to one that might only take a few days or a couple of months.”

Setback requirements are 25 feet for coastal bluffs and 10 feet for canyon bluffs.

LADBS General Manager Osama Younan said the Palisades rebuild is a “top priority” and presented a step-by-step plan for getting a permit. The best way to submit is online at eplanla.lacity.org, he said, but it can also be done in person Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the One-Stop Rebuilding Center (1828 Sawtelle Boulevard).

Requirements for a complete submittal are architectural plans; structural plans and calculations; calculations for energy code compliance; and civil plans/reports, if grading activity is being performed. Younan verified that previously approved plans using 2019 California Building Code or later versions will be accepted.

Archistar CEO Dr. Benjamin Coorey used a visual slideshow presentation to diagram how the AI Pre-Plan Check works.

“There are three checks we’re doing—like for like, zoning and building code—and the benefits include streamlined plan reviews, reduced wait-time, and re-submissions and increased consistency of reviews,” he said.

The website to register for a free account is start.archistar.ai/us/lacity.

Regarding the Self-Certification Pilot Program, Younan stated that eligibility applies to homes up to three stories, including ADUs and recreation rooms (excluding projects in geologically sensitive areas and non-standard swimming pools). The newly established Standard Plan for Single Family Home Pilot Program is a way to speed up the permitting process, and Younan encouraged architects, engineers and builders to get design approval from DBS and to submit designs by September 30 to be part of the first batch release. Benefits of using a Standard Plan for homeowners include lower design costs, code compliance for safety and resilience, and customizable interiors.    

“We’ve received complaints that work is being done without a permit,” Younan said. “If you see something like this go to our website and report it. Once we get that we’ll have an investigator inspect the property and if we find out there’s a code violation for doing work without a permit we’ll send out an inspection case manager to guide them through the permit process. Every complaint we receive will be addressed.”

When asked if temporary structures will be allowed while waiting for rebuild approvals, Younan answered: “Yes, they’ll be allowed for the duration of the project, however long it takes.”

In response to a question about residents being allowed to add ADUs, duplexes or townhomes during rebuilding, Ryan said: “Under EO 1 and EO 8 applicants can apply for new accessory dwelling units to be added to their single-family home lot but they’re not eligible to add units beyond that. The ADU can be built prior to or concurrently with a single-family dwelling but no additional density can be added. The mayor’s Executive Order 9 suspends the use of Senate Bill 9 in the burn area. That would’ve allowed the development of up to four units on a single-family lot and that’s now been suspended.”

A full recording of the webinar is available at youtube.com/watch?v=f_MfVUy3sC8.