All properties located within Local Historic Districts (also called Historic Preservation Overlay Zones, or HPOZs) must undergo additional review for exterior renovations, additions, new construction, or other changes to the exterior, including changes that may not require a building permit, such as landscaping and paint.
Work done within a Local Historic District without HPOZ review may be subject to Department of Building and Safety Code Enforcement action and related fines. If you are not sure if a project is subject to HPOZ review, please contact the planner assigned to the district.
Each district’s Historic Resource Survey identifies properties as either “Contributing” (which includes “Contributing Altered”) or “Non-Contributing.” Contributing properties are historic resources. To determine if a particular structure, landscape feature, natural feature, or site is Contributing, consult Los Angeles City Planning’s web-based mapping tool, Zoning Information and Map Access System (ZIMAS). The type of review is determined by the scale, location, and scope of the project, as well as whether the property is designated as Contributing or Non-Contributing.
How to Submit a Project for HPOZ Review
Historic Designation
Use ZIMAS to confirm that the property is located within an HPOZ and to check its designation (Contributing Structure, Contributing Altered, or Non-Contributing Structure). See Using ZIMAS to Find Historic Preservation Information.
and Review
Submit an application via the Department’s Online Application System. After submitting, planning staff will contact the applicant to advise on next steps.
The review process will be determined by the project description and status of the site or building, and will formally begin once the applicant submits all of the relevant information to deem the application complete.
The application will be subject to one of four procedures depending on the project description: Certificate of Appropriateness (COA), Certificate of Compatibility (CCMP), Conforming Work on a Contributing Structure (CWC), or Conforming Work on a Non-Contributing Structure (CWNC), which may require HPOZ board review and/or filing fees.
Plan Guidelines
All projects in an HPOZ require planning approvals and/or HPOZ board review prior to the start of construction. The HPOZ Preservation Plans provide helpful information about the architectural massing, style, and materials applicants should consider when developing their project proposals.
& Project Clearance
The applicant will receive a copy of the decision once City Planning issues the Letter of Determination (LOD). If the project requires a Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) or Certificate of Compatibility (CCMP) there is a 15 day appeal period. Conforming Work on a Contributing Structure (CWC) and Confirming Work on a Non-Contributing Structure (CWNC) are not appealable. When a project is approved and no appeal is filed, the assigned planning staff can then sign off on any associated permits.
