About

The State of California and the Los Angeles City Charter require the City to maintain a General Plan that sets the long-range vision for the physical development of the city. The General Plan is structured into various chapters, known as Elements, each focusing on a different aspect of the urban environment. The General Plan must include nine mandatory Elements (such as Land Use, Safety, Housing, and Noise) but each jurisdiction has the ability to reorganize the Elements or include additional Elements based on needs and values. Each Element contains goals, policies, and programs that guide decision making and establish the future form and development of the City.

The General Plan provides guidance on where and how the City responds to and prepares for change. While the General Plan is maintained and updated by City Planning, it reflects the work and policy direction for all City departments. It is the foundation City departments and the City Council use to determine policy priorities and make informed decisions pertaining to land use and development.

The City’s General Plan provides the structure for all planning and land use activities in the City. It articulates the City’s vision and goals in the broadest terms. The City’s 34 Community Plans, which collectively serve as the Land Use Element, elaborate on the direction set by the Citywide Elements of the General Plan. The Zoning Code translates the policies set in the General Plan and Community Plans into specific rules and regulations, which are applied to every plot of land in the city.

The City of Los Angeles is geographically divided into 34 Community Plan Areas (and two Special Purpose Districts: Port of Los Angeles and Los Angeles World Airports). The City has embarked on a separate, but related, effort to update these plans.

The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) helps cities determine if a project will adversely affect the environment and defines procedures required for each project to complete the CEQA process. Any General Plan Update will undergo CEQA analysis before its adoption.

Some General Plan Elements, like Housing and Safety, have state mandated deadlines for updates. All other Elements are required to undergo periodic updates, but no specific deadline is set by the State. General Plan documents are drafted on a 20-year time frame, but can be updated more or less frequently depending on changes to local priorities or state laws. Given the size and complexity of Los Angeles, the City Planning Department is almost always updating a portion of its General Plan.

The General Plan sets high-level policies that guide the work of all City of Los Angeles Departments and Bureaus. Most of these departments implement General Plan policies with an agency-specific strategic plan, master plan, or implementation program that outlines how the department will provide services. Some departments also take on initiatives to address specific priorities. A few examples:

One Water LA is a collaborative effort led by Los Angeles Sanitation (LASAN) to develop an integrated framework for managing the City’s water resources, watersheds, and water facilities in an environmentally, economically, and socially beneficial manner.

The Local Hazard Mitigation Plan identifies and assesses the hazards to which the City is most vulnerable and develops mitigation strategies to reduce its vulnerability to the risks inherent in natural and human-made hazards.

Vision Zero is an initiative led by the Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) that brings together several city agencies, elected offices, and other partners to end traffic deaths and serious injuries. This effort works toward the first goal of the Mobility Element of the General Plan: “Safety First.” Programs like Vision Zero help departments implement the policies and goals of the General Plan, translating the vision of the plan into specific actions and projects.

The City of Los Angeles is part of a larger regional governance structure. Because Los Angeles’s economy, transportation networks, and ecosystems are tied to those of surrounding cities, the Department collaborates with several agencies to plan for the City and larger region. The Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG), for example, works with all local jurisdictions to coordinate policy on topics such as housing, transportation, and jobs for the region. The Department of City Planning works alongside SCAG to ensure consistency in demographic projections. The Department also coordinates with the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) on their long-range plans to improve and expand public transportation and mobility in the region, and with the Los Angeles County Department of Regional Planning to ensure we are planning for regional benefits.

 

General Plan Elements
 

Access full details about each Element.

The City of Los Angeles is currently updating the Community Plans for the three Community Plan Areas of the Southeast Valley: North Hollywood-Valley Village, Sherman Oaks-Studio City-Toluca Lake-Cahuenga Pass, and Van Nuys-North Sherman Oaks.

The plans constitute the Land Use Element of the General Plan, the long-range planning document that presents the City’s vision for the future of its neighborhoods. The Land Use Element of the City’s General Plan consists of 34 Community Plans. Their purpose is to guide future growth in the City’s communities, based on knowledge of current conditions, projected demographic changes, and the priorities of residents and other stakeholders.

Through the Community Plan update process, the Planning Department works with community stakeholders to develop a vision unique to the Southeast Valley’s needs based on current and anticipated conditions related to land use, housing, jobs, transportation, environmental protection, and other factors. When finished, each Community Plan consists of both a long-range policy document and a zoning map. Watch this short video explaining Community Plans.

Outreach Timeline

The multi-year update process began in July 2018. It will culminate in the City Council’s adoption of the Community Plans. Below is the current timeline for the Southeast Valley Community Plans Update. Please sign up for updates on our Contact page.

 

The North Hollywood-Valley Village Community Plan Area is located in the southeastern portion of the San Fernando Valley. It is generally bounded by the Metrolink right-of-way to the north, the City of Burbank to the east, the 101 and the 134 freeways to the south, and the Tujunga Wash Channel to the west.

  • North Hollywood, developed with a mix of single-family and multi-family residential units, comprises most of the Plan Area. The neighborhood also includes the NoHo Arts District and a significant industrial core in the north along the Metrolink right-of-way.
     
  • Valley Village is located in the southwestern portion of the Plan Area. The majority of the community is developed with single-family homes. It also includes commercial developments, mainly along Laurel Canyon Boulevard.
     
  • The area also includes part of the Valley Glen neighborhood, located just west of the 170 freeway, which is developed with primarily single-family neighborhoods. Multi-family and commercial uses are located along major corridors and there are industrial uses along the northern boundary.

The Plan Area is surrounded by City of Los Angeles communities of Sun Valley, Panorama City, Van Nuys, Sherman Oaks, and Studio City, as well as portions of Toluca Lake and the City of Burbank.

Existing Community Plan (1996)
Existing Land Use Map

The Sherman Oaks-Studio City-Toluca Lake-Cahuenga Pass Community Plan Area is located in the southeastern portion of the San Fernando Valley. It is generally bounded by the 405 freeway to the west, the 101 and the 134 freeways to the north, the City of Burbank to the east, and Mulholland Drive to the south.

  • Sherman Oaks, located in the western portion of the Plan Area, is composed of single-family and multi-family residential neighborhoods and Regional Center Commercial along Ventura and Sepulveda Boulevards.
     
  • Studio City is bounded by Lankershim Boulevard to the east and Fulton Avenue to the west and includes a significant segment of the Los Angeles River. In addition to single-family neighborhoods, there are multi-family uses concentrated along Moorpark Street and commercial uses along Laurel Canyon Boulevard near Ventura Boulevard. The area is also home to CBS Studios (Radford Studio Center).
     
  • Toluca Lake is located in the eastern portion of the Plan Area bordering the City of Burbank and consists mainly of single-family neighborhoods and low-rise, pedestrian-friendly commercial development.
     
  • Cahuenga Pass has historically served as a transitional area between the urbanized core of Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley. The area has several single-family neighborhoods in the hills, as well as commercial development along the 101 freeway.
     

The Plan Area is surrounded by City of Los Angeles communities of Encino, Van Nuys, North Hollywood, Valley Village, Hollywood, and Bel Air-Beverly Crest as well as the City of Burbank and Universal City, a portion of land governed and planned by Los Angeles County.

Existing Community Plan (1998)
Existing Land Use Map

The Van Nuys-North Sherman Oaks Community Plan Area is generally bounded by the Metrolink right-of-way to the north, the Tujunga Wash to the east, the 101 freeway to the south, and Gloria Avenue, Valjean Avenue, and the 405 freeway to the west.

  • Van Nuys is located north of Burbank Boulevard and comprises the majority of the Plan Area. The area is home to the Valley's Civic Center, with commercial uses concentrated largely on Van Nuys and Sepulveda Boulevards. Most of the area's residential neighborhoods consist of single-family homes with multi-family development in the Civic Center area and along the larger boulevards. Van Nuys also has two significant industrially zoned areas: flanking the Orange Line between Van Nuys and Sepulveda, and along the Metrolink right-of-way to the north.
     
  • North Sherman Oaks comprises the southern portion of the Plan Area bordering the 101 freeway. The neighborhood primarily consists of pockets of single-family neighborhoods with multi-family housing on corridors and commercial uses concentrated on Van Nuys and Sepulveda Boulevards, at key intersections, and along Riverside Drive.
     
  • The area also includes part of the Valley Glen neighborhood, located just west of the 170 freeway, which is developed with primarily single-family neighborhoods. Multi-family and commercial uses are located along major corridors and there are industrial uses along the northern boundary. Landmarks include Los Angeles Valley College and the Tujunga Wash.

Neighboring communities include Lake Balboa, North Hills, Panorama City, North Hollywood, Valley Village, Studio City, and Sherman Oaks.

Existing Community Plan (1998)
Existing Land Use Map

 

What is a Community Plan
 

Community Plans shape the environment around us by defining how land is used in a neighborhood.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
 

Click below for answers to frequently asked questions about the Southeast Valley Community Plans Updates.

Environmental Justice Policy Work Programs

As a continued effort to recognize impacted communities and acknowledge historical needs to address environmental justice in Los Angeles, City Planning’s Environmental Justice Policy Team has embarked on a comprehensive effort to centralize and strengthen environmental justice policies in the City’s General Plan. Los Angeles’ General Plan prescribes policy goals and objectives that inform land use decisions, and ultimately shape and guide the physical development of the City. The Environmental Justice Policy Work Programs include General Plan updates and extensive community outreach and engagement that address issues related to land use, sustainability, climate equity, open space and environmental justice.

Three separate environmental justice work programs were initiated in 2023-2024 to help develop an equitable and transformative policy framework: the Climate Vulnerability Assessment, the Health and Environmental Justice Element Update and the Open Space Element Update.

Please see below for the current status of these department work programs:

  • Open Space Element Update: This multi-year work program is ongoing and will continue to advance through the update process. Public feedback on a preliminary draft of the Open Space Element was collected through March 31, 2026. This input will be used to develop an updated version of the element as it progresses toward the adoption phase. More information is available on the Department’s Open Space page.
     
  • Climate Vulnerability Assessment (CVA): The CVA has been completed and is available on the Department’s Climate Equity page.
     
  • Health and Environmental Justice Element Update:  The City's adopted budget for fiscal year 2025-2026 included the elimination of the Health and Environmental Justice work program and as a result, this work was discontinued in October 2025 after the second phase of outreach and engagement concluded. More information is available on the Department’s Health & EJ page.
     

Summary

The Environmental Justice (EJ) Policy Program was launched in August 2023. The Health and Environmental Justice Element work program was intended to combine the existing Health and Air Quality Elements to centralize and strengthen environmental justice policies in the City’s General Plan. The targeted update of the Open Space Element was initiated on a parallel track to address climate resilience, environmental justice and rewilding. A Climate Vulnerability Assessment for the City was also conducted to inform the Department’s overall approach to policy development and future climate planning efforts.

Background

Environmental justice is defined in State law as the “fair treatment and meaningful involvement of people of all races, cultures, incomes, and national origins, with respect to the development, adoption, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.”1 The principle of environmental justice ensures equal and equitable protection from environmental and health hazards, while giving people fair and equal access to the planning and decision-making process.

The General Plan includes existing policy language that calls for the benefits of growth and investment be distributed equitably, while also ensuring that the costs are not disproportionately borne by over-burdened and under-resourced groups. Recent efforts led by City Planning to implement policies and programs that center on health and environmental justice include the recent adoption of the Oil and Gas Drilling Ordinance and the development of the draft Landscape and Site Design Ordinance to advance healthy building design and climate-adapted site design standards in the City.

However, residents in many of the City’s lower income neighborhoods continue to be more likely to live next to noxious land uses, truck routes, and other environmental hazards that affect their health. Combined with poor social and economic environments, many communities face the cumulative burden of risk and impact that may be addressed through a focus on public health and environmental justice. A commitment to environmental justice includes ensuring meaningful community participation in the planning process to promote equity and representation for underserved communities.

1The full definition of “environmental justice” in California State Law is found in California Government Code Section 65040.12(e). The Federal EPA defines environmental justice similarly; the full definition can be found at: http://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/

 

The Orange (G) Line

The Orange (G) Line Transit Neighborhood Plan, also referred to as the Orange Line TNP or OLTNP, is a long-range planning effort around three Metro Orange (G) Line stations in the eastern San Fernando Valley. As part of the Transit Neighborhood Plans, Los Angeles City Planning is developing regulatory tools and strategies for the areas around the Van Nuys, Sepulveda, and North Hollywood Stations along the Metro Orange (G) Line. These tools and strategies aim to create more housing options and job opportunities in proximity to transit. Directing growth to these areas is an overarching principle of the City’s General Plan, and aligns with broader efforts to reduce automobile dependency and greenhouse gas emissions. Each station area is distinct and will be planned with contextual intensities, land uses, design standards, and other strategies.

The Metro Orange (G) Line is an 18-mile Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line that operates in the San Fernando Valley. Bus service operates between the Chatsworth Metrolink Station in the Northwest Valley and the North Hollywood Metro Red (B) Line Station in the Southeast, which connects the San Fernando Valley to Downtown Los Angeles. Originally opened in 2005 and expanded in 2012, the line uses a dedicated bus right-of-way separated from street traffic for the entirety of the line length, part of which utilizes a former railroad track. The Orange (G) Line is one of the busiest bus rapid transit lines in the nation. The stations included in the OLTNP have among the highest ridership on the Orange (G) Line. For more information from Metro on the Orange (G) Line, please visit here.

Additionally, Los Angeles City Planning recently adopted a comprehensive revision to the City’s Zoning Code. Each new Community or Transit Neighborhood Plan project is developing new zones. Coupling the zoning code revision with the plan updates provides the department with an opportunity to create policies and implementation tools tailored to each station area, while supporting transit ridership, pedestrian-orientation, and sustainable neighborhoods throughout the San Fernando Valley. Transit Neighborhood Plans for the Orange (G) Line focus on three stations (see below).

Plan Goals

The following Goals represent the long-term priorities for the OLTNP Station areas. They reflect what we've heard through our outreach and topics that have arisen through technical research. Please provide your input on these as they are not yet finalized, and will inform the updated Plan policy documents.

  • Promote a variety of housing options for people of all income levels near transit
  • Create mixed-use neighborhoods with community serving businesses and amenities
  • Connect people to a variety of mobility options and promote and sustain transit ridership
  • Implement quality design standards that support a healthy and safe public realm
  • Support strategies that address the Valley’s climate and promote sustainable living

The North Hollywood Station is located at the intersection of Chandler and Lankershim Boulevards. It is a major transit hub, and the northern terminus of the Metro Red (B) Line that connects the San Fernando Valley with Downtown Los Angeles. The station is located within the NoHo Arts District and is a short walk from North Hollywood Park, which includes a recreation center, a skate park, senior center, tennis courts, and the historic Amelia Earhart Regional Library. The study area is equal parts commercial and multiple-family residential, with very little single-family residential or industrial land. Larger commercial and office buildings are located along Lankershim and Chandler Boulevards, and smaller restaurants, shops, and businesses are located along Magnolia and Burbank Boulevards. The North Hollywood station area contains a total population of approximately 44,178,* and 9,722 jobs or 5.35 jobs per acre.**

The station is located in the North Hollywood-Valley Village Community Plan area, with portions of it additionally located in the North Hollywood Commercial and Artcraft District Overlay.

Metro’s North Hollywood to Pasadena Transit Corridor project will host its western terminus at the North Hollywood Station. For more information, please visit here.

Source: *American Community Survey 2017 5-year estimates. Population was calculated based on Census tracts located within the Project Study Area for Environmental Analysis. Judgment was used when Census tract boundaries were partially located within the Plan Area. **US Census Bureau’s Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics (LEHD), 2015 estimates

nh_landuse

Click on this North Hollywood station map to view a high-quality PDF document of the existing land use in the area.

The Van Nuys Station is a short walk from the Van Nuys Civic Center, the heart of the San Fernando Valley, as well as Van Nuys Auto Row to the south. Located near the intersection of Van Nuys Boulevard and Oxnard Street, this station area has approximately 42,290 residents.* The neighborhood north of the Orange (G) Line is multiple-family residential with mostly one story commercial buildings along Van Nuys Boulevard, while the area south of the Orange (G) Line is predominantly single-family residential with mostly auto-related businesses along Van Nuys Boulevard. There is also industrial land along Oxnard and Bessemer Streets, with auto body shops, construction supply stores, and industrial spaces retrofitted to accommodate recording studios and creative office spaces. The area contains a total of approximately 9,695 jobs, or 5.10 jobs per acre.**

The station is located in the Van Nuys-North Sherman Oaks Community Plan area, with portions of it additionally located in the Van Nuys Central Business District Community Design Overlay.

The forthcoming Metro East San Fernando Valley Light Rail Transit Project will host its southern terminus at the Van Nuys Station. The project will provide a north-south connection from Sylmar/San Fernando to Van Nuys. For more information, please visit here. Metro’s Sepulveda Transit Corridor Project includes an alternative alignment with a stop at the Van Nuys Station. For more information, please visit here.

Source: *American Community Survey 2017 5-year estimates. Population was calculated based on Census tracts located within the Project Study Area for Environmental Analysis. Judgment was used when Census tract boundaries were partially located within the Plan Area. **US Census Bureau’s Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics (LEHD), 2015 estimates

vn_landuse

Click on this Van Nuys station map to view a high-quality PDF document of the existing land use in the area.

The Sepulveda Station is located a short walk from the intersection of Sepulveda Boulevard and Oxnard Street. Although the station is adjacent to Woodley Park and Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Reserve, the station and park are separated by the San Diego Freeway (I-405), and no pedestrian connectivity to the park exists in the station area. Businesses along Sepulveda Boulevard are a mix of large-scale stores, such as Costco and Target, smaller strip malls, and a few office buildings. The land uses along Oxnard Street east toward the Van Nuys Station are industrial. The station area also comprises single-family residential neighborhoods, with very little multiple-family residential. The study area contains a total population of approximately 18,662,* and approximately 7,258 jobs or 7.27 jobs per acre.**

The station area is located in the Van Nuys-North Sherman Oaks Community Plan area.

Metro’s Sepulveda Transit Corridor Project includes alternative alignments with a stop at the Sepulveda Station. For more information, please visit here.

Source: *American Community Survey 2017 5-year estimates. Population was calculated based on Census tracts located within the Project Study Area for Environmental Analysis. Judgment was used when Census tract boundaries were partially located within the Plan Area. **US Census Bureau’s Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics (LEHD), 2015 estimates

sepulveda_landuse

Click on this Sepulveda station map to view a high-quality PDF document of the existing land use in the area.

The City of Los Angeles was awarded a grant through Metro’s Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Planning Grant Program to partially fund this effort. The grant program supports planning efforts that enhance access to transit, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and promote sustainable development. The Reseda Boulevard and Sherman Way stations were initially included as part of the OLTNP program. In 2018, they were removed from the OLTNP and are currently being rezoned as a component of the Southwest Valley Community Plan Updates Program.

Metro Logo

What is a Transit Neighborhood Plan (TNP)?
 

The Transit Neighborhood Plan (TNP) Program encourages the growth of livable communities and employment centers around the region’s expanding transit network. Click below to read more about LA City Planning’s Transit Neighborhood Plans.

READ MORE
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
 

Click below for quick answers to frequently asked questions about the Orange (G) Line Transit Neighborhood Plan.

READ MORE

Senate Bill 9 (SB 9), the Housing Opportunity and More Efficiency (HOME) Act, is a 2021 California law that aims to increase housing supply across the State by requiring a streamlined ministerial approval process for urban lot splits and/or two-unit developments in single-family zones. The HOME Act was subsequently amended by SB 450 in 2024 and Assembly Bill 1061 in 2025. This webpage and all associated materials have been updated to reflect these changes.

For planning inquiries related to SB 9, email planning.SB9@lacity.org. For additional resources, please see the Resources & Contact tab.

Key Components

Two Unit Developments
Permits and streamlines the process for the development of two primary dwelling units on single-family zoned lots

Urban Lot Splits
Permits and streamlines the process for subdividing an existing single-family zoned lot into two individual parcels without having to meet the minimum lot size required by the underlying zone

Development Scenarios

These examples illustrate some of the most common development scenarios and do not represent every possible lot/unit configuration.

Urban Lot Splits

Lot Split with two new rectangular parcels and a Single Family Dwelling (SFD) on each lot

Lot split with flag lot configuration with SFD and Junior Accessory Dwelling Unit (JADU) on one lot and an SFD and a detached Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) on the other lot

 
 

Two Unit Developments

2 SFDs + 1 detached ADU

Duplex + 1 detached ADU

2 SFDs + 1 JADU

Duplex + 2 detached ADUs

Urban Lot Splits & Two Unit Developments

Duplex on each lot

Duplex on one lot and 2 SFDs on one lot

 
 
  • Front yard setbacks shall be the same as required by the underlying zone. Side and rear yard setbacks are required to be a minimum of 4 feet.
  • SB 9 projects shall be required to provide one covered parking space per existing and new unit, or no parking if a site meets the parking exemption criteria, which includes being within a half mile of a High Quality Transit Corridor or Major Transit Stop. See the SB 9 Implementation Memo for more information.

Urban Lot Split with SFDs and required parking on each lot

Urban Lot Split with SFDs and ADU/JADUs; Zero parking spaces required per unit if within 1/2 mile of a High Quality Transit Corridor or Major Transit Stop

Urban Lot Split with setbacks shown. Side and rear yard setbacks are required to be a minimum of 4 feet. Front yard setbacks shall be the same as required by the underlying zone. No setback is required for a legally existing structure.

 

For Urban Lot Splits Only

  • The maximum number of lots allowed for an Urban Lot Split is two lots.
  • No resulting parcels may be smaller than 40 percent of the lot area of the original parcel proposed for subdivision. Furthermore, both new lots must be at least 1,200 square feet.
  • A maximum of two dwelling units of any kind (including primary units and ADUs/JADUs) are permitted on a lot created through an Urban Lot Split.
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