The New Zoning Code is implemented by various City Agencies, with the Department of City Planning (DCP) and the Department of Building and Safety (DBS) playing the primary roles. Other departments involved in the implementation process, such as the Department of Transportation and Public Works Department, each with specific responsibilities for certain regulations.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Each project is unique and the process may vary. However, the general process for obtaining a building permit can be summarized as follows:
When a complete plan check application is submitted to the Department of Building and Safety (LADBS) with the required fees, the project gains vested rights. This means the project can proceed according to the zoning rules and regulations in effect at the time of fee payment. However, vested rights do not exempt the project from other approvals (e.g., subdivisions, variances) or future citywide safety regulation changes. They also do not protect against state or federal mandate implementations.
Vested rights have limitations: