Lay of the Land
On March 21, 2020, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti issued an emergency order which tolls and extends certain land use-related deadlines and time limits set forth in the Los Angeles Municipal Code (“LAMC”). This order 1) tolls and suspends any deadline (including provisions in community, specific, or other similar plans) pertaining to public hearings and decisions made by legislative bodies, zoning administrators, the Director of Planning, the General Manager of the Department of Building and Safety, or other City department general managers; 2) tolls and extends by six months the time limit for utilization of approved entitlements, and 3) tolls the expiration date for other permits (e.g. building permits) during the effective period of the order. The order is in effect until April 19, 2020, and may be extended beyond this date. To date, no state action has been taken to extend any local planning deadlines, although such action may be forthcoming and could supersede some or all of these actions.
The emergency order includes the following representative list of circumstances:
- Expiration of Building and Other Related Permits and Plan Check Applications – All LAMC provisions regarding expiration of permits, plan check, and slight modifications and alternatives are tolled during the effective period of the order.
- Time Period for Effectuation & Utilization of Entitlements – All time limits for effectuation and utilization of approved and valid entitlements are tolled and extended by 6 months.
- Time to Act on Entitlement Applications – All Zoning Code provisions regarding the Time to Act on filed applications are tolled during the effective period of the order.
- Time Limits in the Cultural Heritage Ordinance – All time limits included within the Cultural Heritage Ordinance are tolled during the effective period of the order.
The emergency order also authorizes decision-makers, including the Director of Planning and the Zoning Administrator, to hold public hearings in a manner consistent with the Governor’s Executive Order N-29-20 (electronic/telephonic public meetings) and any applicable subsequent orders or published guidelines.