Department of City Planning · Code Studies Section

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Citywide Proposed Zoning Code Amendment CASE: CPC-2011-0536-CA ENV-2011-0537-ND

Permeable Paving Ordinance Council District: All

This notice is to inform you of a public hearing for case number CPC-2011-0536-CA, a proposed zoning code amendment that has been initiated by Council File 08-1519. All interested persons are invited to attend the public hearing at which you may listen, speak, or submit written information relating to the environmental determination and the proposed project. PLACE:

Los Angeles City Hall, Room 1030, 10th Floor 200 N. Spring St, Los Angeles, CA 90012

TIME:

Thursday, April 21, 2011 at 10am

STAFF:

Deborah Kahen, [email protected], 213-978-1202

THE LAST DAY TO SUBMIT COMMENTS WILL BE: THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2011

PROPOSED PROJECT: A proposed ordinance amending Section 12.21 of the Los Angeles Municipal Code to clarify which permeable paving materials are permissible for driveways and parking lots. PURPOSE: The purpose of the hearing is to obtain testimony from affected and/or interested persons regarding this project. The hearing will be conducted by a Hearing Officer who will consider all the testimony presented at that time and any written communication received prior to or at the hearing from affected and/or interested persons regarding this proposed code amendment, as well as the merits of the draft ordinance as it relates to existing environmental and land use regulations. The environmental document will be among the matters considered at the hearing. After the hearing, Code Studies staff will finalize a report, including a recommendation that will be considered by the City Planning Commission at a later date.

EXHAUSTION OF ADMINISTRATIVE REMEDIES: If you challenge a City action in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearing described in this notice, or in written correspondence on these matters delivered to the Department before the action on this matter. Any written correspondence delivered to the Department before the action on this matter will become a part of the administrative record. Note: This may not be the last hearing on this matter. ADVICE TO PUBLIC: The exact time this report will be considered during the meeting is uncertain since there may be several other items on the agenda. WRITTEN COMMUNICATION: Written communications should cite the Case Number indicated at the top of this notice and may be mailed to the attention of the staff contact identified above at the Los Angeles Department of City Planning, Code Studies Section, City Hall - Room 763, 200 North Spring Street, Los Angeles CA 90012. REVIEW OF THE FILE: The complete file including application and an environmental assessment is available for public review at the Department of City Planning, City Hall - Room 763, 200 North Spring Street, Los Angeles CA 90012 between the hours of 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday. Please call the staff contact indicated at the top of this notice several days in advance to assure its availability. Case files will not be available for inspection on the day of the hearing.

ACCOMMODATIONS: As a covered entity under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City of Los Angeles does not discriminate on the basis of disability. The hearing facility and its parking are wheelchair accessible. Sign language interpreters, assistive listening devices, or other auxiliary aids and/or services may be provided upon request. Como entidad cubierta bajo el Título II del Acto de los Americanos con Desabilidades, la Ciudad de Los Angeles no discrimina. La facilidad donde la junta se llevará a cabo y su estacionamiento son accesibles para sillas de ruedas. Traductores de Lengua de Muestra, dispositivos de oído, u otras ayudas auxiliaries se pueden hacer disponibles si usted las pide en avance. Other services, such as translation between English and other languages, may also be provided upon request. Otros servicios, como traducción de Inglés a otros idiomas, también pueden hacerse disponibles si usted los pide en avance. To ensure availability or services, please make your request no later than three working days (72 hours) prior to the hearing by calling the staff person referenced in this notice. Para asegurar la disponibilidad de éstos servicios, por favor haga su petición al mínimo de tres días (72 horas) antes de la reunión, llamando a la persona del personal mencionada en este aviso.

Q&A: Permeable Paving Ordinance Q: What is permeable paving? A: Permeable paving is a ground-covering material able to support vehicular and pedestrian traffic yet also allow water to pass through and infiltrate into either the ground or a specially designed water capture area. This is beneficial because water run-off is either infiltrated into the ground and ultimately into the aquifer, or is captured on-site for reuse. Otherwise, impervious paving causes rain and dry-weather run-off (e.g., from irrigation) to gather pollutants as it flows into the stormwater drainage system, adding polluted water to the waterways and ocean. Q: What does the proposed ordinance do? A: Currently, the Zoning Code allows permeable paving to be installed in driveways. Installing permeable paving in parking lots, however, requires a lengthier process. The proposed ordinance will create one streamlined process for permeable paving in either driveways or parking lots. Q: Why is this coming up now? A: Building a green and livable place is a major objective for the leaders of the City. Accordingly, several existing and developing regulations cite water run-off infiltration or capture as a means to satisfy requirements. This ordinance also addresses surging interest in green building techniques from City residents and the building community. Q: Does this ordinance require projects to install permeable paving? A: No. Installing permeable paving will still be elective. Q: Does this apply to streets and sidewalks? A: No. This ordinance is for private property only. Q: How do I give my input? A: There will be a formal Public Hearing held on April 21th, 2011 at 10am in Room 1030 of City Hall (see attached Hearing Notice for more information). Testimony from interested individuals will be taken at that time. Questions and comments are still welcomed anytime by Deborah Kahen. She can be reached at [email protected] or (213) 978-1202.

 

APPENDIX A ORDINANCE NO. ________________ A proposed ordinance amending Section 12.21 of the Los Angeles Municipal Code to clarify which permeable paving materials are permissible for driveways and parking lots. THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES DO ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. Paragraph (c) of Subdivision 6 of Subsection A of Section 12.21 of the Los Angeles Municipal Code is amended to read: (c) Paving and Car Stops. Every parking area, every parking garage required by the provisions of this article, every automobile storage area (except those areas utilized for the temporary storage of automobiles for not to exceed six months in any calendar year), and every automobile, manufactured home or trailer sales area, and every including access driveways to those areas, shall be paved with hard, durable asphaltic paving which has been mixed at a plant and is at least two inches thick after compaction, or with portland cement paving at least three inches thick or any material deemed equivalent by the Department of Building and Safety. permeable paving material that meets the criteria described below. All such areas shall have appropriate bumper guards, wheel stops, steel posts, walls, curbs, suitable landscaping or other installations adequate to prevent vehicles from parking or maneuvering on those portions of a lot upon which a driveway or parking area is prohibited, or into a public right of way, or where those portions of a lot are needed to prevent encroachment on walkways or adjoining properties. Exception: Access driveways to the areas referenced above may be paved with a permeable material such as pavers, porous concrete, a combination of 45% concrete and 55% holes filled with grass distributed uniformly (commonly known as grasscrete), or any material deemed equivalent by the Department of City Planning. (Added by Ord. No. 179,191, Eff. 11/5/07.) Permeable Paving Material. A permeable paving material is one of the following: porous asphalt, porous concrete, permeable interlocking concrete pavers, permeable pavers, decomposed granite, crushed rock, gravel, and restrained systems (plastic or concrete grid system confined

 

 

on all sides to restrict lateral movement, and filled with gravel or grass in the voids.) Permeable paving material are permitted for use in every parking area, parking garage, automobile storage area, automobile, manufactured home or trailer sales area, and driveways if they meet the following criteria: (1) Restrained systems with gravel or grass may only be used to pave parking stalls. (2) Pavers shall have a minimum thickness of 80mm (3.14 inches). (3) If plantings are an element of the permeable paving material, the irrigation system shall not utilize potable water except for plant establishment. (4) Products shall be installed per manufacturers’ specifications. Sub-grade soils shall be compacted as required per the product installation specifications. (5) Decomposed granite, crushed rock and gravel are only permitted for use in single family home residential projects. (6) All other provisions of the Los Angeles Municipal Code and any applicable standards or guidelines are complied with. Sec. 2.

 

The City Clerk shall certify…