Planning a remodel or new build in the Hollywood Hills? The hillside rules in Los Angeles shape everything from how much dirt you can move to how large your home can be. It can feel like a maze at first, especially if you are comparing different properties. This guide breaks the Baseline Hillside Ordinance into plain language so you know what to expect, where the bottlenecks happen, and how to plan smart. Let’s dive in.
What the Hillside Ordinance does
The City of Los Angeles created the Baseline Hillside Ordinance, along with related grading and street-use rules, to protect steep terrain and neighborhood character. The goals are to limit earthmoving, keep visible massing in check, reduce drainage and geologic hazards, and manage truck traffic during construction.
The ordinance adds extra layers on top of normal zoning. You still follow your base zone and building code, but hillside lots have added standards for grading volumes, floor area, structural design, and hauling. The result is more technical work up front and more review if you plan major earthwork.
Where it applies in Hollywood Hills
The rules apply to hillside overlay areas within the City of Los Angeles, which include parts of the Hollywood Hills. Not every lot has the same limits. Slope, lot size, prior permits, and your specific zoning determine which standards apply. Because conditions vary by parcel, you should confirm details for the exact address with the Department of City Planning and the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety (LADBS).
Grading: what it means for you
Grading is earthwork. It includes cutting into a slope, filling to create a pad, balancing soil on site, or exporting it by truck. In the Hills, most meaningful grading requires permits from LADBS and an engineered grading plan supported by a geotechnical report.
What to expect:
- Larger cut and fill often pushes your project into discretionary review, which adds time and conditions.
- Exporting soil triggers haul-route approval, traffic control, and bonding for street protection, all of which increase cost and timeline.
- Limits on grading can drive design choices, such as stepping the house into the slope or using deeper foundations to avoid big pads.
Before you write an offer or start design, ask for any prior grading permits, as-built grading plans, and records of soil import or export. Look for open violations or erosion-control obligations.
Floor area, FAR, and massing
Your base zoning sets Floor Area Ratio and lot coverage limits. The hillside rules often go further by defining how floor area is counted on sloped lots and by encouraging designs that reduce visual bulk.
Common effects:
- You may need to reduce planned square footage or push garages and service spaces into sub-grade areas.
- Basements can be treated differently for floor-area calculations, but whether a space counts depends on how it relates to the surrounding grade. Definitions matter, and small design moves can change outcomes.
- Exceptions or variances from prior owners may affect what is allowed today. Always verify what was permitted and how it was measured.
Retaining walls and foundations
Retaining walls and foundations bear the load of hillside homes. Walls above certain heights, walls carrying added loads from structures or driveways, and walls that act as part of a foundation require permits and engineered design. LADBS inspects construction and may require post-construction monitoring in some cases.
Plan for:
- Higher costs and added time for engineering and review, especially for tall or closely spaced walls.
- Stepped wall layouts when very tall single walls would be unsafe or out of character.
- Careful drainage design behind walls to prevent failures and neighbor disputes.
As a buyer, request permits and engineering reports for existing walls and foundations. Confirm maintenance history and any recorded agreements for party walls on or near property lines.
Haul routes and street use
Hauling soil in or out brings trucks onto narrow hillside streets. The City regulates this to protect roads and safety. If your project exports soil, you will likely need haul-route approval through the Bureau of Engineering, bonding for street restoration, and a plan for traffic control.
Practical impacts:
- Haul-route approval can add weeks and may limit hours, truck counts, and routes to main arterials.
- Conditions can include flaggers, signage, vibration monitoring, and off-peak scheduling.
- Neighbors are often notified and can ask for more protections during hearings.
Ask for prior haul-route approvals or denials, any bonds posted for street work, and the hours and conditions that were imposed.
Environmental review and appeals
Significant grading or projects with potential impacts to views, traffic, geology, or historic resources can trigger environmental review under CEQA. If you need variances or other entitlements, expect public notice and possible hearings. Appeals add time and uncertainty.
In general, projects that stay within code and minimize grading move faster. Large new builds with big export volumes or design deviations take longer and often face more scrutiny.
Typical permitting timeline
Every property is different, but the rhythm is similar across the Hills.
- Pre-application and scoping, 2 to 8 weeks. Meet with Planning or LADBS to confirm applicable rules and required studies. This is where you learn about geotechnical, drainage, and tree reports.
- Design and technical reports, 4 to 12 plus weeks. Consultants prepare geotechnical, structural, grading, and erosion control materials.
- Plan submittal and plan check, 4 to 12 plus weeks per cycle. LADBS reviews structural and grading. Planning checks BHO compliance. Several rounds are common.
- Discretionary and environmental review, 3 to 12 plus months if triggered. Hearings, CEQA studies, mitigation, and potential appeals.
- Haul-route or street encroachment approvals, 2 to 8 plus weeks. Often concurrent with plan check.
- Construction and inspections. Timelines vary by scope, with large grading and infrastructure taking longer.
Realistic expectations:
- Small interior remodels with no grading, months.
- New homes with modest grading, many months to about a year.
- Major hillside new builds with significant export and discretionary review, 12 to 36 months from pre-application to final permit, depending on complexity and appeals.
Buyer and seller due diligence checklist
Use this quick list before you commit to a plan or price.
- Zoning and overlays. Confirm the parcel’s zoning, slope category, and whether the lot is within a hillside overlay governed by the BHO.
- Complete permit history. Pull building, grading, and retaining-wall permits, certificates of occupancy, and any open LADBS violations. Confirm finals.
- Geotechnical and structural records. Request recent reports. If none exist, budget time and cost for a new geotechnical study.
- As-built site and grading plans. Verify cut and fill volumes, walls, and drainage paths.
- Haul-route documents. Ask for approvals, denials, posted bonds, and any special operating conditions.
- Historic documentation. Photos, plans, and approvals that show nonconforming areas and original construction dates.
- Tree permits. Many hillside parcels have protected trees that require separate approvals for removal.
- Easements and recorded agreements. Look for shared access, party walls, and slope or landslide disclosures.
- Claims or litigation history. Ask about insurance claims or neighbor disputes related to slope stability or drainage.
Who you need on your team
Hillside projects benefit from early alignment with specialists.
- Civil or geotechnical engineer for soils, grading, and drainage strategy.
- Structural engineer for foundations and retaining walls.
- Architect or designer experienced with hillside floor-area calculations and massing.
- General contractor with hillside logistics and inspection experience.
- Land-use attorney for projects that require variances, discretionary approvals, or that face appeals.
- Your real estate advisor to coordinate due diligence, pull records, and set realistic timelines and pricing.
Two simple scenarios
Every parcel is different, but these examples show how scope drives time and cost.
- Smaller remodel with no new grading. Interior updates and a light exterior refresh can often proceed through standard plan check. You still verify BHO applicability, but if you avoid grade changes and added massing, timelines stay closer to the shorter end.
- Major new build with significant export. A new home that cuts into a slope, exports soil, and uses tall retaining walls will require grading permits, haul-route approval, and likely discretionary review. Expect months of technical studies, multiple plan-check cycles, public notice, and conditions on hauling.
Next steps for Hollywood Hills properties
The fastest path is a clear path. Start with a pre-application conversation with Planning or LADBS to confirm what applies to your exact address. Gather permits, reports, and as-built plans before you design. Choose a team that knows hillside work, then phase your plan to minimize grading where possible.
If you want a second set of eyes on a property’s potential or a pricing strategy that reflects BHO realities, reach out to Mark Mintz. Our team pairs hyperlocal knowledge with careful preparation so you can move forward with confidence.
FAQs
Do Hollywood Hills remodels trigger the hillside rules?
- It depends on scope. Interior-only work that does not alter grade or increase visible massing usually avoids hillside grading triggers, while changes to ground contours, added habitable area, or taller profiles are more likely to require hillside compliance and permits.
How does Los Angeles count basements for floor area in the Hills?
- Basement space may be treated differently, but whether it counts depends on how the space relates to surrounding grade and egress, so design details can change floor-area calculations and should be verified for the specific address.
How disruptive is grading haul traffic in the Hollywood Hills?
- Hauling can be the biggest impact, with dozens to hundreds of truck trips, limited hours, defined routes, and added costs for traffic control and street protection that can extend timelines.
What should I expect for retaining-wall costs and timing?
- Engineered retaining walls add design and permitting time, and tall or surcharge walls often require stepped layouts, detailed drainage, and extra coordination that can take weeks or months before construction.
What is the risk of neighbor appeals or CEQA delays on hillside projects?
- Projects with large grading, visible massing, or potential impacts face higher risk of appeals and environmental review, which can add many months and require mitigation measures.
How do I check a Hollywood Hills property’s permit history?
- LADBS maintains permit history and violation records for Los Angeles properties, so you should pull building, grading, and retaining-wall permits and confirm that all finals were issued before proceeding.
