The Los Angeles City Planning Commission recommended that the City Council adopt the department’s Processes and Procedures Ordinance, an amendment to the Los Angeles Municipal Code.

The proposed changes consolidate over 100 existing processes to about 50, laying the groundwork for a more user-friendly, transparent and predictable set of rules for project review.

“These changes recognize how much our city’s zoning code has grown in complexity over time,” Planning Commission President Samantha Millman said. “Applicants and residents alike will no longer require the assistance of hired professionals to help them navigate the code or understand the project approval process.”

The amendment would reorganize the current administrative provisions of the zoning code, centralizing them in a new article and chapter of the municipal code. This will also make it easier for individuals to locate the procedures governing specific project applications. While the changes standardize and align existing workflows, the ordinance does not propose changes to land use regulations or the zoning of properties.

The ordinance is a major component of the re:code L.A. project, the department’s initiative to comprehensively update the zoning code. These new procedures will maintain long-standing opportunities for public participation, while making it easier for applicants and the public to understand how the department considers land use and development proposals.

In the upcoming weeks, the ordinance will be considered by the Planning and Land Use Management Committee, followed by full City Council consideration. Adoption of this ordinance will mark the first complete update to the zoning code since 1946.

“These changes are about fostering a modernized code,” Director of Planning Vince Bertoni said. “The steps we’ve taken today will go a long way in informing future planning considerations – making planning ultimately more relatable and accessible.”