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Category:
- Projects
City Planning has developed a variety of information-sharing tools to keep Angelenos informed about the type of development projects being proposed and approved in their neighborhoods, especially discretionary projects that require some level of review or sign-off from our Department. These tools have made it possible for us to extend our outreach and engagement across wider cross-sections of our City, including communities that have traditionally been underrepresented. Thanks to technology, in particular, information has been more readily available. For us, as Department liaisons, we see this as an intrinsically positive development.
Speaking of which, check out the many ways in which you can stay up to date on the latest information in your neighborhood, as it relates to case filings.
Neighborhood Council Application Packets
Are you affiliated with or located within an established Neighborhood Council? Well, recognizing that Los Angeles’s neighborhoods stand to benefit from having early notification of proposed projects, City Planning mails duplicate copies of case filing applications directly to each Certified Neighborhood Council's mailbox. These packets list a proposed project’s description, address, applicant information, as well as site plans and other details. Contact your Neighborhood Council to review the physical copy of these application packets and get more involved!
Planning Document Information System (PDIS)
Did you know that as soon as an application is filed, City Planning uploads project-related documents to PDIS—the Department’s database for case summaries and information on project submittals? The case information displayed online is essentially a digital version of the physical Neighborhood Council Application Packets. Offering these materials online gives you the option to share input during the early stages of the review process. You may access PDIS by clicking here or using the “Case Search” function on City Planning’s homepage.
Hearing Notices and Letters of Determination
Here’s a relatively new development: in order to keep neighborhoods updated in real time, City Planning posts all public hearing notices on a dedicated landing page and Letters of Determination (LODs) on PDIS as soon as they are mailed out—eliminating the need to appear in person to review a case file or wait until the corresponding documents have been mailed.
Email Notifications
In addition to paper mailings and website postings, did you know that City Planning sends hearing notices and LODs by email? Applicants, interested parties, and relevant council offices receive these planning documents directly in their inboxes. To receive emailed hearing notices and LODs, contact the assigned planner for the case you are interested in following. Feel free to consult our Staff Directory to look up your assigned planner, based on their assigned geography.
Reports on Cases Filed and Completed Cases
To simplify access to project information, City Planning emails regular reports on case filings and completed cases to neighborhood councils and interested community members. These reports list a project’s description, address, and applicant information. As an additional feature, these reports hyperlink each case number to PDIS. Through these reports, any interested party can obtain project information online, without having to contact the assigned planner. Sign up here if you would like to receive these reports in your inbox in order to stay up to date!
Interactive Map of Cases Filed and Cases Completed
We’re excited to share that City Planning has developed an interactive map to visually display the exact location of projects included in the reports on cases filed and improve website usability. Due to popular demand, the Department expanded the capabilities of this web based mapping application to also display the location of projects that have been approved or denied within the last 18 months. Users may filter project locations by case reporting period or by administrative boundaries. Click here to access the interactive maps.
Zoning Information and Map Access System (ZIMAS)
Here’s an oldie but goodie! Consult City Planning’s ZIMAS for a detailed look at the type of planning entitlements previously filed for any property in the City of Los Angeles. ZIMAS can also be used to generate reports, find zoning, land use, applicable ordinances, and more. Click here to access ZIMAS.
And, of course, City Planning is regularly expanding and making further improvements to our information sharing toolkit. If you have any questions or feedback on any of the listed tools, feel free to contact us at planning.liaison@lacity.org. We look forward to hearing from you!
Sincerely,
Fipe Leilua Ariel Jones Jaime Espinoza
Community Liaison Community Liaison Community Liaison
South/West/Harbor San Fernando Valley Central/East
