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Public Notification Guidelines
PUBLIC NOTIFICATION GUIDELINES
REQUIREMENTS FOR SUBMITTAL OF PLANNING PROJECTS


This webpage contains the City's Public Notification Guidelines (as referenced in Article 2.5 of the Beverly Hills Municipal Code), which are intended to assist applicants preparing the submittal of entitlement applications for review by the Planning Division. The full text of the public notification requirements for Planning Division entitlement applications is available in Article 2.5 of the Beverly Hills Municipal Code, but was recently changed (see Ordinance No. 21-O-2849).  Below is a chart summarizing the updated requirements for planning applications.

*Please note that the applicable public notification requirements must be satisfied in order for the application to be accepted by the City. 

Director Level

Area

On-Site Posted Notice

Mailed Notice

Mailed Notice within 45 Days of Application Filing

Newspaper Notice

Central

(single-family, commercial, multi-family)

Yes

100’ radius + block face

No

No

Hillside / Trousdale

Yes

300’ radius

No

No

Planning Commission Level

Area

On-Site Posted Notice

Mailed Notice

Mailed Notice within 45 Days of Application Filing

Newspaper Notice

Single-Family Residential (Central Area)

Notice of Public Hearing only

500’ radius + block face

500’ radius + block face

-and-

100’ radius for adjacent neighbor tracked mailing

Only required for:

·       Amendments (General Plan, Streets Master Plan, Specific Plan, zone text, Zoning Code)

·       Conditional Use Permits

·       Maps (tentative, and parcel)

·       Specific Plans

·       Variances

 

 

 

 

 

Single-Family Residential (Hillside Area)

Notice of Public Hearing only

1000’ radius + Hillside Zone 1 or Zone 2

1000’ radius + Hillside Zone 1 or Zone 2

-and-

100’ radius for adjacent neighbor tracked mailing

Single-Family Residential (Trousdale Area)

Notice of Public Hearing only

1000’ radius

1000’ radius

-and-

100’ radius for adjacent neighbor tracked mailing

Multi-Family Residential

Notice of Pending Application and Notice of Public Hearing

500’ radius + block face

Yes – 500’ radius + block face

Commercial-Residential Transition Area*

Notice of Pending Application and Notice of Public Hearing

Yes – 500’ radius + block face

Yes – 500’ radius + block face

Commercial

Notice of Public Hearing only

Yes – 500’ radius + block face

No

 

Notes:

  1. The date of filing shall be either: the date of receipt of the application by the City and the payment of fees for an entitlement that requires review and approval by the Planning Commission, or the date of determination that the application shall be referred by the Planning Commission.
  2. Certain applications have special public notice requirements, as noted below, and do not require any notice beyond what is specified for those specific application types.

 

SPECIAL PUBLIC NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

The following types of planning applications have special public notification requirements. Please see Beverly Hills Municipal Code (BHMC) section 10-3-253 B. or contact the Planning Division at (310) 285-1141 or cdplanning@beverlyhills.org for an explanation of these requirements. 

  • Common Interest Development
  • Extension of Time for Exercise of Rights
  • Large Family Daycare Permit
  • Reasonable Accommodation
  • Renewal of Active Entitlement
  • Resolution of Public Convenience or Necessity
  • Tree Removal Permit
  • View Restoration

 


 

PUBLIC NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR URBAN DESIGN PROJECTS

The following chart summarizes the public notification requirements for Architectural Review, Cultural Heritage Review (Historic Preservation), and Design Review projects:

Type of Review

 On-site Posted Notice

Newspaper Notice

Mailed Notice

Architectural Review

Director-level

Director-level  projects  can  be  processed  administratively  and include: minor landscape approvals, some commercial signs, and minor exterior changes to multi-family and commercial buildings (paint color  changes,  replacing  like-for-like  elements).    These permits are generally processed at the Development Services public counter.

 None

 None

 None

Commission-level

Commission-level  projects  must  be  reviewed  by  the  City’s Architectural Commission (AC) and include: sign accommodations, most  commercial  signs,  facade  remodels  for  commercial  and multi-family buildings, new construction of commercial and multi-family buildings, and landscaping for commercial and multifamily projects.

Only projects in Multi-Family Residential Zones

None

None

Cultural Heritage Review

Director-level

Director-level projects can be processed administratively and include Certificate of Review for District Non-Contributor.

Certificate of appropriateness for designated landmarks and contributing properties: See BHMC section 10-3-3219

Commission-level

Commission-level applications include projects that are reviewed by the City’s Cultural Heritage Commission (CHC). The CHC recommends to the City Council on Landmark or Historic Designation* nominations and Mills Act Contracts. The CHC acts on Certificates of Appropriateness and Director’s Determination of Ineligibility.

Certificate of ineligibility: See BHMC section 10-3-3221

Landmark or historic district designation: See BHMC section 10-3-3215

Certificate of economic hardship: See BHMC section 10-3-3220

Design Review 

Director-level

Director level projects can be processed administratively and include single family home remodels and new homes in the Central area of the City that are determined to be “Track 1”.

None

None

Owner and/or Applicant are notified

Commission-level

Commission level applications include projects that are reviewed by the by the City’s Design Review Commission (DRC) including single-family home facade remodels and new homes in the Central Area of the City that are determined to be “Track 2”.

Yes

None

Central Area:

100’ radius plus block-face

Note: If a project that is subject to Architectural Review at the Commission-level, and was previously reviewed by the Planning Commission, the noticing requirements for the Architectural Review must conform to the Planning entitlement notification requirements. 

 


 

REQUIREMENTS FOR APPLICATION SUBMITTAL

Mailing Materials: Applicants are not required to complete the mailed notifications, but must provide the following mailing materials as required for their applications.  The City will accept all of the following materials in a digital format, except for the Adjacent Neighbor Mailed Notice. Note:  The City will not accept application submittals that are missing any electronic component of the public noticing materials.

  • Adjacent Neighbor Mailed Notice (Planning Commission-level projects in single-family residential zones only)
    • Applicant must provide:
      • A to-scale 100' radius map with a corresponding keyed address list of property owners and residential occupants as identified from the most current Los Angeles County Tax Assessor's Roll.
      • Pre-paid mailing labels from a courier service (i.e. UPS or FedEx) for each address, affixed to a large manila envelope. The City will not accept pre-paid mailing labels that are not affixed to envelopes.
      • Please verify that the envelopes are able to be used with the type of tracking service (e.g. do not use FedEx Ground labels with FedEx Express envelopes.
      • Private courier services (such as UPS or FedEx) are not able to deliver tracked notices to P.O. boxes.  If the address for a property owner is a P.O. box, please utilize a USPS tracked service. 
      • The labeled envelopes should be dropped off at City Hall, and the address list should be provided in Excel format, provided digitally to the City (via email, or USB). 
  • Mailed Notice
    • Applicant must provide:
      • A to-scale radius map (refer to chart for appropriate radius size) with a corresponding keyed address list of property owners and residential occupants as identified from the most current Los Angeles County Tax Assessor's Roll. 
      • The address list should be provided as gummed labels, and in Excel format, provided digitally to the City (via email, or USB), and formatted to be mail merged. 
  • Mailing Affidavit
  • Resources for Mailing Materials and Posted Notices:
    • Please view this list of radius mapping and sign printing companies that may be able to assist you in the preparation of mailing materials and posted notices.  
 

 
REQUIRED NOTIFICATION ACTIONS FOR APPLICANT

Posted Notice: Applicants are not required to create the posted notice, but must have the sign printed to the specifications below and install the posted notice on the project site. If required, applicants should follow the process below:

  • Notice of Pending Planning Commission Application
    • The City will provide the applicant with the on-site notice PDF, and applicant will print the sign on a 3' x 4' coroplast sign (if installed outdoors), or on paper (if installed indoors behind a clear glass window without obstructions, such as mullions or signage).  Applicant must install sign in a conspicuous place within 5 feet of the front property line of the project site, and provide the signed Posted Notice Affidavit and photos of the sign as installed. This sign shall remain in place until replaced with the Notice of Public Hearing sign. 
  • Notice of Public Hearing
    • The City will provide the applicant with the on-site notice PDF, and applicant will print the sign on a 3' x 4' coroplast sign (if installed outdoors), or on paper (if installed indoors behind a clear glass window, without obstructions, such as mullions or signage).  Applicant must install sign in a conspicuous place within 5 feet of the front property line of the project site, and provide the signed Posted Notice Affidavit and photos of the sign as installed. The sign shall remain in place until the appeal period has expired if no appeal is filed.

 


ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

 Hillside Zones 1 and 2 

  • For Commission-level projects located in the Hillside Area of the City, mailing materials (map and corresponding address lists) are now required for either all of Hillside Zone 1 or Zone 2 depending on the project site location.  For example, if a project site is located in Zone 1, the mailing lists would be for all of Zone 1, but duplicate addresses captured within the regularly required radius may be removed.  
  • Please contact the Planning Division at (310) 285-1141 or cdplanning@beverlyhills.org if you would like to obtain copies of the Tax Assessor's Roll for Hillside Zones 1 and 2. 
  • A map of Hillside Zones 1 and 2 is shown below:

 Hillside Zones 1 and 2

 

Neighborhood Meeting & Community Outreach

  • A neighborhood meeting is not required, but the City strongly encourages applicants to perform neighborhood outreach early in the application process. Personally contacting neighboring property owners and occupants may make the application process easier, and ensure that any potential issues are identified before a decision is made on a case. Applicants may also consider alternative methods of community outreach:
    • Sending letters to neighbors and neighborhood groups
    • Visiting neighbors and discussing the project in person 
    • Attending a meeting of a local neighborhood group to introduce and discuss project
    • Creating a project website to publish relevant information
  • Please contact the Planning Division at (310) 285-1141 or cdplanning@beverlyhills.org if you would like to obtain guidance related to a virtual neighborhood meeting. 

 


 

DIRECTOR’S STANDARDS

The City is committed to ensuring that public noticing is efficient and effective and that community members are informed of potential decisions and public hearings. In addition to the rules and standards outlined in the code and these guidelines, the Director shall also:

  •  Provide project information on the City’s Website when appropriate
  •  Provide application and project information to community and neighborhood groups

 The Director shall also have the ability to:

  • Require an applicant to include additional information beyond what is specified by State law and the zoning code in public notice materials.
  • Expand noticing requirements for applications as appropriate. This may include expanding the mailed notice radius/area, requiring more on-site posting, or requiring additional newspaper noticing.
  • Require project applicants to hold a neighborhood meeting on the application/project.
  • Amend or adjust specific requirements outlined above when they will increase the efficiency and effectiveness of public noticing to the community.

 


 The following general rules and standards apply to public noticing for planning applications:

  

TIME

All public noticing must be completed within the specified time-frame for the application to be considered complete. If noticing is not completed within the specified time-frame review of the application may be delayed.  The time frames for mailed, posted and newspaper notices are described in each section in these guidelines.

 
MULTIPLE APPLICATIONS

If multiple Planning entitlement applications are submitted for the same project or site area, the City may issue a single notice for all related applications.  Notification for multiple applications for the same project or site area shall conform to the requirements of the application under review with the most extensive requirements.

 

FAILURE OF PERSON OR ENTITY TO RECEIVE NOTICE

Please note that the failure of a person or entity to receive a notice given pursuant to the City’s noticing requirements shall not constitute grounds for any court to invalidate the actions for which notice was given.

 

STATE LAW

In addition to requirements set forth in the Beverly Hills Municipal Code and these guidelines, all planning applications must be noticed in accordance with state law when applicable.

 


 

QUESTIONS?

Please contact the Planning Division at (310) 285-1141 or cdplanning@beverlyhills.org if you have any questions about the public notification requirements for your project. 

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