Conforming Work

Conforming Work is the HPOZ review category for projects that consist of maintenance, repair, obvious restoration, and alterations that are consistent with the district’s Preservation Plan but do not rise to the threshold of a Certificate of Appropriateness or Certificate of Compatibility. The category is set in the citywide HPOZ Ordinance (LAMC §12.20.3) and the procedural framework now codified at Division 13B.8 of Chapter 1A; each district’s Preservation Plan supplies the specific list of work types that qualify.

The Department of City Planning’s current public-facing system splits Conforming Work along two dimensions:

• Major and Minor Conforming Work. Major Conforming Work covers larger projects (notably additions and new construction with less than a 20% increase in Building Coverage subject to additional conditions) and carries application fees. Minor Conforming Work covers smaller in-kind repair and similar minor changes and carries no fee.
• Contributing and Non-Contributing structure tracks. Conforming Work on a Contributing Structure (CWC) and Conforming Work on a Non-Contributing Structure (CWNC) are processed separately because the design guidelines and conforming thresholds differ depending on the structure’s classification in the certified Historic Resources Survey.

Conforming Work decisions are not appealable. When a Conforming Work project is approved, the assigned planning staff sign off on associated permits without the 15-day appeal window that applies to COA and CCMP decisions.

Examples drawn from district Preservation Plans include in-kind material replacement, exterior painting in colors consistent with the Preservation Plan Guidelines, in-kind window replacement, additions of less than 250 square feet to Contributing buildings (with rear-yard, side-plane, and visibility conditions), Major Conforming Work additions and new construction with less than a 20% Building Coverage increase under specific conditions, restoration work, demolition in response to natural disaster, and many alterations to Non-Contributing structures.

The boundary between Conforming Work and the higher-tier reviews is set by thresholds — most often the 250-square-foot addition threshold and the 20% Building Coverage threshold, plus visibility conditions. A project that ostensibly qualifies as Conforming Work loses that qualification if it does not comply with the Design Guidelines, if the property has an open enforcement case with LADBS or the Housing Department, or if the work was performed without prior approval and is being proposed for ratification. Those projects are referred to the HPOZ Board for review and consideration.

Source: Citywide HPOZ Ordinance (LAMC §12.20.3) and Division 13B.8 (Historic Preservation), Chapter 1A LAMC. Major / Minor Conforming Work split and CWC / CWNC procedure names per Department of City Planning, Historic District Project Review and HPOZ FAQs (planning.lacity.gov/preservation-design/historic-district-project-review). Specific Conforming Work lists set in each district’s adopted Preservation Plan.