Inner Corridor Building Heights

The Mulholland Specific Plan replaces the LAMC height envelope with three distinct height bands tied to lot orientation and distance from the Mulholland Drive right-of-way. The bands govern any building or structure visible from Mulholland Drive on an Inner Corridor lot.

Height for this purpose is measured per LAMC §12.03 from existing natural or finished grade, whichever is lower. On a downslope lot, no portion of the building or structure may penetrate the Viewshed, even within the 40-foot band.

• Upslope lot, within the first 100 feet of the right-of-way: not to exceed 15 feet.
• Upslope lot, more than 100 feet up to 500 feet from the right-of-way: not to exceed 30 feet.
• Downslope lot, within 500 feet of the right-of-way: not to exceed 40 feet, and in no event a height that penetrates the Viewshed.

A 12-foot conditional add applies in narrow circumstances. Where the elevation of the highest adjoining sidewalk or ground surface within five feet horizontally of the exterior wall exceeds grade by more than 20 feet, height may exceed the prescribed limit by up to 12 feet. The cumulative cap is binding: no portion of the building or structure may exceed the corresponding band height (15, 30, or 40 feet) measured from the highest point of the roof or parapet to the elevation of the ground vertically below.

The conditional add is a constraint, not a 12-foot bonus. The cap measured from the highest roof point to the ground beneath it is the limit that governs.

• The lot’s upslope or downslope status confirmed by the topographic survey and the Mulholland Supplemental Application Form.
• The 100-foot and 500-foot distances from the right-of-way confirmed on the site plan.
• Height measured per LAMC §12.03, from existing natural or finished grade, whichever is lower.
• Where the 12-foot conditional add is invoked, evidence on the elevations and site sections that the cumulative cap is not exceeded at any point along the building envelope.
• For downslope lots, a Viewshed Analysis demonstrating non-penetration even where the 40-foot band would otherwise allow the height.

• Establish upslope/downslope status and right-of-way distance before the design parti is set. The wrong band early creates redesigns later.
• Treat the 12-foot conditional add as a constraint rather than a bonus.
• For downslope lots near the right-of-way, run a preliminary Viewshed Analysis at the schematic stage to confirm the building can fit beneath the Viewshed before committing to roof geometry.

Source: Mulholland Scenic Parkway Specific Plan, §5 D 2 (allowable building heights, Inner Corridor) and §5 D 1 (Viewshed Protection). Height-measurement methodology referenced at LAMC §12.03.