City of Los Angeles · Mulholland Specific Plan
Outer Corridor 40-Foot Height Limit
Code Citation
MSPSP §6 D · LAMC §12.03
MSPSP §6 D · LAMC §12.03
Definition
The height of any building or structure visible from Mulholland Drive on an Outer Corridor lot may not exceed 40 feet. The Outer Corridor uses a single height cap, not the three-band system that governs Inner Corridor projects. A 12-foot conditional add applies in the same narrow circumstances as the Inner Corridor — where ground surface within five feet of an exterior wall exceeds grade by more than 20 feet — but the cumulative cap measured from the highest point of the roof or parapet to the elevation of the ground vertically below remains 40 feet.
How It Differs from the Inner Corridor
- Inner Corridor uses three height bands (15 / 30 / 40 ft) tied to lot orientation and right-of-way distance.
- Outer Corridor uses a single 40-foot cap for any visible building or structure.
- Both share the 12-foot conditional add for steep cut conditions.
- Both impose a cumulative cap measured from the highest roof point to the ground vertically below.
Ordinance ExcerptOn any Lot, the height of any building or structure visible from Mulholland Drive shall not exceed 40 feet … 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, but no portion of the building or structure may exceed a height of 40 feet measured from the highest point of the roof or parapet to the elevation of the ground vertically below.
What Plan Check Looks For
- Confirmation that the lot is in the Outer Corridor (MPII), not the Inner Corridor.
- Building height measured per LAMC §12.03 from existing natural or finished grade, whichever is lower.
- Where the 12-foot conditional add is invoked, evidence that the cumulative cap is not exceeded at any point along the building envelope.
- Visibility status from Mulholland Drive — the 40-foot limit applies only to visible projects.
Upstream Decisions
- Establish corridor designation before the design parti is set.
- For Outer Corridor projects on steep lots, treat the 12-foot conditional add as a constraint rather than a bonus.
- Where a project sits at the 40-foot threshold, run the cumulative-cap calculation from the highest roof point to the ground vertically below as a separate verification.
Worked ExampleA 22,000-square-foot Outer Corridor lot proposes a 39-foot residence with a finished ground floor 22 feet above natural grade due to a steep hillside cut. The design proposes invoking the 12-foot conditional add to allow a 51-foot total height, on the basis that the ground surface within 5 feet of the south exterior wall exceeds grade by 22 feet.
The cumulative-cap calculation — from the highest roof point to the ground vertically below — is 51 feet of building over 11 feet of below-grade clearance, for a total cumulative height of 62 feet. The 40-foot cumulative cap is exceeded. The conditional add cannot be used as designed. The roof must be redesigned to fit within 40 feet of cumulative height to the ground beneath, or the project must seek a Project Adjustment or Project Exception per LAMC §13B.4.
Source: Mulholland Scenic Parkway Specific Plan, §6 D (Outer Corridor height). Height-measurement methodology referenced at LAMC §12.03.
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