Studio City's floor area rules changed
For years, non-hillside homes in Studio City had their own Residential Floor Area district, with tighter size limits than the rest of the city. In 2018 the City Council repealed it in favor of LA's citywide mansionization rules. Many older articles and listings still describe the old Studio City limits. Today, a typical non-hillside R1 lot here is capped at 45 percent of lot area, the same as the rest of LA's R1 zone.
Gross Design + Build designs and builds in Studio City as one team, under our California general contractor license, CSL 1079184. We start every project with the parcel's actual zoning, not what the neighborhood used to allow.
Part of the City of Los Angeles
Studio City is a neighborhood of the City of Los Angeles. Permits come from the LA Department of Building and Safety, whose Valley office is at 6262 Van Nuys Blvd in Van Nuys, and zoning comes from LA City Planning. Studio City sits in the Sherman Oaks-Studio City-Toluca Lake-Cahuenga Pass Community Plan, last updated in 1998 and now being rewritten in the Southeast Valley Community Plan Update, which will bring the area onto LA's new zoning code.
Canyons, hillsides, and Mulholland
South of Ventura Boulevard, Studio City climbs into the Santa Monica Mountains, and many lots there are in LA's designated Hillside Area. Allowed floor area drops as slope rises, street width and access matter, and grading is capped by zone. Near the ridge, the Mulholland Scenic Parkway Specific Plan limits the height of buildings visible from Mulholland Drive within 500 feet of it and sends larger additions to its Design Review Board. Hillside homes in Very High fire zones need brush clearance within 200 feet of structures.
Hillside work is where a design-build team earns its keep: the structure, the access, and the budget have to shape the drawings from the start. See our hillside home construction page for how we approach it.
ADUs in Studio City
On a flat lot, a garage conversion or a detached ADU is often the simplest way to add space. Hillside lots in Very High fire zones carry more conditions under LA's ADU ordinance, which state law limits. Our guides explain ADU size, height, and setbacks and which permitting route fits your lot.
Common questions
Does Studio City still have its own floor area limits?
No. Studio City's Residential Floor Area district was repealed in 2018. Non-hillside single-family lots now follow LA's citywide rules, which cap a typical R1 lot at 45 percent of lot area.
Who issues building permits in Studio City?
The LA Department of Building and Safety, because Studio City is part of the City of Los Angeles. Its Valley office is at 6262 Van Nuys Blvd in Van Nuys.
Is my Studio City lot a hillside lot?
Many lots south of Ventura Boulevard are in LA's designated Hillside Area, but it is parcel by parcel. Look up your address on ZIMAS, the City's zoning map, or ask us to check it before you design.
Related: Design-build in Sherman Oaks, San Fernando Valley, Custom homes.