Specific Plans Overview
Zoning Overlays & Bonuses
How specific plans (LA has 35+) layer on top of underlying zoning to set neighborhood-tailored rules for height, density, design, and use.
How Specific Plans Overview Rules Differ by Place
Bexar County, TX: Limited County Zoning Authority in Texas
Few RestrictionsBexar County has only narrow zoning power under Texas Local Government Code 240. Most land-use control in unincorporated areas runs through subdivision platting, the Unified…
Dallas County, TX: Texas counties have limited zoning authority
Few RestrictionsTexas counties cannot generally zone land. Dallas County regulates only subdivision plats, floodplains, and on-site sewage facilities in unincorporated areas under Local Government…
Harris County, TX: Texas counties cannot adopt specific plans like California
Few RestrictionsTexas counties have very limited zoning authority under Local Government Code chapters 232 and 233, primarily over subdivisions and floodplains. Harris County does not adopt specific…
Anchorage, AK: Anchorage's Comprehensive Plan Sets Land Use Policy
Some RestrictionsAnchorage has no separate "specific plan" ordinance; land use planning runs through the single comprehensive plan defined in AMC 21.01.080. Table 21.01-1 incorporates roughly twenty…
Maricopa County, AZ: Maricopa County Specific Development Plan Rule
Some RestrictionsIn unincorporated Maricopa County, no parcel inside a Planned Area Development (PAD) overlay can be built on until the county approves a Specific Development Plan for it. The plan must…
Anaheim, CA: Anaheim Specific Plans Overview
Some RestrictionsChapter 18.72 of the Anaheim Municipal Code lets the City Council adopt a specific plan that replaces standard zoning for a defined area, the mechanism behind the Anaheim Resort…
Cities & Counties with Specific Plans Overview Rules
17 locations
California
District of Columbia
New Jersey
New York
North Carolina
Other Zoning Overlays & Bonuses Topics
Density Bonus Law
California Density Bonus Law (Gov Code §65915) and local implementations granting up to 50% density bonuses for affordable-housing projects.
Transit-Oriented Communities (TOC)
LA's TOC tier system (Measure JJJ) granting density and parking incentives near major transit, including affordability set-aside ratios per tier.
Hillside Overlay Rules
Special development rules for hillside zones, slope-band density formulas, hillside grading limits, and view-protection standards above LAMC baseline.
Q-Conditions (Qualified Zoning)
How "Q" qualified-zoning conditions add property-specific use restrictions, design standards, and operational limits on top of base zoning.
Coastal Zone Permits
Coastal Development Permits (CDP) required for projects in the coastal zone (Venice, Pacific Palisades, San Pedro), including local-CDP vs Coastal Commission jurisdiction.
Mello Act Replacement
California Mello Act requirement to replace affordable housing demolished or converted in the coastal zone, including LA's implementation rules.
Hollywood Community Plan
The Hollywood Community Plan (and 2035 update) layering height, density, and design rules on top of base zoning across Hollywood neighborhoods.
Venice Specific Plan
The Venice Specific Plan setting unique residential, commercial, and walk-street rules in Venice, including iconic-streetscape preservation.
Downtown Design Guide
LA's Downtown Design Guide and Community Plan governing high-rise massing, ground-floor activation, and adaptive-reuse standards in DTLA.