Beverly Hills Zoning Code Reorganization and Single-family Mass and Bulk Study

Beverly Hills is one of California’s preeminent cities with a unique character and sense of place. Dyett & Bhatia was retained to update and reorganize the Zoning Code to improve its clarity and usability. Working closely with City staff and with input from the Planning Commission, the Code was comprehensively reorganized and provisions consolidated to make the Code easier to use and understand, and to streamline zoning administration.

Dyett & Bhatia was also retained to consider strategies to address the bulk and mass of single-family homes in the Central, Hillside, and Trousdale areas. Standards were updated, with a particular focus on design details, such as building height, setbacks, roof slopes, parking location, and retaining wall treatment, and compatibility with adjacent homes, to control building scale and mass, rather than the overall intensity of development. The Code amendments for revised single family development standards were adopted in 2014. Subsequently, City staff has continued to refine citywide regulations, building on D&B’s draft and the new graphic illustrations.