Power lines running near your property?

In the last year, Los Angeles has permitted more accessory dwelling units than any other city in the United States.

In fact, in Los Angeles there was a 15x increase in ADU permit applications from 2016 to 2017 according to the Los Angeles’ planning department. This is exciting news for the people of LA as it means more affordable housing is being added every day.

However, there’s one thing most homeowners have never considered that’s wreaking havoc on the permitting process.

Powerlines.

Huh?

What do powerlines have to do with building an ADU in LA?

Hundreds of ADU projects have been stalled and denied in Los Angeles simply because of the powerline distance from their proposed ADU.

Statewide regulations require new buildings to sit 5 to 6 horizontal feet from the vertical path of a power line. This is to ensure that if the line breaks it doesn’t fall on top of the structure.

Unfortunately, that means as many as 1 in 6 ADU projects in LA is affected.

If you’re interested in building an ADU in LA Maxable can help. Book a Free Consultation to get started or call us at 818-337-5515.

How long can you expect to wait after submitting your ADU plans to LADWP?

Are Powerlines causing an ADU outage?

“Unfortunately right now, LADWP (Los Angeles Department of Water and Power) is backed up by a minimum of 90 days for reviewal, and no, that is not including it being processed,” says Avi Levi who oversees ADU projects for an LA design-build firm.

His recommendation?

Try and be patient. Building an ADU is a marathon, not a race and while setbacks can be frustrating this is part of the process.

Typical permit time for an ADU in Los Angeles is ~3 months.

LADWP reports that approximately 800 ADU applications in public utility easements have been referred to its queue. Almost one in every five to six permit applications is being referred. LADWP does not offer waivers.

If your home is powered by LADWP it’s imperative to check where the power lines are located before submitting your proposals.

What’s next for these Los Angeles power line regulations?

The only solution at the moment for homeowners is to move their proposed ADU away from the power lines above their property.

Are Powerlines causing an ADU outage?

During the 2017-2018 legislative session, a state law allowing for immunities to utilities such as LADWP with ADUs was discussed. Unfortunately, it was ultimately rejected. However, this issue may likely be brought up again during future sessions.

Another potential solution would be creating a risk-management pool to ensure for possible accidents. The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and the Mayor continue to work together to help solve the hundreds of ADU applications that are getting rejected.

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