Who will be affected by LA’s Low Impact Development ordinance?

You may be wondering how you and your community may be affected by LA’s proposed Low Impact Development (LID) ordinance.

Here’s how.

The proposed Low Impact Development Ordinance will require that all new construction or redevelopment projects within Los Angeles capture the first ¾” of rain generated by a storm. This rainwater, once captured, will then need to be infiltrated into the groundwater or utilized on site. If these requirements cannot be met, project applicants will have the option to build mitigation projects in other locations including public right of way within the same sub-watershed to offset the runoff or pay a fee to the city to fund additional projects that reduce stormwater pollution in the watershed.

Homeowners that are redeveloping or building new structures (1 acre or less in size) will be affected as well, albeit to a much lesser degree. These smaller projects will be also need to capture and use the first ¾” of rain from storms. Homeowners will be required to implement two best management practices on their proposed project site – a rain barrel, permeable driveway, and grassy swales are just a few examples – to capture and use the rainwater. The City will develop a companion guidance LID Handbook to assist the City developers and residents in implementing LID techniques and strategies.

These little improvements, if implemented, could drastically reduce the amount of stormwater that enters our creeks, rivers and lakes every day. In fact, LID has multiple benefits; it will replenish groundwater supplies and conserve potable water used for outdoor irrigation.

Please take a look at our other LID-related blog posts:


- Board of Public Works Weighs in on LID Ordinance

- Input Needed - Attend the Low Impact Development ordinance community meeting (12/01)

- What exactly is Low Impact Development?

- How will the Low Impact Development ordinance affect LA’s water quality?

- Why is LA’s Bureau of Sanitation department proposing a Low Impact Development ordinance?

- What folks are saying about the Low Impact Development Ordinance – reactions from community groups, businesses and residents