Subdivide CA Land: Can I build house while waiting for approval?

Question

I'm located in Los Angeles County. I have an opportunity to subdivide a parcel of land (1 large lot into 2 smaller lots). One lot will keep the existing house, and I am planning to construct a new home on the new lot. In Los Angeles County, it takes a year to get approval for this subdivision. My question is can I begin the process/complete the building of a house on the land while waiting for the subdivision to be approved? I am sure the land can be subdivided because the neighbor's lot had the exact same thing done and the eventual parcels meets all zoning criteria.

Eric Teran · Answer

I am an Architect of 15 years and worked in LA for 10 of those years designing custom homes. You will not be able to get a building permit until you get approved by zoning for subdividing the lot. It is a NO GO. Get your zoning permit first. The most you can do without a building permit is maybe some excavation for your foundation and that is it because you then have to call for an inspection for your rebar before they can pour concrete. You can't call for an inspection without a building permit and you can't get a building permit until you are approved by zoning. FYI when you subdivide the lot be sure that you setbacks work for the size home you want to build on there. The city will also require you to have a certain width along the street for your zone. Take your time and do it right. I'm going give you three options from my experience:1. What you can do is hire an architect and have the plans all ready so that when zoning approves the subdivision you can go into the city the next day and submit your plans. That will save you a lot of time. Even have your contractor picked out so that they are ready to go as soon as you get the building permit. 2. There is one possible solution. Find out from the zoning department if you are allowed to build a guest house on your current lot. If you can do that then you can get a building permit for a guest house while the subdivision process is taking place. That is the only scenario I can see for you to do what you want to do. 3. Another option is to speed up construction. This goes along with option 1 but once you get your permits build modular! I'm doing it right now. Visit my website if you want my day to day experience. I'm a knew believer of this system. You will build the house in 3 months.Do you currently have any plans or anything from an Architect? To get a building permits will take at least 8-12 months once you take into account the design time for the architect, planning/zoning approvals and finally the building department approval. Each time you submit something they will come back with comments for you to change something on the plans. Always happens no matter what. Even if it takes a year to subdivide your lot you will not get a permit until then anyway. I guess there is one more scenario.4. Ask the county if you can submit to sub-divide your lot and beginning the submittal process to obtain a building process at the same time. Final approval of the building permit would be conditional on the approval of the sub-division application. PM me if you want some help or advice.

Lee Ripma · Answer

Is the lot you've got zoned to take two houses? If so you might be able to get a permit to build the second one and then start the subdivision process. If not, you have to do a whole lot of shit before you build a house in LA County, prepare yourself.

Lee Ripma · Answer

Short answer, no!

Tim Ryan · Answer

You need an architect who knows the city. I'm a contractor, I build new and I don't know these answers. We can't know it all and each property has its own situations. I leave this to my architects to go to the city with the address and the idea and they find out.

Chad Ballard · Answer

@Hubert Chen If you need help let me know. I am a licensed civil here in CA. You will need a surveyor though for the lot split. I can put you in touch I know a few good ones.

Karen Margrave · Answer

@Hubert Chen What you're wanting to do doesn't require "subdividing" it is a lot split. Subdivisions are for over 4 parcels, and need State approvals. @Lee Ripma is correct that the zoning of the current parcel is the biggest factor. If the current zoning will allow 2 units on a 25,000 sq. ft. parcel, you should be able to build a 2nd home on the lot, and then if you can meet the requirements of the Planning Department to spllit the parcel, do a parcel split and end up with 2 lots. HOWEVER; if the zoning allows it, and you get the plans, permits, and construct the 2nd house, and then for some reason cannot get the split, you will have one parcel with 2 homes, so make sure that works for your purposes. In addition, if you are going to need a construction loan to build the 2nd house and there's a current mortgage on the existing parcel, you will need to refi for enough to cover the current mortgage and the construction for the new house, because the 2nd house would not have a legal parcel to secure the note for the construction loan. Does that make sense?

Hubert Chen · Answer

@Lee Ripma @Tim Ryan @Pavan Sandhu The lot is 25,000sft - zoned LCR1. I want to subdivide it into 15,000sft and 10,000sft. The existing house will stay on the 15,000 sft lot. I want to be approved for building permits to build a new 3500 sft house on the 10,000 sft lot while concurrently waiting for approval for the subdivision to happen. I hope I don't have to wait a whole year for the subdivision approval before I can apply for building permits. I am trying to speed up the process and have the house built by the time the subdivision approval is issued. I know how to get a subdivision approval; I know how to get new construction building permits. Just thinking it would save me $ and time if it all worked out. Anyone has had experience or knows if this can be done?

Paul Ortiz · Answer

@Hubert Chen Negative Sir!

Pavan Sandhu · Answer

@Hubert Chen are you wanting to start building now to speed up the constructing process of the home?

Tim Ryan · Answer

I think you mean building a "back house" with permits then subdividing later, right? If so, maybe. It takes 6 months to get plans and permits though.