Los Angeles Municipal Code § 91.3306 Protection of Pedestrians

(Amended by Ord. No. 188,797, Eff. 12/31/25.)

Section

• 91.3300 Basic Provisions.

• 91.3301 General.

• 91.3304 Site Work.

• 91.3305 Sanitary.

• 91.3306 Protection of Pedestrians.

• 91.3307 Protection of Adjoining Property.

Chapter 33 of the CBC is adopted by reference with the following exceptions, modifications and additions:

(Amended by Ord. No. 185,587, Eff. 7/16/18.)

Section 3301 of the CBC is adopted by reference, except Section 3301.1 of the CBC is not adopted; and, in lieu, LAMC Subsection 91.3301.1 is added.

91.3301.1. Scope. (Amended by Ord. No. 188,797, Eff. 12/31/25.) The provisions of this division shall govern safety during construction and the protection of adjacent public and private properties. Fire safety during construction shall also comply with the applicable provisions of Chapter 33 of the California Fire Code.

This section shall not be construed to waive the requirements of the General Safety Orders of the Department of Industrial Relations of the State of California, or the provisions of California Civil Code Section 832 concerning the rights of coterminous owners as to excavations.

See Division 70, Article 1, Chapter IX of the LAMC for all grading, excavation and fill requirements.

(Amended by Ord. No. 185,587, Eff. 7/16/18.)

Section 3304 of the CBC is adopted by reference, except Section 3304.1.4 of the CBC is not adopted; and, in lieu, LAMC Subdivision 91.3304.1.4 is added.

91.3304.1.4. Fill Supporting Foundations. Fill to be used to support the foundations of any building or structure shall comply with CBC Section 1804.6 and Division 70, Article 1, Chapter IX of the LAMC. Special inspections of compacted fill shall be in accordance with CBC Section 1705.6. (Readopted by Ord. No. 188,797, Eff. 12/31/25.)

(Amended by Ord. No. 188,797, Eff. 12/31/25.)

Section 3305 of the CBC is not adopted; and, in lieu, LAMC Subsections 91.3305.1 and 91.3305.2 are added.

91.3305.1. Toilet Facilities Required. No person shall commence or proceed with the erection, construction, alteration, repair, raising, adding to, removal or demolition of any building or structure unless adequate, suitable, sanitary toilet facilities under the control of that person are provided for the use of any person employed or working upon the building or structure. The toilet facilities shall be located upon or within a reasonable distance of the lot, premises, or site upon which the work is being done. In no case shall the line of travel to any toilet facility exceed 500 feet (152.4 m). (Readopted by Ord. No. 188,797, Eff. 12/31/25.)

91.3305.2. Toilet Standards. Every toilet shall be of the water-flush type and connected to a public sewer or a private sewage disposal system built in accordance with the provisions of the Plumbing Code. All toilet structures shall be completely enclosed on four sides and the top, and the door shall be self-closing; the toilet floor shall be smooth, and screened ventilation shall be provided for the toilet compartment. Where workers are employed during the night hours, the toilet building shall be provided with artificial light. In lieu of flush water closets, approved chemical toilets, which meet the requirements of Chapter III of the Los Angeles Municipal Code, may be provided. (Readopted by Ord. No. 188,797, Eff. 12/31/25.)

(Amended by Ord. No. 185,587, Eff. 7/16/18.)

Section 3306 of the CBC is adopted by reference, except Section 3306.1 of the CBC is not adopted; and, in lieu, LAMC Subsection 91.3306.1 is added.

91.3306.1. Protection Required. (Readopted by Ord. No. 188,797, Eff. 12/31/25.) Pedestrians shall be protected during construction, remodeling and demolition activities as required by Division 33, Article 1, Chapter IX of the Los Angeles Municipal Code and CBC Table 3306.1. Signs shall be provided to direct pedestrian traffic.

Nothing contained in this section shall be construed to grant permission to use, construct or place a canopy over any street or public place without first obtaining the necessary permits from the Department of Public Works.

(Amended by Ord. No. 187,719, Eff. 1/23/23.)

Section 3307 of the CBC is not adopted and, in lieu, Los Angeles Municipal Code Subsections 91.3307.1, 91.3307.2, 91.3307.2.1, 91.3307.2.2, 91.3307.3, 91.3307.3.1, and 91.3307.3.2 are added.

91.3307.1. Protection Required. (Readopted by Ord. No. 188,797, Eff. 12/31/25.) Adjoining public and private property shall be protected from damage during construction, remodeling and demolition work. Protection must be provided for footings, foundations, party walls, chimneys, skylights and roofs. Provisions shall be made to control water runoff and erosion during construction or demolition activities.

For excavations, adjacent property shall be protected as set forth in Section 832 of the Civil Code of California.

Prior to the issuance of any permit, which authorizes an excavation where the excavation is to be of a greater depth than are the walls or foundation of any adjoining building or structure and located closer to the property line than the depth of the excavation, the owner of the site shall provide the Department of Building and Safety with evidence that the adjacent property owner or owners have been given a 30-day written notice of the intent to excavate. This notice shall state the depth to which the excavation is intended to be made and when the excavation will commence. This notice shall be by certified mail, return receipt requested.

91.3307.2. Underpinning. (Readopted by Ord. No. 188,797, Eff. 12/31/25.)

91.3307.2.1. General. In constructing underpinning, all portions of the structure shall be supported so that no structural material is stressed beyond the yield point. (Readopted by Ord. No. 188,797, Eff. 12/31/25.)

91.3307.2.2. Closure. All spaces between the existing footing and the underpinning shall be packed full of mortar conforming to the provisions of CBC Section 2103 and having no slump when tested by the method specified in ASTM C 143. (Readopted by Ord. No. 188,797, Eff. 12/31/25.)

91.3307.3. Temporary Excavations and Shoring. (Readopted by Ord. No. 188,797, Eff. 12/31/25.)

91.3307.3.1. General. (Readopted by Ord. No. 188,797, Eff. 12/31/25.) Excavations shall not remove the lateral support from a public way, from an adjacent property or from an existing structure. For the purpose of this section, the lateral support shall be considered to have been removed when any of the following conditions exist:

1. The excavation exposes any adverse geological formations, which would affect the lateral support of a public way, an adjacent property or an adjacent structure.

2. The excavation extends below a plane extending downward at an angle of 45 degrees from the edge of the public way or an adjacent property.

EXCEPTION: Normal footing excavations not exceeding two feet in depth will not be construed as removing lateral support.

3. The excavation extends below a plane extending downward at an angle of 45 degrees from the bottom of a footing of an existing structure.

91.3307.3.2. Removal of Lateral Support. (Readopted by Ord. No. 188,797, Eff. 12/31/25.) Approval of the Department of Public Works shall be obtained prior to the issuance of a permit for any excavation that would remove the lateral support from a public way.

The slopes of excavations adjacent to an existing structure, an adjacent property or public way may exceed one horizontal to one vertical where either:

1. A soil report recommending that the slope may be in excess of one to one has been approved by the Department and the Department of Public Works when the excavation is adjacent to a public way.

When justified by the soils engineer, the Department may approve the use of the proposed building and/or shoring to support an adjacent structure on an adjoining property in lieu of underpinning, provided:

(i) Evidence is submitted that the adjoining property owner has been notified in advance of the proposed excavation in compliance with Section 832 of the Civil Code of California.

(ii) The owner of the site records a sworn affidavit with the Office of the County Recorder, which will inform future owners of the site that the lateral support of a portion of the building footings on the adjoining property is provided by the subterranean walls of the building on the site.

2. Underpinning is designed to support adjacent structures, temporary shoring is designed to support the excavation, and plans are approved and permits are issued by the Department.

Temporary shoring shall be designed for an earth pressure recommended by a soils engineer and approved by the Department, equivalent to that exerted by a fluid weighing not less than 24 pounds (11 kg) per cubic foot plus all surcharge loads.

Soils bearing values shall be those specified in Division 18, Article 1, Chapter IX of the LAMC or those recommended by a soils engineer and approved by the Department.

The design of the required temporary shoring and necessary underpinning shall include a sequence of construction and installation.

Allowable stresses used in the design of temporary shoring may be increased 33-1/3% for structural and reinforcing steel and 25% for wood. No increase will be permitted for concrete. Other values shall be those prescribed by this Code.