What is a CPIO District?

Community Plan Implementation Overlay (CPIO) Districts are a specialized zoning tool designed to carry out the goals and objectives of newly updated Community Plans. They can be used to help manage growth and conserve character in residential, commercial, industrial, and transit-oriented neighborhoods. 

What does a CPIO District mean for me?

If you live in a Community Plan Area that is undergoing an update, a CPIO District could help reinforce existing community character while directing new density to neighborhods that can accommodate growth. Depending on the underlying zoning of your neighborhood, it could:

• Establish design guidelines and demolition review for older and historic communities
• Stabilize growth in your neighborhood while you consider other tools, such as Historic Preservation Overlay Zone (HPOZ) designation
• Incentivize adaptive reuse of historic resources and compliance with The Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation
• Encourage new, compatible uses to support vibrant commercial corridors
• Preserve existing industrial buildings and uses

Background

The City of Los Angeles introduced Community Plan Implementation Overlay Districts (CPIOs) in 2010 to offer tailored zoning regulations in neighborhoods that are in the process of updating their Community Plans.

Previous to the CPIO, the City adopted Community Design Overlay (CDO) Districts. To date about twenty CDOs exist across the city, including Broadway, Canoga Park Commercial Corridor, Cypress Park and Glassell Park, Downtown Canoga Park, Downtown San Pedro, Downtown Westchester, Echo Park, Fletcher Square, Lincoln Boulevard, Lincoln Heights, Little Tokyo, Loyola Village, Miracle Mile, Pacoima, Panorama City, Resenda Central Business District, Sun Valley, Van Nuys Central Business District, West Pico Boulevard, and West Wilshire Boulevard. 

As their name implies, CPIO Districts are meant to implement the vision of a Community Plan. They offer customized protection to individual neighborhoods and corridors and set clear regulations for the size, scale, and bulk of new construction.

CPIOs can be applied in commercial neighborhoods to manage the scale and design of infill construction; in industrial neighborhoods to encourage adaptive reuse and ensure compatibility with neighboring residential areas; in Transit Oriented Districts to encourage density along public transit corridors; and in residential neighborhoods to ensure that new construction respects the existing character.

While re:code.la will offer a more robust set of zoning tools to Los Angeles' neighborhoods, the City is currently incorporating CPIO Districts into the updated community plans for West Adams, Sylmar, South Los Angeles, Southeast Los Angeles and San Pedro. Specific CPIO Districts have been adopted for Sylmar and West Adams which includes various subareas. 

For more information on CPIOs, please refer to the City's fact sheet or watch this instructional video.