Quick Answer: If a property sits within Burbank’s designated Hillside Area, certain remodels, additions, and new construction require a Hillside Development Permit before a building permit can even be submitted. Four things trigger it: grading or a new building pad, a structure that extends past the standard front/rear yard setback lines, roof height over 16 feet, or total FAR-counted square footage over 3,000 square feet. This isn’t a rubber-stamp process — it involves specific findings the city has to make before approving it.
What is a Hillside Development Permit in Burbank?
Burbank’s Hillside Development Permit exists to balance two things the city has to weigh against each other: a property owner’s right to reasonably develop their land, and the value that hillside views — of Burbank and the surrounding area — hold for the broader community. It’s governed by Burbank Municipal Code Section 10-1-606, and it applies specifically to properties within the city’s mapped Hillside Area.
This is a planning-level permit, separate from and required before a standard building permit application in qualifying cases.
Which projects actually require a Hillside Development Permit?
Per the city’s Single Family Guide, a residential project in the Hillside Area needs this permit if any of the following apply:
- Grading or a new building pad — this includes cut-or-fill activity to expand an existing pad, or any other grading, including grading for structures, swimming pools, patios, driveways, or expanded yard areas.
- The structure extends beyond the standard front or rear yard setback lines as defined in Section 10-1-606(E).
- Roof height exceeds 16 feet — measured to the top of the roof.
- Total gross square footage counted toward FAR exceeds 3,000 square feet — across all structures and FAR-included spaces on the lot.
Trip any one of these thresholds on a hillside lot, and the Hillside Development Permit process kicks in before you can move to a standard building permit.
Where exactly is Burbank’s “Hillside Area”?
The city maintains official Hillside Area maps that define the boundary — this generally covers the elevated terrain in and around the Verdugo Hills portion of Burbank, but the precise line matters for any specific parcel. If you’re evaluating a property that might sit in or near this zone, the map should be checked directly rather than assumed from the general “is this a hilly street” impression, since boundaries don’t always follow what you’d expect from the terrain alone.
What findings does the city have to make to approve one?
This isn’t discretionary sign-off. The Community Development Director (or the Planning Commission, if the decision is appealed) can’t approve a Hillside Development Permit unless specific required findings under Section 10-1-606 are satisfied. In practice, that means the application has to demonstrate the project fits within the standards the ordinance sets out — it’s a genuine review, not a formality.
Does this affect floor area ratio (FAR) calculations?
Yes. Within the Hillside Area, FAR can actually be reduced through conditions placed on a Hillside Development Permit. This is worth knowing if you’re evaluating a hillside property’s development potential — the base zoning numbers you’d apply to a flat R-1 lot elsewhere in Burbank may not translate directly once hillside conditions are layered on.
Are there additional rules for horsekeeping (R-1-H) hillside properties?
Some hillside parcels also fall under Burbank’s R-1-H (Single-Family Residential Horsekeeping) zone, which carries its own additional development standards under Section 10-1-605. A property can be subject to both the R-1-H standards and the hillside standards simultaneously, depending on where it sits — these aren’t either/or.
How does this affect buying or selling a hillside home in Burbank?
For sellers, if a prior owner did hillside work — an addition, a pad expansion, a pool — it’s worth confirming the Hillside Development Permit was actually obtained where required. Unpermitted grading or additions on a hillside lot are a different (and often costlier) problem than unpermitted work on a flat lot, given the geology and drainage considerations involved.
For buyers, if you’re picturing a second story, a larger footprint, or a pool on a hillside property, the 16-foot roof height and 3,000-square-foot FAR thresholds should factor into your due diligence before you fall in love with a renovation plan that the lot may not support without a permit process first.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does every home in the hills need a Hillside Development Permit to do any work at all?
No. Interior remodels and minor work that don’t involve grading, don’t extend past setback lines, don’t push roof height over 16 feet, and don’t push FAR-counted square footage over 3,000 square feet generally don’t trigger this permit. It’s specifically tied to those four thresholds.
How long does the Hillside Development Permit process take?
The city doesn’t publish a single fixed timeline since it depends on the scope of findings required and whether the decision gets appealed to the Planning Commission. Because it’s required before a building permit application, it should be factored into your project timeline from the start, not treated as a parallel step.
Where do I find out if my property is in the Hillside Area?
The city maintains official Hillside Area maps through the Community Development Department. Checking the map directly for a specific parcel is the reliable way to confirm — don’t assume based on street name or general topography alone.
Can a Hillside Development Permit decision be appealed?
Yes. If the Community Development Director’s decision is appealed, it goes to the Planning Commission, which then makes the required findings.
Does this permit cover pools and driveways, or just the house itself?
It covers grading broadly, which explicitly includes grading for pools, patios, driveways, and expanded yard areas — not just the primary structure.
Is there a separate application fee for this permit?
Yes, application and fee information is published on the city’s Planning Application Forms and Fees page, separate from standard building permit fees.
What department handles Hillside Development Permits?
Community Development’s Planning division, based out of the Community Services Building at 150 N. Third Street, Burbank. Public counter hours are Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
If I’m buying a hillside home with an addition already built, how do I confirm it was permitted correctly?
Pull the permit history for the property through the city’s building records before writing an offer, and specifically ask whether a Hillside Development Permit was issued if the addition involved grading, setback encroachment, height over 16 feet, or pushed the home’s FAR-counted footage past 3,000 square feet.
This article is general information about a City of Burbank zoning ordinance and is not legal or engineering advice. Requirements, maps, and thresholds can be updated by the city — always confirm current standards with Burbank Community Development before relying on them for a purchase, sale, or construction project.
About Will Flannigan
Will Flannigan is a California licensed real estate agent (DRE #01951292) and Certified Trust & Probate Specialist (CTPS) with The Nell Team at Equity Union Real Estate. A former attorney, Will brings a background in property management and over a dozen home flips to every transaction, and has been licensed since 2014. A 20+ year resident of Burbank Rancho, Will specializes in Burbank, Altadena, Pasadena, Glendale, and the greater San Gabriel Valley, with fluency in Mandarin serving clients in San Marino and beyond.
Considering a hillside property in Burbank — buying, selling, or building? Zoning questions like this are exactly where the right agent (and the right permit history check) saves you from a costly surprise mid-escrow. Let’s talk before you write the offer or list the home.
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