BHO (Baseline Hillside Ordinance)
City of LA rules governing residential construction on hillside lots — height, grading, haul routes.
The Baseline Hillside Ordinance (BHO) and Baseline Mansionization Ordinance (BMO) regulate the size, height, grading, and access of residential construction on hillside lots inside the City of LA. Affected zones include Hollywood Hills, Mount Washington, Silver Lake hills, Pacific Palisades, and parts of the Valley.
BHO compliance typically requires: a soils report from a licensed geotechnical engineer, an export-haul plan if grading exceeds 1,000 cubic yards, slope stability calcs, deeper foundations (drilled piers or grade beams in many cases), and fire-department access review. Building on a hillside lot adds 15–30% to the base construction cost compared with a flat lot.
Related terms
- Soils ReportEngineering study of subsurface soil conditions, required for hillside and certain ADU lots.
- LADBS (LA Department of Building and Safety)The City of Los Angeles agency that issues building permits and conducts inspections.
- LA City PlanningThe City of LA agency that handles zoning, entitlements, and HPOZ review.
People also ask
FAQ — BHO (Baseline Hillside Ordinance)
What does "BHO (Baseline Hillside Ordinance)" mean in plain English?
City of LA rules governing residential construction on hillside lots — height, grading, haul routes.
Why does BHO (Baseline Hillside Ordinance) matter for a California ADU or remodel?
BHO (Baseline Hillside Ordinance) comes up in the zoning and land-use side of nearly every Greater LA and Bay Area project we touch. The Baseline Hillside Ordinance (BHO) and Baseline Mansionization Ordinance (BMO) regulate the size, height, grading, and access of residential construction on hillside lots inside the City of LA. Getting it right at design saves rework later — getting it wrong is one of the most common reasons permits stall.
Where will I see BHO (Baseline Hillside Ordinance) on my own project?
Most owners run into BHO (Baseline Hillside Ordinance) during the design or plan-check phase. Your project manager flags it on the schedule, walks you through what the city expects, and confirms documentation is in place before the inspection that depends on it.
Does BHO (Baseline Hillside Ordinance) cost extra?
Sometimes — depends on whether it adds scope (a report, a structural detail, a fee) or just a paperwork step. Anything cost-impacting is itemized in your contract or change order, never buried in the invoice.
Who at Alpha Dream handles BHO (Baseline Hillside Ordinance)?
The project architect owns design-level decisions; the permit runner owns city interactions; the project manager owns field execution. You always know who to ask.