State law. City law. One parcel.
Land to Yield screens Los Angeles parcels against the SB 79 statute, the City's Low-Rise and Phased Implementation ordinances, and base zoning, then shows exactly which questions still need a professional answer.
The interactive massing model needs WebGL. The three regimes it compares are summarized in the next section.
The State wrote the rule. Los Angeles wrote the reply.
SB 79 sets statewide development floors around qualifying transit. Los Angeles used the statute's own alternative and exclusion provisions to phase it in and to offer a smaller-scale path in its lower-density neighborhoods. A parcel's answer depends on both.
SB 79 development floors
Height, density, and floor area a city must allow on eligible sites, by transit tier and distance from the station.
| Distance | Height | Density | FAR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 · Heavy rail | ||||
| Within 200 ft | 95 ft | 160 du/ac | 4.5 | |
| Within ¼ mile | 75 ft | 120 du/ac | 3.5 | |
| ¼ to ½ mile | 65 ft | 100 du/ac | 3.0 | |
| Tier 2 · Light rail, commuter rail, BRT | ||||
| Within 200 ft | 85 ft | 140 du/ac | 4.0 | |
| Within ¼ mile | 65 ft | 100 du/ac | 3.0 | |
| ¼ to ½ mile | 55 ft | 80 du/ac | 2.5 | |
Two ordinances, effective June 30, 2026
Adopted under § 65912.161, which lets a city substitute an alternative plan and seek temporary exclusions, subject to state review.
Phased Implementation Ordinance
Sequences where the statute applies. Most station-area parcels sit on temporary hold under the statute's exemption pathways, with phasing running to around 2030.
- Temporary pathways include existing local capacity, low-resource areas, fire hazard, sea level rise, and historic resources
- Some stations cannot be delayed and apply the statute now
Low-Rise Ordinance
A local menu for residential neighborhoods near transit: small multi-unit buildings instead of the statutory envelope.
- LR-1: 5 to 11 units · LR-2: 12 to 16 units
- FAR from 1.30 to 2.90, two to three stories
- No parking minimum · restricted affordable units required
Council selects a phased implementation approach.
City Planning Commission recommends both ordinances.
City Council adopts the Low-Rise and Phased Implementation ordinances.
Ordinances 188967 and 188968 take effect; eligibility layers go live in ZIMAS.
SB 79 becomes operative statewide.
parcels inside Los Angeles's SB 79 station areas in the City's May 2026 screening snapshot.
Fewer than one in ten were available to study under the statute.
Source: City Planning parcel lists, May 5, 2026 snapshot prepared for the May 14 Commission hearing. This predates final Council adoption and the June ordinance maps, so it is a screening control only. Confirm any individual parcel against the current ZIMAS record.
Every answer is a stack, read top down.
Land to Yield does not label a parcel eligible because it sits near a station. It resolves the parcel's status first, then applies the rule path that status allows, and keeps anything unproven on the open list.
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Parcel evidence
APN identity, the dated ZIMAS record, and the City's status for that parcel: available, temporary hold, or excluded.
- 03
City ordinances
Phased Implementation decides whether the statute applies yet. Low-Rise supplies the LR-1 or LR-2 menu where it does not.
- 02
State statute
The SB 79 tier and distance band set the statutory floor for height, density, and floor area.
- 01
Base zoning
Zone, height district, overlays, and specific plans: what the parcel can do with no state or local incentive at all.
Official records, dates, and parcel identity stay reviewable next to every result.
Missing critical evidence blocks a final eligibility or offer conclusion instead of guessing.
Sourced facts, derived calculations, and user assumptions are kept visibly distinct.
One record, read three ways.
The same parcel screen serves the people who have to agree before anything gets built: the client who wants to build it, the counsel who has to defend it, and the lender who has to fund it.
Get to the real questions faster.
A source-linked intake record with the statute, the ordinance path, and the unresolved issues already separated for review.
For attorneys →Triage sites before you spend.
Compare base zoning, statutory, and Low-Rise scenarios side by side, with yield and economics you can edit.
For developers →See what the entitlement rests on.
Know which assumptions are verified and which are still open before a term sheet depends on them.
Read the insights →Simple plans. Cancel anytime.
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What it is, and what it is not.
Is a Land to Yield result a legal conclusion?
No. It is a preliminary screen built from public parcel, zoning, planning, and legislative sources, with the unresolved verification steps listed. Confirm the current ZIMAS record, controlling maps, overlays, and legal pathway with qualified professionals before relying on any result.
How does it handle LA's response to SB 79?
Parcel status comes first. A parcel on temporary hold or excluded under the City's lists does not receive a statutory envelope from proximity alone. Where the Low-Rise Ordinance may apply, the screen calculates the LR-1 or LR-2 menu and flags that the subarea must be confirmed in ZIMAS.
What areas does it cover?
The core workflow is designed for parcels within the City of Los Angeles. Source availability varies by parcel and tool. Broader LA County and Southern California coverage is being evaluated.
How is this different from ZIMAS or CoStar?
ZIMAS provides official parcel-linked planning information, and CoStar focuses on market data. Land to Yield organizes those kinds of inputs into pathway screens, transparent scenarios, and a verification list. Qualified professionals still determine what can legally and physically be built.
Can I export reports for clients or investors?
Yes. Developer and Team plans include PDF export. Team plans add custom branding on exports.
Can I cancel anytime?
Yes. There are no contracts or cancellation fees, and access continues through the end of the current billing period.