Custom home planning resource · Los Angeles County and the South Bay
Planning a custom home in Burbank
In Burbank the first fork is whether the lot sits in the designated Hillside Area. There, some new homes need a Hillside Development Permit from Planning before any building permit application; on flatter R-1 lots the path usually starts with zoning review and plan check.
KB Remodeling takes new-home inquiries from owners planning here. Share the lot and the project; KB reviews scope, licensing and location for each inquiry before suggesting a next step.
Planning sequence
01
Check whether a Hillside Development Permit applies
The City's Single Family Guide says certain Hillside Area projects need a Hillside Development Permit before a building permit application. Triggers include creating or expanding a building pad or other grading, extending past front or rear setback lines, and exceeding published height or total floor-area thresholds.
Official resource: Burbank · Single Family GuideApplies to a specific area, zone or overlay · Passage checked
02
Match the lot to its development standards
The guide links separate standards for all R-1 properties, additional standards for R-1-H horsekeeping properties and standards for designated Hillside Area properties. Know which set governs before massing the house.
Official resource: Burbank · Single Family GuideApplies to a specific area, zone or overlay · Passage checked
03
Plan for a Tier 2 permit with plan check
Building & Safety classifies new dwellings as Tier 2 permits, which require plan check and/or zoning approvals, and accepts building permit applications by email for review and processing.
Official resource: Burbank · Building PermitsCity-wide guidance · Passage checked
Each step links to the official page it comes from. Requirements differ by parcel; confirm with the agency.
Who reviews a new home here
Burbank is an incorporated city in Los Angeles County.
City of Burbank — Community Development (Planning Division and Building & Safety).
Local planning journey
Which planning question to resolve first here, and why it shapes the brief. Each answer comes from the cited City page or stays a question for staff.
Question 1
Is the lot in the Hillside Area, and does the design trip a Hillside Development Permit?
The Single Family Guide (read October 13, 2026) lists four triggers: new pads or grading (including pools, patios, driveways), building past front or rear setback lines, roof height over 16 feet, or FAR area over 3,000 sq ft. The permit comes before the building permit application.
source: Burbank · Single Family GuideQuestion 2
Which development standards apply to a flat lot?
Outside the Hillside Area the same guide routes owners to zone development standards; match the lot to its zone before massing.
source: Burbank · Single Family GuideQuestion 3
What does Building ask for at plan check?
Use the Building Permits page for the current submittal path.
source: Burbank · Building Permits
Finding the current official checklist
Check the Hillside Area map linked from the Single Family Guide, then open Planning's Application Forms and Fees page for the current HDP application.
Owner evidence to gather first
- Hillside Area map result for the parcel
- Survey with existing pad and setback lines
- Preliminary height and FAR tabulation
Burbank Hillside Development Permit triggers (Hillside Area only)
| Design choice | Triggers the permit when… |
|---|---|
| Grading | A new pad, pad expansion, or grading for structures, pools, patios, driveways or yards |
| Footprint | The structure extends beyond the front or rear setback line |
| Height | Top of roof exceeds 16 feet |
| Size | FAR-counted area of all structures exceeds 3,000 sq ft |
Source: Burbank · Single Family Guide
Local issues and the budget lines they touch
| Local issue | Budget line it affects |
|---|---|
| Hillside Development Permit | Planning application and design iterations before plan check |
| Grading for pool or driveway | Civil/grading design as its own line |
No dollar amounts or local premiums are implied.
Cost drivers to confirm before pricing
| Issue | Fact that confirms it | Who answers | What a proposal should list |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grading beyond the existing pad | Topographic survey compared with the proposed site plan | Surveyor and civil engineer | Cut/fill quantities, export and retaining as separate lines |
| Height over 16 feet | Architect's section drawn to the roof peak | Architect | Whether HDP drawings and hearings are in the design fee |
Hypothetical: owners of a Hillside Area lot want a pool on new fill. Because grading for a pool is a listed trigger, they price the HDP and civil work before choosing the pool's location.
What shapes the budget here
- Grading, pad work and retaining on Hillside Area lots
- Hillside Development Permit drawings and studies where required
- Horsekeeping-property standards on R-1-H lots
These items affect cost; none is a price. See how to build a realistic budget: Custom home budget guide
Parcel questions to answer first
- Is the lot inside the designated Hillside Area?
- Does the design trigger a Hillside Development Permit through grading, setback-line, height or floor-area thresholds?
- Is the property zoned R-1 or R-1-H?
Gather before a first conversation
- Address or APN and recent site photos
- Survey, title report and prior permits if available
- Architect drawings, or a written list of rooms and priorities
- Target timing and how you plan to finance construction
Related guides: Buying land to build · Lot utility due diligence · Choosing a custom-home builder · 2025 Energy Code for new homes
Official sources
Each source shows what it covers and whether its passage was checked in our review.
- Burbank · Single Family Guide
Hillside Development Permit triggers; R-1, R-1-H and Hillside standards.
Applies to a specific area, zone or overlay · Passage checked - Burbank · Building Permits
New dwellings are Tier 2 (plan check and/or zoning approvals); electronic submittal.
City-wide guidance · Passage checked
2 of 2 official source passages checked (latest October 11, 2026).
Page content last updated:
Nearby places worth comparing
- Custom home planning in Glendale — Neighboring city with its own building division