Custom home planning resource · Los Angeles County and the South Bay
Planning a custom home in San Marino
In San Marino, design is reviewed by a standing Design Review Committee that uses Council-adopted design guidelines to judge whether new development fits its site and the visual character of the neighborhood. Treat design review as a central stage of a new-home plan, not a formality.
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
Design for the neighborhood setting
The Committee's stated duties include fostering new development that is aesthetically compatible with existing buildings and encouraging originality and creativity in new building design.
Official resource: San Marino · Design Review CommitteeCity-wide guidance · Passage checked
02
Expect a public Committee meeting
The Committee meets publicly on the first and third Wednesday evenings of each month; agendas are posted in advance and minutes follow approval.
Official resource: San Marino · Design Review CommitteeCity-wide guidance · Passage checked
03
Clear zoning conformance with staff before the Committee
City Code §23.15.04 makes a new or replacement house subject to design review and sends an application to the Committee only after staff finds it conforms to applicable zoning standards. The Planning Division currently works by appointment.
Official resource: San Marino City Code · §23.15.04 Matters subject to design reviewCity-wide guidance · Passage checked · Effective or dated
Each step links to the official page it comes from. Requirements differ by parcel; confirm with the agency.
Who reviews a new home here
San Marino is an incorporated city in Los Angeles County.
City of San Marino — Planning Division at City Hall, with the Council-appointed Design Review Committee.
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
Does the project require design review?
City Code §23.15.04 (amended 2024, read October 13, 2026) lists new or replacement houses among matters subject to design review; permits are not issued without approval.
source: San Marino City Code · §23.15.04 Matters subject to design reviewQuestion 2
Does staff find the design conforms to zoning?
The same section sends an application to the Committee only after staff finds it meets applicable zoning standards.
source: San Marino City Code · §23.15.04 Matters subject to design reviewQuestion 3
When is the Committee meeting?
The Committee meets on the first and third Wednesday evenings; agendas post 72 hours ahead.
source: San Marino · Design Review Committee
Finding the current official checklist
Contact the Planning Division by appointment for the current design review packet; the previously cited PDF is no longer available at its old address.
Owner evidence to gather first
- Survey and zoning conformance check
- Street elevations of neighboring houses
- Site walls, paving and accessory buildings shown on the plan
What also triggers design review in San Marino (§23.15.04, excerpt)
| Item | Why it matters for a new house |
|---|---|
| Fences, walls or retaining walls adjacent to a street | Site walls can need their own review |
| Front-yard paving over 25% of the front yard | Driveway and walkway layout |
| Visible accessory structure over 600 sq ft, or a second story on it | Garages and pool houses |
Source: San Marino City Code · §23.15.04 Matters subject to design review
Local issues and the budget lines they touch
| Local issue | Budget line it affects |
|---|---|
| Design review of the whole house | Design development and possible Committee revisions |
| Site walls and paving | Landscape and hardscape design |
No dollar amounts or local premiums are implied.
Hypothetical: a replacement house plan includes a new street-side wall and a wider driveway. The team draws both in the first design review set, since the code lists them as review items too.
Before a 2027 design or build decision here
Local points to confirm with the authority at filing. Broader sequencing lives in the readiness guide. Readiness by stage
- What are the current design-review submittal requirements?
- No current packet was found online. Request the current requirements from Community Development before design starts, so the design team works to what the City asks for now.
What shapes the budget here
- Design development to the City's adopted guidelines
- Possible redesign after Committee comments
These items affect cost; none is a price. See how to build a realistic budget: Custom home budget guide
Parcel questions to answer first
- Which adopted design guidelines will the Committee apply to this street?
- Which current application packet does Planning issue for a replacement house?
- Which code sections define what in this project requires design review?
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.
- San Marino · Design Review Committee
Purpose, duties, meeting schedule.
City-wide guidance · Passage checked - San Marino City Code · §23.15.04 Matters subject to design review
New or replacement houses require design review; staff checks zoning conformance before the Committee (Ord. O-24-1415, 2024).
City-wide guidance · Passage checked · Effective or dated - San Marino · Design Review Application, Procedures & Requirements (updated 7-13-25)
City application packet: applicant and owner affidavits, project description; confirm it is still the current packet with Planning.
City-wide guidance · Passage checked · supporting excerpt read through search results from the official page; confirm current instructions with the agency - San Marino · Community Development (Planning Division)
Planning Division by appointment; contact through planning@sanmarinoca.gov.
Lookup tool or portal · Passage checked
4 of 4 official source passages checked (latest October 13, 2026).
Page content last updated:
Nearby places worth comparing
- Custom home planning in South Pasadena — Neighboring city with design review
- Custom home planning in San Gabriel — Neighboring city with its own process
Guides that use this place as an example
- Custom-home readiness for 2027 — Requirements not published online