Custom home planning resource · Los Angeles County and the South Bay
Planning a custom home in Santa Monica
A new single-unit house in Santa Monica is reviewed by more than the building plan checker: Public Works publishes its own new-house checklist, some single-unit projects need Architectural Review Board review, and parcels in the Coastal Zone raise a separate question.
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
Confirm whether Architectural Review applies
The City's ARB application states design review covers multi-unit and commercial work and some single-unit developments. Ask Planning whether your parcel is one of them.
Official resource: Santa Monica · ARB applicationCity-wide guidance · Passage checked
02
Read the Public Works new single-family checklist
The checklist lists urban runoff mitigation triggers, including a new structure above a stated footprint, plus drainage and utility fees invoiced to the permit.
Official resource: Public Works · New single-family plan check checklist (marked 6.2.25)City-wide guidance · Passage checked
03
Coastal Zone parcels: ask about Coastal Commission review
The City source cited here is written for ADUs: it says that in the Coastal Zone a Coastal Development Permit or waiver may also be required through the California Coastal Commission. It does not set the path for a new house, so ask City Planning and the Coastal Commission's South Coast District which coastal permit, if any, your parcel needs.
Official resource: Santa Monica · ADU guide for single-unit parcels (Nov 2025)Written for ADUs, not new houses · Passage checked
04
Submit through the permitting portal
Building permit applications use the City's online permitting portal.
Official resource: Santa Monica Permitting PortalLookup tool or portal · Confirm the current content directly with the agency
Each step links to the official page it comes from. Requirements differ by parcel; confirm with the agency.
Who reviews a new home here
Santa Monica is an incorporated city in Los Angeles County.
City of Santa Monica — City Planning Division, Building and Safety, and Public Works Civil Engineering.
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 Architectural Review apply to this house?
If it applies, design approval precedes building plan check and shapes the exterior early.
source: Santa Monica · ARB applicationQuestion 2
What does Public Works expect for a new single-family dwelling?
The City's Public Works new-SFR checklist covers right-of-way and site items that affect the site plan, not only the building.
source: Public Works · New single-family plan check checklist (marked 6.2.25)Question 3
Is the parcel in the Coastal Zone?
Santa Monica's coastal applicability is parcel-specific; ask Planning whether Coastal Commission review applies before setting the schedule.
Finding the current official checklist
Start from the City's planning applications page and the Public Works new single-family checklist; submit through the permit portal, and confirm with staff that the checklist revision you hold is current.
Local issues and the budget lines they touch
| Local issue | Budget line it affects |
|---|---|
| Public Works right-of-way items | Sitework at the street edge (its own line) |
| Architectural Review | Design iterations before plan check |
No dollar amounts or local premiums are implied.
Hypothetical: an owner in the Sunset Park neighborhood plans a replacement home. The Public Works checklist shows street-edge work is part of the submittal, so the budget carries it separately instead of inside the house price.
What shapes the budget here
- Stormwater and urban runoff measures on the whole parcel
- Architectural review drawings where review applies
- Coastal permit preparation on Coastal Zone parcels
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 parcel in the Coastal Zone?
- Does this single-unit project fall under Architectural Review Board review?
- Which urban runoff triggers on the Public Works checklist apply?
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 · Coastal-zone new-home planning
Official sources
Each source shows what it covers and whether its passage was checked in our review.
- Santa Monica · ARB application
Design review scope, including some single-unit developments.
City-wide guidance · Passage checked - Public Works · New single-family plan check checklist (marked 6.2.25)
Urban runoff triggers and civil plan check items.
City-wide guidance · Passage checked - Santa Monica · ADU guide for single-unit parcels (Nov 2025)
ADU guidance only; cited for its Coastal Zone note, not as a new-house rule.
Written for ADUs, not new houses · Passage checked - Santa Monica Permitting Portal
Online permit applications.
Lookup tool or portal · Confirm the current content directly with the agency
3 of 4 official source passages checked (latest October 11, 2026); 1 could not be opened and should be confirmed with the agency.
Page content last updated:
Nearby places worth comparing
- Custom home planning in Malibu — Coastal neighbor with its own coastal program
- Custom home planning in Culver City — Westside city with separate rules