Hermosa Beach is a mile deep. That single fact drives almost every permit decision on a new build here. Most of the city sits inside the Coastal Zone, most lots are around 2,700 sq ft, and the wind exposure is Exposure D from the Strand to Pacific Coast Highway. We have walked a lot of drawings into 1315 Valley Dr over the years, and the projects that go smoothly are the ones where the team understood the Hermosa-specific overlays before the first sheet was drawn.
This post lays out how we sequence a new single-family build through the Hermosa Beach permit path. It is written for owners who have bought a small lot and are trying to figure out what the actual review process looks like. No cost figures. Just the counter, the code, and the calendar.
The counter and how it runs
The Building Division sits at 1315 Valley Dr, 1st Floor, Hermosa Beach CA 90254. The permit counter is only open two windows a day: 7:00–8:30am and 4:30–6:00pm, Monday through Thursday. If you have never been, plan on the morning window. The afternoon fills up.
General office hours are Mon, Tue, Thu 7am–6pm and Wed 1pm–6pm. Building is at (310) 318-0235. Planning is a separate line at (310) 318-0242. Save both.
The important thing to know about the Hermosa counter is that the city runs concurrent plan review. Planning, Building and Public Works look at the submittal at the same time rather than in sequence. That is a real advantage compared to cities that pass a set desk to desk. It also means your drawings need to be tight on all three fronts on day one, because you will get comments back from all three at once.
Coastal Zone and the 10% rule
Most of Hermosa lies inside the Coastal Zone. That means a Coastal Development Permit may be required in addition to your building permit. The trigger that catches most owners off guard is height. A CDP can be required where a project increases height by more than 10% or affects coastal resources.
If you are tearing down a single-story cottage and going to a modern two-story build, you are almost certainly over that 10% threshold. Get the coastal question answered at pre-submittal, not after Planning kicks the set back to you.
The other constraint in the same zoning code is the 30 ft height cap. The Planning Commission may allow up to 35 ft only in unique circumstances where all abutting properties already exceed 30 ft. That is a narrow window. Assume 30 ft and design to it.
Lot geometry and coverage
Hermosa lots run small. The typical lot is around 2,700 sq ft, and there are plenty under that. The coverage rule to know: lots of 2,100 sq ft or less are allowed 70% lot coverage. Larger lots get less.
Walk-street and Strand parcels add another layer. Access and staging on those lots limit what you can do with a crane, a dumpster, or a lumber drop. That shapes the construction schedule as much as the drawings do. When we bid a Strand lot, the logistics plan is a real deliverable, not an afterthought.
Soils matter too. The city is coastal sand throughout, with the Valley and Hills sections rising steeply inland. Second-story additions and any excavation on the hill lots warrant a geotechnical report. If you are on a Hermosa Hills lot, budget the soils work early — structural plan check will want it in hand.
Code stack for a new single-family build
The code references you will see cited on the plans:
- California Residential Code (CRC) for the framing, plumbing, mechanical and electrical on a single-family or duplex.
- California Building Code (CBC) if you are doing three or more units.
- Title 24 Part 6 for energy — 2022 cycle currently in effect, 2025 cycle phasing in.
- Title 24 Part 11 (CALGreen) as the mandatory baseline for all new construction.
- ASCE 7 for wind and seismic loads. Exposure D applies within about a mile of the coast in most South Bay cities, which covers essentially all of Hermosa.
The Title 24 envelope calcs need to be coordinated with the HVAC design at the framing stage. This is one of the frequent pitfalls we see on new builds. If the mechanical engineer and the energy consultant are not talking until after framing, you are going to redo work.
Realistic timeline
Our typical new-build timeline runs 40 to 78 weeks from contract to certificate of occupancy. That range is wide on purpose. A tight infill on a flat lot with a fast owner and no Coastal Commission trip lands near the low end. A hillside lot with a soils report, a CDP hearing, and an Edison service upgrade lands near the high end.
Speaking of Edison. Panel upgrades often run 8 to 14 weeks from utility application to energization. Start that paperwork early. It is one of the most common schedule killers we see on a Hermosa new build, and it has nothing to do with the city.
Hermosa does not publish a plan check turnaround. The Community Development Department is reachable at communitydevelopment@hermosabeach.gov or (310) 318-0242 for status. Ask politely. The plan reviewers here are professional and consistent, and a known team on the applicant side makes a real difference.
Material choices the permit set will reflect
The salt air here is aggressive. The city is barely a mile deep and the Strand is fully exposed. We specify stainless or marine-grade hardware on anything outside. On the plans, that shows up as marine-grade stainless fasteners west of Sepulveda.
Class A composition or tile roofing per Cal-Fire assemblies is standard. Hardie panel and smooth-finish stucco hold up well against the salt. Exterior paint and coating windows are narrow because of May Gray and June Gloom — worth scheduling around at the tail end of the job.
Our Raymond Estate project in Hermosa Beach worked through most of these overlays. If you want to see how the pieces come together on a completed set, that is a good reference.
FAQ
Do I need a Coastal Development Permit for a tear-down and rebuild? Probably yes. A CDP may be required where a project increases height by more than 10% or affects coastal resources. Ask Planning at (310) 318-0242 before you submit.
How does concurrent plan review change my submittal? Your set needs to satisfy Planning, Building and Public Works on the first pass. Comments come back from all three at once. That is faster than sequential review, but only if the drawings are complete.
Can I go higher than 30 ft? The base cap is 30 ft. The Planning Commission may allow up to 35 ft only in unique circumstances where all abutting properties already exceed 30 ft. Do not plan a project around getting that variance.
When can I visit the permit counter? 7:00–8:30am and 4:30–6:00pm, Monday through Thursday, at 1315 Valley Dr, 1st Floor. Morning is less crowded.
What is the biggest schedule risk I control? Edison. Start the service upgrade application early. Eight to fourteen weeks is normal, and it runs in parallel with everything else if you begin on time.