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Metro Adjacent Development Review
Overview
Metro’s rapidly growing system presents new opportunities to catalyze land use investment and support healthy, sustainable, and integrated neighborhoods along the region’s transit network. Metro is committed to working with municipalities, utility companies, and the development community to coordinate construction activities near transit.
To ensure safety, developers, utility companies, and other third parties must consult with Metro for development, construction, and maintenance activities occurring within 100 feet from Metro right-of-way (ROW) and other real estate assets. Metro encourages third parties to approach Metro early in the design and development process to improve adjacency conditions and avoid conflicts to transit services and operations. Metro will perform an initial screening to determine if there are any potential impacts to the Metro system that require more detailed review and coordination. Not all projects near Metro ROW will require technical review and coordination beyond Metro’s initial screening. Where technical review and construction monitoring is needed, Metro charges fees for staff time.
City of LA Building & Safety Permits
Within the City if Los Angeles, Metro reviews and clears Building & Safety permits for projects within 100 feet of Metro ROW, pursuant to Zoning Information 1117. To ensure timely clearance of these permits for larger projects Metro encourages early coordination as noted below.
Contact Us
To request Metro clearance of LADBS permits, submit project information via the In-Take Form.
For questions, contact the Metro LADBS Permit Clearance Desk at 213.922.2785 or BuildingPermits@metro.net.
Development Project Coordination
Initial Consultation: Metro encourages development along the transit network to support ridership and reduce auto dependency in the region. To ensure that the design of new buildings and structures does not pose safety impacts to transit infrastructure and operations, Metro encourages developers and property owners to consult with the Metro Development Review team early in the development process. This allows staff to screen the project for potential conflicts and identify strategies to ensure compatibility.
Level of Metro Review: As noted above, not all projects require technical review and coordination with Metro. The level of technical review depends on the project’s location and the type of project in relation to Metro property, adjacency conditions, and potential to impact Metro facilities and/or services. For example, projects excavating near Metro ROW or using cranes near transit facilities require a greater level of review and coordination. The Development Review Team serves as a bridge between the developer and Metro’s technical departments to route project plans for review and convene key parties to resolve potential issues.
Contact Us
To begin consultation, submit project information via the In-Take Form.
For questions, contact the Development Review Team at 213.418.3484 or DevReview@metro.net.
Utility Project Coordination
The Metro Real Estate Unit serves as the point of contact for all utility coordination applications. For projects that require overhead construction or underground construction within or near the Metro ROW, a completed application and plans must be submitted to Real Estate prior to the start of construction.
The following projects are considered utility projects:
- Utility/municipal projects (overhead, underground, ROW-adjacent projects)
- Temporary ROW access, boring, and ROW inspections
- Emergency situations, accidents, hazardous conditions
- Debris removal, landscaping, painting, fence installation
Utility application are reviewed in a sequential approval order by Metro Departments:
- Metro Real Estate (Intake)
- Metro Engineering (Review and Approval)
- Metro Construction Management/ Safety (Review and Approval)
- Metro Real Estate (Execution of Right of Entry/ License Agreement)
- Metro Rail Operations (Submission for Track Allocation)
In most cases where a utility project crosses over, under or runs parallel to Metro ROW, a Right of Entry (ROE) permit will be required along with adherence to Metro Track Allocation (TA) procedures. TA allows for Metro Departments to review the project and assess the level of coordination support required during construction to minimize impacts to rail operations.
Fees will be assessed to conduct engineering review and construction management oversight. The following applications may be required:
Contact Us
To begin coordination, email Metro Real Estate Asset Management at REAM@metro.net.
Additional Resources
Metro Right-of-Way GIS Data
Metro maintains a technical resource website housing downloadable data sets and web services. Developers and municipalities should utilize available Metro right-of-way GIS data to appropriately plan and coordinate with Metro when proposing projects within 100’ of Metro right-of-way.
Metro Design Criteria & Standards
Metro standards are periodically updated and may apply during project coordination, as determined by Metro. Please contact Metro Adjacent Development Review to inquire about pertinence to your project:
Metrolink Standards & Procedures
