El Segundo council introduces code changes to align single‑family rules with state law; tree mandate draws council debate

El Segundo City Council introduced an ordinance May 6 to amend the city zoning code so standards for urban lot splits match the rules that apply to single‑family (R‑1) lots, city planning staff said.

Planning director Paul Samaris told the council the changes respond to a state law, Senate Bill 450, that bars cities from imposing subjective or more restrictive standards on urban lot splits than on other development in the same zone. "The bill prohibits subjective standards for urban lot splits that do not apply uniformly within the underlying zone," Samaris said, and the draft ordinance takes a number of existing urban‑lot‑split rules and either applies R‑1 standards uniformly or relaxes overly restrictive local rules.

The recommendati…