Dock, pier and float rules in Westlake Village, California
Only one neighborhood's rules mention docks: Lakeshore's conditions of approval allow ramps, piers and related facilities in the rear yards of lake-front lots. The Municipal Code and the other neighborhoods' conditions (including Southshore, Westlake Island, Watergate and First Neighborhood) say nothing about docks, so elsewhere ask the Planning Department and your HOA and lake association before building one.
| Lakeshore lake-front lots | Ramps, piers and related facilities permitted in rear yard [1] |
| Neighborhood conditions | Supersede conflicting code standards [3] |
| In a flood hazard area | Floodplain development permit required [5] |
Lakeshore neighborhood
Lakeshore's conditions of approval permit ramps, piers and related facilities in the rear yards of lots with lake frontage and in open areas fronting the lake [1]. Development there otherwise follows the RPD zone's standards, as modified by the original County special permit [2]. The conditions set no size limits for piers or docks, and they don't distinguish floating from fixed docks.
Other neighborhoods
The City lists neighborhood conditions of approval for First Neighborhood, Lakeshore, Southshore and Westlake Island, Watergate, Westlake Terrace and Westlake Trails, and they supersede conflicting code standards [3]. We read all six: only Lakeshore's mentions ramps or piers. The others, including the lakefront Southshore, Westlake Island and Watergate conditions, don't address docks, and the zoning chapters we reviewed don't mention docks or piers at all. Outside Lakeshore, the City's rules give no clear answer on whether a private dock is allowed, so ask the Planning Department first.
City permits
In the RPD zone, a planned development permit is required for uses and structures, but not for alterations to an existing single-family home [4]. Construction normally starts with a Planning Department Zoning Clearance before any building permit [7].
Flood rules
If the shoreline is in a FEMA special flood hazard area, a floodplain development permit is required before construction [5]. The floodplain chapter treats wharves, piles and other structures projecting into a watercourse as obstructions [6], so the City Engineer will review whether a dock affects water flow.
Private lake and HOAs
Your HOA and whoever manages the lake may have their own approval process and rules for docks and boats. State and federal approvals may also apply; see the state rules.
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Next steps
- Read your neighborhood's conditions of approval (City's Residential Development & Design Standards page) to see whether piers or docks are allowed on your lot.
- Get approval from your HOA and from whoever manages the lake.
- Ask the Westlake Village Planning Department (818-706-1613) which City approvals apply (Zoning Clearance, any planned development permit) and whether your shoreline is in a flood hazard area.
- Get a building permit from L.A. County Building & Safety for any permanent structure.
Common questions
- Can I build a dock on the lake in Westlake Village, California?
- It depends on the neighborhood. Only Lakeshore's conditions of approval allow ramps, piers and related facilities in the rear yards of lake-front lots. Elsewhere the code and neighborhood conditions say nothing about docks, so ask the Planning Department and your HOA and lake association first.
- Are there size limits for docks in the Lakeshore neighborhood of Westlake Village, California?
- No. Lakeshore's conditions set no size limits for piers or docks and don't distinguish floating from fixed docks. Development otherwise follows the RPD zone's standards.
- Do I need a permit for a dock in Westlake Village, California?
- Possibly several. If the shoreline is in a FEMA special flood hazard area, a floodplain development permit is required, and the City Engineer reviews whether a dock affects water flow. A permanent structure also needs an L.A. County building permit, plus HOA and lake manager approval.
California state rules for docks and piers
A private dock or pier often needs several approvals beyond a city building permit.
- State Lands Commission lease: the Commission controls state-owned tidelands and submerged lands and the beds of navigable rivers, lakes and bays (Pub. Res. Code §6301). A private dock or pier on those lands generally needs a lease. The Commission must charge rent for private recreational piers on state lands, based on local fair rental values (§6503.5). In some harbors the Legislature has granted tidelands to a city, county or port district, which manages them instead.
- Coastal development permit: in the coastal zone a dock needs a CDP (§§30106, 30600). On tidelands, submerged lands or public trust lands, the Coastal Commission issues it, even where the city has a certified Local Coastal Program (§30519(b)).
- San Francisco Bay (BCDC): around the Bay you need a permit from the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission to place fill. Under the McAteer-Petris Act, "fill" includes pilings, structures on pilings, and floating docks moored for long periods (Gov. Code §66632). BCDC's jurisdiction covers the Bay and a 100-foot shoreline band (§66610). The Coastal Act's coastal zone does not include BCDC's area.
- Streams and lakes: work that changes the bed, bank or channel of a river, stream or lake requires notifying the Department of Fish and Wildlife (Fish & Game Code §1602).
- Federal: structures in navigable waters generally need a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permit.
- Local: many harbors and marinas also require a city or harbor-district permit.
What the ordinance says
- Lakeshore Conditions of Approval, condition 3, Neighborhood Conditions of Approval - Lakeshore, p. 1
Ramps, piers, and related facilities are permitted within the rear yard of lots with lake frontage and within open areas fronting the lake.
- Lakeshore Conditions of Approval, Neighborhood Conditions of Approval - Lakeshore, p. 1
Development in Lakeshore must comply with all development and design standards applicable to the RPD Zone, except as provided in these conditions as approved under County of Los Angeles Special Permit Case 1739-(5).
- City webpage, Residential Development & Design Standards, Residential Development & Design Standards - City webpage (neighborhood conditions of approval), p. 1
In those cases, the special conditions supersede any conflicting standards in the Municipal Code. If your neighborhood is not included in the list below, there are no special conditions applicable to your neighborhood.
- Sec. 9.6.070, Municipal Code Article 9 Ch. 9.6 RPD (Residential Planned Development) Zone, p. 1
A planned development permit shall be required for all uses and structures within the RPD Zone, however, none shall be required for alterations to an existing single-family home.
- Sec. 8.5.030(A), Municipal Code Article 8 Building Regulations (8.1 building code incl. pool provisions; 8.5 floodplain management), p. 1
A development permit shall be obtained before any construction or other development, including manufactured homes, begins within any area of special flood hazard.
- Sec. 8.5.020 (Definitions), Municipal Code Article 8 Building Regulations (8.1 building code incl. pool provisions; 8.5 floodplain management), p. 1
"Obstruction" includes, but is not limited to, any dam, wall, wharf, embankment, levee, dike, pile, abutment, protection, excavation, channelization, bridge, conduit, culvert, building, wire, fence, rock, gravel, refuse, fill, structure, vegetation or other material in, along, across or projecting into any watercourse which may alter, impede, retard or change the direction and/or velocity of the flow of water, or due to its location, its propensity to snare or collect debris carried by the flow of water, or its likelihood of being carried downstream.
- Sec. 9.2 (Definitions), Zoning Clearance, Municipal Code Article 9 Ch. 9.2 Definitions, p. 1
"Zoning Clearance" means a ministerial certificate issued by the Planning Department prior to issuance of any building permit to ensure that the proposed use and/or construction complies with all of the provisions of the zone in which it is located, as well as all other applicable provisions of this Article.