Revised Oil Well Ordinance (ROWO)
Summary
SCH Number
2025031377
Lead Agency
Los Angeles County Department of Regional Planning
Document Title
Revised Oil Well Ordinance (ROWO)
Document Type
NOP - Notice of Preparation of a Draft EIR
Received
Present Land Use
Industrial - Oil Wells and Production Facilities
Document Description
PROJECT & PERMIT(S): Revised Oil Well Ordinance (ROWO), Project No. PRJ2025-000212, Ordinance RPPL2025000276, General Plan Amendment RPPL2025000277, Environmental Plan RPPL2025000284
PROJECT APPLICANT: County of Los Angeles Department of Regional Planning
PROJECT LOCATION: Unincorporated Los Angeles County (Countywide)
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The project includes: i) Amendments to Title 22 – Planning & Zoning of the Los Angeles County Code to prohibit new oil wells and production facilities, designate existing oil wells and production facilities as nonconforming due to use, and modify standards for oil wells during the amortization period; ii) Amendments to the Baldwin Hills Community Standards District (CSD) to be consistent with countywide prohibition of oil wells and production facilities and standards for oil wells during the amortization period; iii) Amendments to Title 12 – Environmental Protection of the Los Angeles County Code to remove noise exemptions for oil wells; and iv) Amendments to the County of Los Angeles General Plan in support of sustainability and environmental justice goals by phasing out oil production in unincorporated Los Angeles County.
i. Amendments to Title 22 – Planning & Zoning: Under the proposed project, no new oil wells or production facilities may be established in any zone. Pursuant to Section 22.172 of the County Code (Nonconforming Uses, Buildings, and Structures), existing, legally established oil wells or production facilities operating without an approved Conditional Use Permit or other discretionary permit will be considered nonconforming and subject to a 20-year amortization period. In addition, the ordinance establishes performance standards addressing signage, comment and complaint logging, site maintenance, bonding, well plugging, and site abandonment and restoration. This ordinance would apply to all oil wells in unincorporated Los Angeles County, except in the Coastal Zone.
ii. Amendments to the Baldwin Hills CSD: The project amends the Baldwin Hills CSD to align with and implement the provisions of the Title 22 amendments described above, ensuring consistent application of the new regulations and standards within the Baldwin Hills CSD.
iii. Amendments to Title 12 – Environmental Protection: The project eliminates the current exemption for oil and gas wells from the Noise Control regulations set forth in Title 12 of the County Code. Consequently, these wells will be subject to all provisions of the Noise Control chapter, ensuring better management of noise impacts related to oil and gas extraction activities.
iv. Amendments to the General Plan: The project amends the General Plan. Specifically, it revises the Land Use Element, Conservation and Natural Resources Element, and Safety Element to prohibit new oil well operations and remove designations that support oil production activities.
Contact Information
Name
Kenneth Warner
Agency Name
Los Angeles County Department of Regional Planning
Job Title
Regional Planner
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Location
Coordinates
Cities
All unincorporated communities in Los Angeles County
Counties
Los Angeles
Regions
Countywide, Southern California, Unincorporated
Total Acres
1,696,000
Other Location Info
Unincorporated Los Angeles County (Countywide):
Unincorporated Acton, Unincorporated Agoura, Unincorporated Agua Dulce, Unincorporated Alpine, Unincorporated Altadena, Unincorporated Antelope Acres, Unincorporated Athens (or West Athens), Unincorporated Avocado Heights, Unincorporated Baldwin Hills, Unincorporated Bandini (islands), Unincorporated Bassett, Unincorporated Big Pines, Unincorporated Bouquet Canyon, Unincorporated Calabasas (adjacent), Unincorporated Calabasas Highlands, Unincorporated Canyon Country, Unincorporated Castaic, Unincorporated Castaic Junction, Unincorporated Charter Oak (islands), Unincorporated Citrus (Covina islands), Unincorporated Crystalaire, Unincorporated Deer Lake Highlands, Unincorporated Del Aire, Unincorporated Del Sur, Unincorporated East Azusa (islands), Unincorporated East Rancho Dominguez, Unincorporated East Los Angeles, Unincorporated Belvedere Gardens, Unincorporated City Terrace, Unincorporated Eastmont, Unincorporated East Pasadena, Unincorporated East San Gabriel, Unincorporated East Whittier, Unincorporated El Camino Village, Unincorporated El Dorado, Unincorporated Elizabeth Lake, Unincorporated Fairmont, Unincorporated Firestone, Unincorporated Florence, Unincorporated Forrest Park, Unincorporated Franklin Canyon, Unincorporated Glendora (islands), Unincorporated Gorman, Unincorporated Graham, Unincorporated Green Valley, Unincorporated Hacienda Heights, Unincorporated Hi Vista, Unincorporated Juniper Hills, Unincorporated Kagel Canyon, Unincorporated Kinneola Mesa, Unincorporated La Crescenta, Unincorporated Rowland Heights, Unincorporated San Clemente Island, Unincorporated San Pasqual, Unincorporated Santa Catalina Island, Unincorporated Saugus, Unincorporated Soledad, Unincorporated South San Gabriel, Unincorporated South San Jose Hills, Unincorporated South Whittier, Unincorporated Stevenson Ranch, Unincorporated Sulphur Springs, Unincorporated Sun Village, Unincorporated Sunland/Sylmar/Tujunga (adjacent), Unincorporated Sunshine Acres, Unincorporated Three Points, Unincorporated Topanga Canyon, Unincorporated Fernwood, Unincorporated Glenview, Unincorporated Sylvia Park, Unincorporated Topanga, Unincorporated Twin Lakes, Unincorporated Universal City, Unincorporated Val Verde, Unincorporated Valencia, Unincorporated Valinda, Unincorporated Valyermo, Unincorporated Vasquez Rocks, Unincorporated Veterans Administration Center, Unincorporated View Park, Unincorporated Walnut Park, Unincorporated West Arcadia (islands), Unincorporated West Carson, Unincorporated West Chatsworth, Unincorporated West Pomona (islands), Unincorporated West Puente Valley, Unincorporated West Rancho Dominguez/Victoria, Unincorporated West Whittier, Unincorporated Westfield, Unincorporated Westmont, Unincorporated White Fence Farms, Unincorporated Whittier Narrows, Unincorporated Willowbrook, Unincorporated Wilsona Gardens, Unincorporated Windsor Hills, Unincorporated Wiseburn, Unincorporated Wrightwood, Unincorporated La Rambla, Unincorporated Ladera Heights, Unincorporated Lake Hughes, Unincorporated Lake Los Angeles, Unincorporated Lakeview, Unincorporated Lang, Unincorporated Lennox, Unincorporated Leona Valley, Unincorporated Littlerock, Unincorporated Llano, Unincorporated Long Beach (islands), Unincorporated Longview, Unincorporated Los Cerritos Wetlands, Unincorporated Los Nietos, Unincorporated Malibu Vista, Unincorporated Marina del Rey, Unincorporated Mint Canyon, Unincorporated Monrovia/Arcadia/Duarte (islands), Unincorporated Monte Nido, Unincorporated Montrose, Unincorporated Mulholland Corridor, Unincorporated Cornell, Unincorporated Las Virgenes/Malibu Canyon, Unincorporated Malibou Lake, Unincorporated Malibu Bowl, Unincorporated Malibu Highlands, Unincorporated Malibu/Sycamore Canyon, Unincorporated Monte Nido, Unincorporated Seminole Hot Springs, Unincorporated Sunset Mesa, Unincorporated Trifuno Canyon, Unincorporated Neenach, Unincorporated Newhall, Unincorporated North Claremont (islands), Unincorporated Northeast San Dimas (islands), Unincorporated Northeast Whittier (island), Unincorporated Northwest Whittier, Unincorporated Norwalk/Cerritos (islands), Unincorporated Oat Mountain, Unincorporated Pearblossom, Unincorporated Placerita Canyon, Unincorporated Quartz Hill, Unincorporated Rancho Dominguez, Unincorporated Redman, Unincorporated Roosevelt
Notice of Completion
State Review Period Start
State Review Period End
State Reviewing Agencies
California Air Resources Board (ARB), California Baldwin Hills Conservancy (BHC), California Department of Conservation (DOC), California Department of Fish and Wildlife, South Coast Region 5 (CDFW), California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), California Department of Parks and Recreation, California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC), California Department of Transportation, District 7 (DOT), California Department of Transportation, Division of Aeronautics (DOT), California Department of Transportation, Division of Transportation Planning (DOT), California Department of Water Resources (DWR), California Fish and Game Commission (CDFGC), California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (OES), California Natural Resources Agency, California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), California Regional Water Quality Control Board, Los Angeles Region 4 (RWQCB), California Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy (SMMC), California State Coastal Conservancy (SCC), Office of Historic Preservation, San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains Conservancy (RMC), State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Drinking Water, State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Water Quality, University of California Natural Reserve System (UCNRS), California Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC)
State Reviewing Agency Comments
California Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC)
Development Types
Other (Project creates regulations to phase out oil & gas production)
Local Actions
General Plan Amendment, Ordinance
Project Issues
Mineral Resources
Public Review Period Start
Public Review Period End
Attachments
Draft Environmental Document [Draft IS, NOI_NOA_Public notices, OPR Summary Form, Appx,]
Notice of Completion [NOC] Transmittal form
State Comment Letters [Comments from State Reviewing Agency(ies)]
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