Mid-Wilshire covers the area around Wilshire Boulevard between Hancock Park and Beverly Hills, including the Miracle Mile. Much of its residential side is historic, and some of it sits over the same oil-field ground as Fairfax. Here is a practical checklist for concrete work.
Miracle Mile HPOZ: concrete sidewalks are part of the character
City Planning describes the Miracle Mile HPOZ as 1,347 properties bounded by Wilshire Boulevard (north), San Vicente Boulevard (south), La Brea Avenue (east) and Orange Grove Avenue (west). North of Olympic Boulevard it is mostly one-story single-family homes, and south of Olympic mostly one- and two-story multi-family buildings. Most construction dates from the 1920s through the 1940s, in Spanish Colonial, Tudor, Mediterranean, French and American Colonial Revival styles (City Planning).
City Planning specifically lists "concrete sidewalks, mature trees, relatively consistent lot sizes, uniform setbacks" among the district's character-defining features (City Planning, Miracle Mile HPOZ). So a front-yard concrete change here isn't purely technical. Exterior work in an HPOZ, including landscaping, gets additional review (City Planning, HPOZs). Miracle Mile North is a separate HPOZ (list).
Checklist before you take quotes
- HPOZ? Check the boundary maps on City Planning. The Miracle Mile HPOZ Board meets on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month at the Fairfax Branch Library (City Planning, Miracle Mile HPOZ).
- Methane zone? The western part of the area is near the La Brea Tar Pits and Park La Brea, inside the City's historic Fairfax methane risk area (LA Times). Check your parcel in the LADBS Atlas (LADBS). This matters mainly if the concrete is part of new construction or an addition.
- Apron and curb? Get a City of LA Bureau of Engineering A-Permit. In single-family and duplex zones the apron must be 10 to 18 feet wide (LAMC 62.105.2).
- Tree roots? Get the A-Permit first, then the StreetsLA permit (BOE). The owner arranges and pays for the root pruning under a no-fee StreetsLA permit (StreetsLA).
- Duplex or fourplex? South of Olympic, many lots are multi-family, so make sure the quote uses the right BOE driveway standard.
Mid-Wilshire FAQ
Can I replace my old sidewalk with pavers?
The public sidewalk is BOE right-of-way work built to City standards (BOE), and in the Miracle Mile HPOZ concrete sidewalks are a listed character feature. Ask City Planning and BOE before you plan anything other than standard concrete.
Is Mid-Wilshire in the City of LA?
Yes. Permits come from City of LA agencies, unlike neighboring Beverly Hills or West Hollywood, which are separate cities.
Planning your timeline
In Mid-Wilshire the slowest part of a concrete project is usually the paperwork, not the pour. A sensible order is: confirm HPOZ and methane status for your parcel, get two or three written quotes with the same scope, let the chosen contractor (or you) apply for the A-Permit and any tree permit, and only then book the demolition date. If you're in the Miracle Mile HPOZ, have the contractor's drawings or photos ready before you contact City Planning staff. That speeds up the conversation. Finally, confirm the contractor's CSLB license and insurance before you sign anything.
Sources
- LA City Planning: Miracle Mile HPOZ
- LA City Planning: HPOZs
- LA Times (1990): Fairfax methane
- LADBS Atlas
- LAMC 62.105.2 apron width
- BOE A-Permit manual
- StreetsLA policies and guidelines
This page is general information, not legal or permit advice. Rules change; confirm with the agency before starting work.