North of Montana properties on Georgina Avenue and Carlyle Avenue carry lot sizes — averaging nearly 9,000 square feet on standard blocks, reaching 15,000 to 60,000 square feet north of San Vicente Boulevard — where a full resort-scale outdoor environment is not just possible but expected at the property’s market position. These are also some of the most tightly permitted outdoor projects in Los Angeles. Santa Monica runs its own independent building department. The City’s paperless Electronic Plan Review System handles all submittals. Coastal zone properties west of Lincoln Boulevard require a Coastal Development Permit alongside standard building permits. And the 2025 California Building Standards
Our Design and Build Services
Gunite Design and Construction
Gunite is the construction standard for Santa Monica estate properties. Concrete applied over a rebar framework — shaped to any form the site and the design require. North of Montana lots support generous rectangular and freeform shapes that read from inside the home as considered compositions. Smaller Sunset Park and Ocean Park lots suit compact plunge designs and integrated spas that deliver outdoor water within the available footprint.
Spa and Hot Tub Integration
Spillover spas and in-ground hot tubs designed alongside the main water feature as one composition from the first meeting. Santa Monica's outdoor season runs year-round — heating systems are specified accordingly. Water flow, placement, and automation planned from the first design meeting, not added after the main shell is complete.
Compact Designs for Smaller Lots
Compact plunge compact designs for Ocean Park, Sunset Park, and Wilshire Montana properties where a full-size installation does not fit the footprint. A well-designed plunge pool with an attached spa on a 5,000 square foot lot delivers the outdoor water feature that defines the property's outdoor character — within a footprint that still allows for a patio and planting border
Full Outdoor Environment Integration
Natural travertine, limestone, and large-format concrete — materials selected for the property's coastal exposure level and architectural character. Properties near the beach require salt-resistant specifications. We match deck material to the home's design language rather than applying a standard catalog finish.
Equipment, Automation, and Energy Efficiency
Variable speed pumps, saltwater chlorination, automated chemical management, remote-controlled heating and lighting, and smart home integration. LADWP offers rebates for qualifying variable speed pump installations. We specify eligible equipment and manage the rebate application.
Renovation and Restoration
Established Santa Monica properties often carry older installations that predate modern automation and energy-efficient equipment. We assess existing conditions honestly at the site visit and scope work to what is worth restoring versus what should be replaced.
Why Building Here Requires Specific Knowledge
Santa Monica has its own building department
Permits go through the Building and Safety Division — not LADBS. The City’s paperless Electronic Plan Review System requires complete digital submissions. Incomplete packages restart the review clock. We prepare complete, correctly formatted submissions on the first application
Coastal zone permitting.
Properties west of Lincoln Boulevard sit in Santa Monica’s coastal zone. in-ground installations in the coastal zone require a Coastal Development Permit under the Santa Monica Local Coastal Program in addition to standard building permits. We confirm coastal zone status before design begins and file both applications simultaneously. Projects that file sequentially lose weeks.
North of Montana vs. Ocean Park — Two Different Briefs
North of Montana properties carry the lot dimensions for a full outdoor composition — pool, spa, outdoor kitchen, covered dining structure, and formal planting as one cohesive design. La Mesa Drive estates north of San Vicente sit on parcels where a complete resort-style outdoor environment fits comfortably within the property footprint. Architectural character ranges from Spanish Colonial Revival to contemporary — we design to match.
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Ocean Park and Sunset Park properties suit compact, functional designs that deliver an outdoor water feature within a tighter footprint. Plunge pools, integrated spas, and covered outdoor living areas on lots under 6,000 square feet require creative thinking about how each element relates to the others. Coastal exposure near the beach adds material specification requirements that inland lots do not face.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do pool permits in Santa Monica go through LADBS?
Do coastal zone properties require extra permits?
Can a pool be built on a smaller Sunset Park or Ocean Park lot?
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