Los Angeles City Chief Zoning Administrator Michael LoGrande has signed a memorandum to streamline how businesses renew Condition Use Permits.

The permits are usually required for businesses such as restaurants, bars, parking lots, health care facilities and carnivals. Businesses that are compliant will go through a streamlined renewal process. Others will have to go through the standard renewal.

About 10 years ago, the city changed its CUP policy so the permits didn’t automatically renew upon expiration. As a result, companies had to start from zero every five or 10 years, sometimes spending as much as $40,000 on consultants, attorneys and fees, according to Leron Gubler, president of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce.

Under new rules in LoGrande’s July 28 memorandum, applications to renew CUPs will have fewer requirements and business owners will receive a decision within 75 days. The memorandum states that the new procedure will “streamline this process and make better use of limited resources” in the city’s Office of Zoning Administration. The changes are effective immediately.

“This is a tremendous win for our restaurants and clubs,” Gubler told the Business Journal. “Those that are compliant with their conditions will qualify for an extension of their CUP while those that are not will still see their CUPs sunset and will have to go through the process to reapply.”