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Driveway Expansion Program
With high rates of car ownership in Paramount, street parking is often a challenge. As an incentive to add more off-street parking, the Driveway Expansion Program reimburses up to 12 homeowners a maximum of $3,000 upon completion of a driveway widening project. To find a balance between additional parking areas and maintaining landscaped front yards (meeting goals for sustainability, water capture, aesthetics and property values), guidelines are in place.
Interested homeowners, please fill out the application and return it to the Planning and Building Department at askplanning@paramountcity.gov or the Planning and Building Department office at City Hall, 16400 Colorado Ave., Paramount, CA 90723.
Program Guidelines
Please note that this reimbursement opportunity is on a first-come, first-served basis until funding is exhausted following approved driveway widening projects.
- Zoning
- A property must be zoned R-1 (Single-Family Residential) or R-2 (Medium Density Residential) on the official Paramount Zoning Map.
- Driveway width
- Properties with a street length or frontage of 40 feet or less may allow for a driveway of up to 18 feet.
- Properties with a street length or frontage of 41 feet or more may allow for a driveway of up to 22 feet.
- Property Sides
- Expanded driveways generally must maintain at least 5 feet on the sides of the property for landscaped planters. As an exception, driveways on properties with less than 40 feet do not have to maintain this setback.
- Adjacent Driveways
- Adjacent properties shall not have connecting driveways. They must be broken up by landscape planters, a 42-inch front fence, or a different element at the discretion of the Planning and Building Director or designee clearly delineating separate properties.
- Application
- A complete application as provided by the Planning and Building Department must be submitted.
- The application must be signed by all owners of a property.
- The application must include a diagram or aerial photo with clearly identified measurements of the existing driveway and the proposed expansion.
- Driveway Aprons
- The primary driveway expansion involves the driveway on the private property. Expansion of driveway approaches, defined as driveway entries (or ”driveway aprons“) located within the public right‑of‑way, may be included in the program as an option as funding is feasible.
- Landscape Requirements
- The Planning and Building Director or designee may require replacement landscaping such as a tree to be planted to mitigate the loss of existing landscaped areas.
- Minimum Area
- A minimum area of 100 square feet of concrete surface is required for application approval and reimbursement.
- Consistency and Materials
- An expanded driveway area shall match the existing driveway material for a consistent appearance. Asphalt and decomposed granite are not reimbursable materials.
- Authorization
- In order for reimbursement to occur, all work must begin after authorization by the Planning and Building Department through an approved application.
- Final Inspection
- Planning and Building Department staff will inspect completed work to ensure all requirements are met before reimbursement is authorized.
- Work Quality
- All work must be completed in a professional manner, and the property must be in “broom clean” condition.
- Zoning Requirements
- All other R-1 (Single-Family Residential) and R-2 (Medium Density Residential) zone requirements are applicable.