The Ten Urban Design Principles for 21st Century Los Angeles are broad and create the framework for the built environment. The Urban Design Principles link policy and the built/open environment. The principles deal with connecting single properties to blocks, blocks to neighborhoods, neighborhoods to communities, and communities to the city. They will establish a design program from which to promote and guide change in urban, suburban and rural neighborhoods unique to our city.

The Urban Design Principles represent a set of values to be expressed in the built environment and set a direction for the city of Los Angeles. These principles are about defining the space between buildings and not just the space within property lines. They are about enhancing the connections to and the transitions between buildings, modes of transportation and the public realm. They are also about assisting the many city departments and agencies to understand the vision for the city.

Inevitably, even the greatest cities change over time. New development brings changes, as do new laws, policies, regulations, development, technology, and shifting economic markets. The city has a responsibility to make the Ten Urban Design Principles for 21st Century Los Angeles an active part of the process of dealing with change. By adhering to these principles we can see an overall increase in the quality of life by nurturing our neighborhoods and providing safe and convenient access throughout Los Angeles.

On June 25, 2009, the City Planning Commission approved citywide Urban Design principles and recommended City Council adopt them into the General Plan Framework in order to bring urban design formally into the city's planning process.