Ambassadors provide guidance and support for members while playing a key role at events and ribbon cuttings for better business connections. To learn more, contact cfox@burbankchamber.org

Chamber members receive discounted rates on all rentals.

Founded by dentist David Burbank in 1887 and incorporated in 1911, the City of Burbank has grown from a small agricultural community into the Media Capital of the World. Home to Warner Bros. Studios, Walt Disney Studios, and numerous entertainment companies, Burbank is the creative engine of the global entertainment industry.

The city spans 17.3 square miles in the southeastern end of the San Fernando Valley, bordered by the Verdugo Mountains to the east and Griffith Park to the south. With a Mediterranean climate averaging 286 sunny days per year, Burbank offers residents an exceptional quality of life.

Burbank operates under a Council-Manager form of government with five elected City Council members. The city runs its own electric and water utility (Burbank Water and Power), one of only a few cities in California to do so, providing some of the most reliable and affordable utility service in the state.

Major neighborhoods include Downtown Burbank (shopping and dining hub), Magnolia Park (vintage shops and eateries), Rancho (equestrian-zoned residential), Media District (studios and tech), and the Hillside community along the Verdugo foothills.

Burbank is one of the few cities in the LA area with no city income tax, making it a magnet for businesses. The city's top employers include Warner Bros. Discovery, The Walt Disney Company, Nickelodeon Animation Studios, Cartoon Network Studios, and iHeartMedia.

Burbank's economy generates over $8.7 billion in annual economic output. The city's diverse economy spans entertainment, technology, aerospace (Lockheed Martin's Skunk Works was born here), healthcare (Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center), and a growing startup tech scene supported by the Burbank Innovation Hub.

Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR) offers commercial flights from a terminal just minutes from downtown. The Metrolink Ventura County and Antelope Valley lines stop at the Downtown Burbank and Burbank Airport stations. BurbankBus provides free local shuttle service on 5 routes. The city is also served by LA Metro bus lines and is connected to the wider region via the I-5, SR-134, and SR-170 freeways.

Vice Mayor Zizette Mullins serves alongside Mayor Takahashi and the rest of the five-member City Council. The Council sets policy direction for the city, approves the annual budget, and appoints the City Manager who oversees day-to-day operations. Council meetings are held on Tuesdays at 6:00 PM in the City Hall Council Chambers and are livestreamed on The Burbank Channel.

Board meetings are held on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of each month at 7:00 PM at the BUSD Administrative Building, 1900 W Olive Ave. Meetings are open to the public and include time for community comments. Agendas are published 72 hours in advance on the BUSD website.

Board meetings are also livestreamed and archived on the BUSD website for residents who cannot attend in person.

Elementary Schools (11): Bret Harte, Disney, Edison, Emerson, Jefferson, McKinley, Miller, Providencia, Roosevelt, Stevenson, Washington

Middle Schools (2): David Starr Jordan, John Muir

High Schools (2): Burbank High School, John Burroughs High School

BUSD is recognized statewide for its performing arts programs, career technical education (CTE) pathways, and athletics. The district offers dual enrollment with local colleges, AP courses in all core subjects, and specialized academies in media arts, engineering, and health sciences.

Address: 1900 W Olive Ave, Burbank, CA 91506
Phone: (818) 729-4400
Board Clerk: (818) 729-4422
Website: burbankusd.org

Burbank 311 is available via the Our Burbank mobile app (iOS and Android), online at 311.burbankca.gov, or by calling (818) 238-4391. The system includes real-time bus tracking for all BurbankBus routes.

Requests are routed to the appropriate city department and you receive updates as your issue is addressed. Most non-emergency requests are resolved within 3–5 business days.

Media District — Home to the world-famous studios: Warner Bros., The Walt Disney Company and ABC. This is where you catch a studio tour or a live TV taping, then unwind at the neighborhood's restaurants, hotels and coffee shops.

Downtown Burbank — San Fernando Blvd between Olive and Angeleno is the heart of the city's shopping and dining — open-air retail, the AMC 16, breweries, bars and comedy clubs, all walkable and steps from the Metrolink station.

Magnolia Park — A tree-lined stretch of Magnolia Blvd known for vintage shops, antiques, indie boutiques, craft coffee and Porto's Bakery. Catch the popular Magnolia Park Night Out on the last Friday of every month.

Airport District — Anchored by Hollywood Burbank Airport — named one of the country's most convenient by Fodor's Travel — plus the Empire Center's shopping, conference hotels and the famous West Coast Customs.

Business Bucks Program — Shop local initiative providing gift certificates redeemable at participating Burbank businesses, encouraging residents to support the local economy.

EV Charging Rebates — Businesses installing EV charging stations can receive rebates up to $20,000 through the Burbank Water & Power commercial incentive program.

Tech Startup Accelerator — The Burbank Innovation Hub provides co-working space, mentorship, and networking opportunities for technology startups choosing to establish in Burbank.

Film Permit Office — Streamlined permitting for on-location filming, making Burbank one of the most film-friendly cities in the country. Over 2,000 filming permits are issued annually.

Warner Bros. Discovery, The Walt Disney Company, Nickelodeon Animation Studios, Cartoon Network Studios, iHeartMedia, Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center, INGROOVES/UMG, Woodbury University, and thousands of small and medium-sized businesses across entertainment, technology, hospitality, and professional services.

The City of Burbank is committed to maintaining a thriving business community while upholding the high quality of life for its residents, businesses, and visitors. The Economic Development Team offers personalized customer service to our business community.

These services include:

• Business site selection assistance, including zoning verification
• Business Concierge services for permitting and entitlement
• Marketing support for established businesses
• Regional collaboration with local professionals, business, and social organizations
• And more — call us, we can help

📞 (818) 238-5180 · 📧 econdev@burbankca.gov

Once you secure a location, our dedicated Business Concierge staff assists small and medium businesses with the entire permitting and entitlement process — business registration, licenses, plan review tracking, permit issuance, and inspection coordination.

📍 Visit: First floor, Community Services Building · 150 N 3rd Street

🕐 General hours: Mon–Fri 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM (closed 12:00 – 1:00 PM)

📋 Planning counter / consultations: 8:00 – 11:30 AM, Mon–Fri. Concierge can coordinate appointments.

Construction projects that are Tier 2 or exceed the MEP thresholds must submit for electronic plan check via the City's ProjectDox system. Architects, applicants, residents, and developers can submit plans 100% paperless.

Featured tutorials:

• Get Started — basics of ProjectDox
• Password reset / login help
• Accept a task
• Download approved files via email
• Download approved files via home page

🔗 Open ProjectDox · FAQ handout (PDF)

BWP offers rebates to ALL Burbank businesses that make energy-efficient retrofits. Start with a building energy assessment and see if you qualify.

Programs to explore:

• Business Bucks — gift certificates redeemable at local businesses
• Business Rebate Programs — energy-efficient retrofit incentives
• Cross Connection Control — backflow prevention compliance

📞 (818) 238-3792 · 📧 sustainability@burbankca.gov

The Purchasing Division handles:

• Contracting firms for City construction projects
• Hosting bids for all City purchases & contracts
• Purchasing all goods, services, and equipment for City departments
• Selling surplus City equipment at auction

Visit the Purchasing Division →

Station 11 (HQ) — 311 E Orange Grove Ave · Battalion headquarters, Engine 11, Truck 11

Station 12 — 1845 N Ontario St · Engine 12

Station 13 — 135 S San Fernando Blvd · Engine 13, Rescue 13

Station 14 — 2711 N Screenland Dr · Engine 14

Station 15 — 4208 W Magnolia Blvd · Engine 15

Station 16 — 1700 W Burbank Blvd · Engine 16, Truck 16

The Burbank Fire Department provides fire suppression, emergency medical services (ALS paramedic), technical rescue, hazardous materials response, and fire prevention services. The department also provides fire protection for Warner Bros. Studios and other major entertainment facilities.

Community programs include CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) training, fire safety education, CPR classes, smoke detector installation assistance, and annual fire station open houses. The department's Fire Prevention Bureau conducts building inspections, plan reviews, and wildfire mitigation programs for hillside properties.

Patrol Division — 24/7 patrol coverage across all Burbank neighborhoods with community-based policing strategies

Detective Bureau — Investigates crimes including burglary, robbery, assault, fraud, and cybercrimes

Traffic Bureau — DUI enforcement, collision investigation, school zone safety, and traffic management

K-9 Unit — Trained police dogs for patrol, narcotics detection, and search operations

Special Enforcement Detail (SED) — SWAT-equivalent tactical team for high-risk incidents

School Resource Officers — Officers assigned to Burbank schools to build positive relationships with students and ensure campus safety

The BPD emphasizes community engagement through several programs: Coffee with a Cop (monthly informal meetups), National Night Out (annual neighborhood event), Citizens Police Academy (multi-week program teaching how policing works), and the Burbank Police Foundation (community partnership supporting safety initiatives).

Report a concern: For non-emergencies, call (818) 238-3000 or use the Burbank 311 app. You can also file certain reports online at the BPD website. Anonymous tips can be submitted through Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.

Address: 200 N Third St, Burbank, CA 91502
Emergency: 911
Non-Emergency: (818) 238-3000
Website: burbankpd.org

Burbank Central Library
110 N Glenoaks Blvd, Burbank, CA 91502
Mon–Thu: 10 AM – 9 PM · Fri–Sat: 10 AM – 6 PM · Sun: 1 PM – 5 PM
The main branch features a large children's area, teen zone, computer lab, meeting rooms, local history collection, and the Burbank Central Library Gallery.

Buena Vista Branch
300 N Buena Vista St, Burbank, CA 91505
Mon–Thu: 10 AM – 9 PM · Fri–Sat: 10 AM – 6 PM · Sun: Closed
A neighborhood branch near the studios offering full library services, study rooms, and a popular children's section.

Burbank Parks & Recreation offers hundreds of programs each season including youth sports leagues (soccer, baseball, basketball, flag football), swim lessons, summer day camps, after-school programs, senior activities, fitness classes, dance, art, and music instruction.

The Chandler Bikeway — a paved multi-use path running along the former Pacific Electric rail corridor — connects Burbank's neighborhoods and is one of the most popular recreational amenities in the city. The bikeway expansion project adds two more miles and is expected to complete in June 2026.

Burbank Water and Power (BWP) is a municipally-owned utility providing electric and water service to the City of Burbank. As a public utility, BWP's primary mission is to provide reliable, sustainable, and affordable services to the community — not to generate profits for shareholders.

BWP maintains some of the lowest utility rates in the Los Angeles area with tiered electric rates ranging from 14.71 to 22.49 cents per kWh, significantly lower than neighboring investor-owned utilities.

Solar Net Billing Program — Launched January 1, 2026, this program allows customers with rooftop solar panels to receive credits for excess electricity they send to the grid. BWP offers competitive export rates to encourage residential and commercial solar adoption.

Battery Storage Rebates — BWP provides rebates for customers who install home battery storage systems, promoting grid resilience and enabling homeowners to store solar energy for use during peak hours.

EV Charging Incentives — Residential customers can receive up to $500 toward Level 2 EV charger installation, while commercial customers can receive up to $20,000 for public EV charging infrastructure.

Report an Outage: (818) 238-3700 (24/7)
Customer Service: (818) 238-3700
Water Emergency: (818) 238-3730
Address: 164 W Magnolia Blvd, Burbank, CA 91502
Website: burbankwaterandpower.com

Burbank sweeps all residential streets on a regular schedule. Sweeping typically occurs between 8:00 AM and 3:00 PM. Parking restrictions are posted on street signs — vehicles parked on the street during sweeping hours may receive a citation.

Look up your specific street sweeping day on the Public Works website or the Burbank 311 app. Most streets are swept once per week.

Chandler Bikeway Expansion — Adding two miles of protected bike path connecting Magnolia Park to Downtown Burbank. Expected completion: June 2026.

Annual Pavement Management Program — Systematic resurfacing of city streets based on condition surveys. Burbank maintains over 250 miles of paved roads.

LED Streetlight Conversion — Converting remaining high-pressure sodium streetlights to energy-efficient LED, reducing energy use and improving nighttime visibility.

Address: 150 N Third St, Burbank, CA 91502
Phone: (818) 238-3915
After Hours Emergency: (818) 238-3473
Website: burbankca.gov/public-works

Certain filming activities require a notification letter and/or survey form to all addresses within a 300-foot radius, at least 24 hours before the first day of filming. This includes:

› Exterior filming or equipment on public property

› Posting No Parking signs in the neighborhood

› Use of weapons (props or otherwise)

› Filming outside normal business hours on private property

Notification is generally not required if filming takes place solely within private property during normal hours.

📍 Address
201 E Magnolia Blvd, Burbank, CA 91502 · just off Interstate 5 in Downtown Burbank.

🕐 Hours
Mall hours vary by day — check the official site. Individual stores set their own.

Mon–Fri 11 AM – 8 PM · Sat 11 AM – 9 PM · Sun 11 AM – 7 PM
Management Office: Mon–Fri 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM.

🅿️ Parking
Free on-site parking garages with thousands of spaces, including EV charging.

📞 Contact
Main: (818) 566-8556 · info@burbanktowncenter.com

♿ Accessibility
Accessible facilities throughout — see the accessibility page.

Downtown Burbank is a mixed-use urban neighborhood featuring more than 600 shops, restaurants and businesses. Situated in the heart of the entertainment industry, the area is renowned for its dynamic street scene, outdoor dining, and pedestrian orientation.

Shopping and dining destinations include IKEA, Urban Outfitters, H&M, Shake Shack, and the Burbank Town Center. The district's AMC movie screens consistently rank in the top five of cinema circuits nationwide — and the AMC Burbank complex finished 2025 as the highest-grossing movie theater in the U.S. and Canada.

The district spans more than 35 blocks centered on San Fernando Blvd, from Burbank Boulevard to Alameda Avenue, bounded by Glenoaks Boulevard and Front Street — entirely walkable, with plenty of bike parking and public transit connections. It is managed by the Downtown Burbank Partnership, a California nonprofit mutual benefit corporation.

From points east
Take the 134 freeway west to I-5 north, exit on Olive Ave to San Fernando Blvd, turn left.

From points west
Take the 134 freeway east to the I-5 exit, follow surface streets to the I-5 entrance, then exit on Olive Ave to San Fernando Blvd, turn left.

From points north
Take I-5 south, exit on Burbank Blvd to San Fernando Blvd, turn right.

✈️ From Hollywood Burbank Airport
Just three miles away — less than a 10-minute drive, with almost 20 nonstop destinations across the US. See hollywoodburbankairport.com.

🚆 By transit
Ride Metrolink to the Downtown Burbank station (Antelope Valley & Ventura County lines, an easy walk to everything) or take the MTA 94, 165 or 394 bus.

Hilton Garden Inn Downtown Burbank
401 S San Fernando Blvd, Burbank CA 91502 · The city's newest hotel, featuring a timeless feel with Spanish equestrian theme.

Hotel Burbank
150 E Angeleno Ave, Burbank CA 91502 · 19 stories and all-new décor give you beautiful views inside and out.

The Downtown Burbank Property Based Business Improvement District (PBID), governed by the nonprofit Downtown Burbank Partnership, was formed in 2003 as part of the City of Burbank's efforts to revitalize Downtown — and renewed in 2018 for a new 10-year life beginning January 1, 2019. It funds and manages district improvements with Downtown property owners: aesthetics and capital infrastructure, power washing and maintenance, marketing and events, leasing support, and a livable, walkable neighborhood.

🤝 Downtown Burbank Ambassadors
Hospitality and social outreach for the district — they help mitigate issues with street performers, homelessness, and safety. Reach them seven days a week for non-emergency issues: (323) 659-7408.

📋 Board meetings
The Board of Directors meets the first Thursday of the month at 9:00 AM at the Community Services Building, 150 N Third Street. Agendas, minutes & annual reports at dtnbur.com/about.

You NEED a permit for: New buildings or structures, additions (rooms, second floors, ADUs), interior remodels (walls, layout changes), electrical upgrades (panels, rewiring), plumbing (re-piping, sewer, fixture changes beyond simple swaps), HVAC installs or replacements, roof replacements (depending on scope), commercial signage, and demolition (partial or full).

You typically DON'T need a permit for: Cosmetic work (paint, flooring, cabinets) and minor repairs (replacing a faucet or outlet).

When in doubt, confirm. Burbank is strict about enforcement. Building Permits reference →

Before submitting plans, verify zoning compliance: setbacks, height limits, parking requirements, and use restrictions. You may also need a Conditional Use Permit (CUP), variance, or design review — if so, you're in the planning approval stage, not permitting yet.

Departments involved: Planning Division, Public Works, Fire Department, and Burbank Water & Power.

Zoning & land use info → · EconDev concierge →

Strategic tip: Use the Economic Development concierge early. They help coordinate departments and reduce friction — this alone can save weeks.

What you submit: Permit application form, full plan set (PDF format), structural calculations (if applicable), energy compliance (Title 24), and supporting documents.

How to submit: Email or online. Larger projects use ProjectDox, the city's digital plan review system.

Plan submittal info →

Departments reviewing: Building & Safety, Planning, Fire, Public Works, and Utilities. They check code compliance (California Building Code), fire access and safety, structural integrity, ADA compliance, and utility connections.

Timeline reality: First review takes approximately 6–8 weeks. Each correction cycle adds 2–4 weeks. Typical projects go through 2–4 rounds of corrections. Real-world total: 2–4 months minimum for most projects.

What slows this down: Incomplete drawings, poor coordination between architect and engineer, ignoring zoning early, and weak resubmittals.

Strategic tip: Treat resubmittals like proposals — clean, complete, and coordinated. This is the single biggest factor in avoiding delays.

Core fees: Plan check fee, permit issuance fee, and inspection fee.

Additional fees: Development impact fees, utility connection fees, and school district fees (in some cases).

Example ranges: Small permit: $200–$1,000 · Remodel: $2,000–$15,000 · Large development: $50K–$500K+ total fees. Fees are not just administrative — they fund infrastructure impacts.

Fee schedule → · Municipal code →

You receive your permit after all departments approve, all corrections are resolved, and fees are fully paid.

Important: Permits expire if work doesn't start within 180 days. Extensions are possible but not guaranteed. You must keep inspections active to keep your permit alive.

Typical inspection stages: Foundation, framing, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, and final inspection. Work must follow these stages — you cannot proceed freely.

Scheduling: Online or by phone, usually with next-day availability.

Key rule: Failing an inspection means stop work until corrections are made and the inspection is passed.

Schedule an inspection →

All inspections passed, no outstanding corrections, and all fees cleared = you receive a Certificate of Occupancy (CO).

Without a CO, you cannot legally occupy or operate. This applies to both residential and commercial projects.

Biggest delays: Planning approvals, plan check correction cycles, and contractor scheduling.

Skipping zoning validation — leads to full redesign mid-process.

Submitting incomplete plans — adds months to the timeline.

Underestimating fees — kills project budgets unexpectedly.

Poor consultant coordination — creates conflicting corrections between architect and engineer.