There are two times that most residential projects interface with local government agencies, at the design review and building permit stages. Rarely does this type of project raise an issue that can not be handled on a local level. Local level of government includes Neighborhood, City and County bodies with jurisdiction over these types of projects. Typically, if the City has the manpower to review and determine compliance and /or if they have written local ordinances, the City in question is the governing agency through which all approvals are secured. When that is not present or if the project is in an unincorporated area then the County government takes over. Neighborhood groups, although powerful in some areas, are advisory in nature and grant no approvals nor can they actually stop a project without the assistance of an official agency.

How do I get approval and when do I get it?
 

PLANNING APPROVAL

The first review is at the planning level at which time the neighborhood groups are heard. It is also at this time that the project is measured against local zoning ordinances and reviewed with respect to its architectural design. This process is not always the same and varies depending on the municipality involved. For example Oakland is just beginning to impose a design review process, where as the Cities of Piedmont and Orinda have them for almost all projects. The City of Moraga has a design review system but your project may not trigger anything that would require you to become involved.

Typically, this first level involves the submittal of all the drawings necessary to illustrate the project's design; is the floor plans and the elevations along with the site plan and some documentation regarding the size of the lot and how it compares to the size of the project. This is done to allow the staff or the Planning Commission to understand the project and ultimately provide approval. This may or may not mean a public hearing in which you and other interested parties present their positions regarding the project to a public body.
 

BUILDING PERMIT

The second review is one made by the building department and is concerned with the project's compliance with the locally adopted building and fire codes. This review requires that you present the documentation delineating exactly how the project will be built. Typically, this includes the Architect's plans and specifications, structural engineering drawings and calculations, energy calculations, a copy of the survey and soils reports appropriate. These documents are then sent through a process known as plan check and are checked by I the necessary and appropriate agencies. There may or may not need to be corrections and clarifications made to the submittal during this process. Once all agencies have reviewed and approved the documents the building permit is ready for issuance.  The general contractor or yourself, as the homeowner, may be issued the building permit after verification of workman's compensation insurance is ascertained, or the homeowner assures the agency that he will hire tradespeople that carry workman's compensation insurance (a state law).
 

SITE INSPECTION

The remiainder of the government's control over the project comes during the inspections made by the building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical and in some cases engineering / site inspectors. This occurs from time to time during the course of the work and is managed by the lead person running the construction (usually the general contractor). At the completion of the project the building receives a final inspection indicating that all work is completed and is in accordance with the building / planning codes and the construction documents by the Architect. A certificate of Occupancy is then issued by the Building Official.