BUILDING PERMIT INFORMATION

All construction in the Town of Tiburon requires a building permit. The following types of construction will require structural, plumbing, electrical, and/or mechanical permits:

New, repair, or replacement of electrical, plumbing, or mechanical equipment and facilities (i.e., new or repair work on electric service, new or repair work on furnace, plumbing repairs and replacement).

If you aren’t sure whether your project requires a building permit, please check with the Building Department. Work started without obtaining required permits will result in a "Stop Work" notice, an investigative fee of $250 plus penalties of up to 4x the permit cost. Work in progress is subject to abatement.

Building permit applications are reviewed for conformance with applicable State and Town regulations to protect the owner and the general public from the hazards that may result from incorrect construction methods.

2. APPLICATION

In order to file a building permit application, you must submit (1) an application form, (2) a minimum of three sets of plans and support documents (engineering, energy calcs), and (3) a plan check fee. These are described in detail under "Submittal Requirements."

The "Application for Building Permit" form contains legal information required by the State Business and Profession Code (Title 17). It is designed to protect you from accident liabilities in case you or a worker in your employ are injured on the job. State Law requires that a building permit can only be issued to the owner of the property or a State licensed contractor bonded and insured in case of injury to workers.

If you are an owner applying for a permit, read the waiver portion carefully and fill in the appropriate sections. After you have read and understood the section about liabilities, you acknowledge this by signing on the appropriate line.

If you are a licensed contractor, you must carry in your Certificate of Insurance for Workers’ Compensation and your contractors license to show the Building Department staff. If you have no employees and are not subject workers’ compensation laws you must sign the exemption.

3. PLAN CHECKING

After a complete application is submitted, your plans will be checked for conformance with State and Town regulations. The following departments or agencies may check your plans:

a. Planning/Design Review: Zoning, type and size of use, setbacks, height, conformance with previous approvals.

b. Engineering/Public Works: Grading, encroachment, drainage, street improvements, utility work, and other applicable requirements of the Municipal Code.

c. Building Department: Uniform Building Code, Uniform Mechanical Code, Uniform Plumbing Code, National Electric Code, Title 24 - State Energy Requirements, local building regulations, access for the disabled.

d. Marin County Environmental Health Department: septic systems, public pool.

Some building permits are also reviewed by:

e. Fire Protection District: Compliance with Uniform Fire Code, sprinkler ordinance and hydrants - all new construction and remodels involving more than 50% of the existing structure requires installation of the fire sprinklers.

f. Marin County Health Department: Commercial kitchens, public food facilities, public pools and spas, septic systems.

g. Sanitary District: Sewers and laterals outside the building envelope.

h. Marin County Flood Control: Development along creeks and easements.

i. Structural Engineer: All new commercial and large residential projects, and when required by Building Official.

j. Soils Engineer: All new commercial projects and subdivisions, and when required by Building Official.

k. Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC)

l. Water quality Control.

m. Army Corp of Engineers.

If your plans do not conform to applicable requirements, one or more of the reviewing departments or agencies will:

a. Make minor modifications to the plans and issue a "conditional approval,"

b. Contact you by phone or letter requesting additional plans or revisions in the submitted plans, or

c. Return a marked copy of the plans indicating areas where changes or additional information is needed.

NOTE: Should more detailed plans be required by the Town Engineer, such plans shall be prepared in conformance with specific guidelines and applicable sections of the Municipal Code. These plans would be utilized in conjunction with the issuance of any required encroachment and/or grading permits/drainage.

4. ACTION

When your application is approved by the reviewing departments and agencies you will receive a phone call advising you that your permit is ready to issue. Once a building permit application is approved, we ask that you pick up your permit within 30 days. After payment of required fees, you will receive a set of plans stamped "Permit Copy" and an inspection record card.

Fees required in conjunction with school district assessments or sanitary district must be paid in conformance with their current fee schedule prior to issuance of the building permit.

5. RESULT

Your permit is valid for 18 months from the date of issue. An extension may be considered by the Building Official if after receiving a written request, exceptional circumstances are found why the work was stopped or not completed. Once a permit has expired, the work shall not recommence until a new permit is issued. A new permit shall be issued only if there have been no changes in the original plans and specifications and full original fees paid.

During construction, you must arrange for the appropriate inspections by the Building Department. If a request is made and you are not ready for the inspection when the inspector arrives, a reinspection fee of $75 will be assessed. Requests for inspection must be received 24 hours in advance, 435-7380.

The Inspection Record card must be posted at the construction site and the approved Job Copy of the plans must be available to the inspector or the inspection will be canceled and the $75 reinspection fees will be assessed. All projects must have fire hydrants in service prior to framing.

When the construction is complete, you are responsible for arranging for final inspections by the agencies indicated on your inspection record card. A minimum of 24 - 48 hours notice is required. Some agencies may require additional documents. For projects involving required landscaping/colors/ conditions, the Planning Department must sign off prior to final inspection.

Engineering/Public Works will require that all work encroaching on Town Property be completed prior to issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy (typically driveways and sidewalks).

New Commercial buildings and new residences may not be occupied until all approvals are secured and a Certificate of Occupancy is issued by the Building Department. Installation of utility meters will not be authorized until a Certificate of Occupancy is issued or an agreement of non-occupancy is signed by both contractor & homeowner.

Incomplete submittals will not be accepted - all materials must be submitted at the same time. All plans and forms must be clear & legible. Unsigned documents are not valid, all plans and support documents must be "wet-signed" by document author - photocopied signatures will not be accepted. Plans must specify "existing" and "new" when applicable.

1. A completed Building Permit Application.

2. Two plot plans drawn to a scale of not less than 1" = 20' indicating:

a. Dimensions of front, rear and side yards; location and dimensions of any existing buildings; location and dimensions of easements.

b. All grades and contours. Contours shall be shown at intervals of one foot or less on slopes up to five percent, and not more than five feet on slopes in excess of five percent, and shall extend across adjoining streets when said streets are unimproved.

c. Elevations at the following points: finish curb at points of extension of lot lines and curb return points; finish and existing grade elevations at each corner of the lot; finish and existing grades at each principal corner for the structure and points of significant change of slope and the garage and floor elevations.

d. Location and grade of proposed driveways, and disposition of surface and roof drainage.

e. North arrow and scale.

NOTE: Should more detailed plans be required by Engineering, such plans shall be prepared in conformance with specific guidelines and applicable sections of the Municipal Code. These plans would be utilized in conjunction with the issuance of any required encroachment permit and/or grading/drainage permits.

3. Three complete sets of working drawings fully dimensioned at a scale of 1/4"=1', stapled with the plot plan and folded to no more that 9" x 12" with title block showing including:

a. Foundation Plan. This may be required to be prepared by a licensed engineer or architect and supplemented with the appropriate calculations if it is not a conventional design or if a topographic or soils conditions warrant. If a project has an existing soils report and the design is consistent with the report’s recommendation, an engineer may not be required. If an engineer is required, a rational analysis demonstrating that the foundation complies with the Uniform Building Code must be provided.

. A minimum standard foundation design for suitable topographic and soils conditions can be taken directly from the Uniform Building Code, Chapter 29. Your foundation plan must include:

(1) North Arrow.

(2) Location, size, and depth of footings.

(3) Bolt and rebar location.

(4) Piers & grade beams & holdowns - grade beams must extend minimum 8" into existing grade. Perforated drain line must be set minimum 12" below grade beam.

b. Floor Framing Plan

(1) Size, spacing, and direction of girders, joists, and columns.

(2) Beams, joists.

(3) Material sizes and specifications including lumber grades and species, type of subflooring.

(4) Detail or specify all connections, including size and spacing of nails, bolts, etc. If using manufactured joist hangers, clips, etc., specify the manufacturer and model number.

(5) Location of vents and underfloor access. Show cross ventilation at underfloor.

c. Floor Plan

(1) North arrow.

(2) Door and window location and sizes, type of window (i.e. slides, double hung) and glazing (single glaze, dual glaze, etc.) and any special treatment (special glazing, single glazed with integral shade screen, etc.). Aluminum windows and doors shall be certified and labeled per ANSI specifications.

(3) Plumbing fixture layout.

(4) Electrical layout, size of service, light fixtures, switches, appliances, grounding, bonding location of main service & subpanels.

(5) Location, type, and size of heating system efficiency rating, must be CEC (California Energy Commission) approved. Electrical "resistance" type heating shall require a "life cycle cost analysis."

(6) Location, type, and size of water heater (must comply with CEC regulations). Note: if a solar water heater is proposed, provide the manufacturer’s installation date and efficiency on that system. Electric water heaters shall require a "life cycle cost analysis."

(7) Direction of ceiling joists.

(8) Call out the intended use of each room.

d. Building Cross Section. Minimum 2, in opposite directions, additional sections as needed for clarity.

e. Framing Detail - ((cross section) ½"=1' is recommended)

(1) Roof, floor, and wall detail, rafters, purlins, and struts.

(2) Method of bracing.

(3) Material sizes and specifications including lumber grades and species.

(4) Detail or specify all connections.

(5) Type, location, and "R" value of insulation.

(6) Nailing schedule for all connections.

(7) Holdowns and shear wall connections.

(8) Frieze blocks & venting and roof load transfer to shear panels.

(9) Cathedral ceiling ventilation, including ridge vents.

WHEN REQUIRED:

f. Engineering Calculations. Two sets, stamped & wet-signed by document author.

g. Soils Reports. Two sets, stamped & wet-signed by document author.

h. Energy Calculations. Two sets, wet-signed by document author.

NOTE: When submitting construction drawings for projects that required Design Review approval the construction plans must match, exactly, the plans approved by the Design Review Board. Design Review staff will check the drawings for compliance before the permit is plan checked by the Building Department but it is the responsibility of the architect/designer to adhere to design review approvals - any unauthorized changes, even if overlooked during design review compliance, will result in a "STOP WORK" order when later discovered. No exterior changes are permitted without design review approval.