sfcrg blog

April 9th, 2010

By Henry Karnilowicz
There was a BIC (Building Inspection Commission) meeting on June 16 and the agenda included an update on the financial condition of DBI.

Of the new positions that DBI requested, as well as DBI projects, are recommended to be cut. Six inspectors, one chief clerk, one senior systems analyst, three principal clerks, of which two were for conversion projects.
They are also recommending that the vacancies that DBI has, of which they are limited duration, holding for attrition along with analysts’ not be funded.

The impact of that is that DBI has fewer positions and less attrition. they are also recommending eliminating one of DBI managers.

What is alarming, however, is that they have cut $3.5 million even though DBI provided them with substantial justification.

Another item on the agenda was gray water. One of the biggest changes is plans and permit requirement for systems that use gray water beyond just from a washing machine. Out of the 12 to 14 requests six were installed. They provided plans, documentation, and were permitted. The others that were requested, once they realized the system was not what they thought, decided to not proceed.

Of the many reason gray water is not being recycled is because of cost to implement. There is also the need for installing pumps and then there is the health issue when a building is located on a hillside.

The PAC (Public Advisory Committee) meeting was on the same day in the afternoon.

The main item on the agenda was the implementation of deferred development impact fees, which will come into effect on July 1. To do this DBI is requiring eight sets of plans that will get distributed to the various agencies and divisions and then two final sets of plans will be sent to planning and then DBI will have a team to stamp the final two sets of plans. The option will be to defer fees until the first TCO (Temporary Certificate of Occupancy) is issued. A small fee will be charged to defer the impact fees.

Director Day said that three million dollars has been cut from the budget however there is six million dollars set aside for providing a permit tracking system.

On another matter. The EPA is requiring certification of contractors who are involved in the demolition and or restoration of buildings built prior to 1978. The penalty is $37,500 for each occasion. For more information go to: http://www.remodeling.hw.net/design-build/construction/lead-safe-practices/lead-paint-rule.aspx.

There are numerous companies providing classes for certification. They all charge $300.00 for an all day class. I just finished a class offered by Contractor Manager in Corte Madera. If you wish contact them at CMservices@aol.com or call 415-924-9031.

By Henry Karnilowicz

The PAC (Public Advisory Committee) meeting was on April 15, 2010.

Director Day presented the Department of Building Inspection (DBI) Business Process ReEngineering (BPR) flow chart. http://sfdbi.org/ftp/uploadedfiles/dbi/CCSFDBIBPRSummaryReportDec2007.pdf

There are two clerks retiring and also one plumbing inspector. However there is one building inspector and one electrical inspector who have been rehired.

An RFP has gone out for the PTS (Permit Tracking System). The intention also is to use one permit number which will allow changes to description to reduce the current difficulty in tracking which permits are complete or not. There is also the intention to no longer use the designations Form 3 and form 8.

The Q-Matic (device for controlling customer flow in the office) is being installed and should be fully operational by 1 July.

Director Day has asked that BUF (Bureau of Urban Forestry) have a station on the fifth floor.

On Friday 14 May between 1:00 pm and 5:00 pm there will be a town hall style session for the public at the Koret Auditorium, in the main public library, where DBI staff will be available to answer questions related to permitting and procedures.

Jonas Ionin, from City planning, was to be present at the PAC meeting but had a prior commitment. City planner Kelly Amdur will be attending the next PAC meeting.

Commencing Monday 3 May IPR (Initial Plan Review) will be on the first floor also all submittals and addendums. The fifth floor will solely be for OTC (Over The Counter) permit issuance.

There was a BIC (Building Inspection Commission) meeting on April 21 and the agenda included a presentation on the financial status of DBI. There is a decrease in permit revenue and $1,000,000 is projected for refunds.

CPB (Central Permit Bureau) is to be renamed Permit Center and it is intended that Business Licenses can be issue by the Permit Center.

The fourth floor is scheduled to be completed by July 1 at which time records Management, Code Enforcement, Fire, PUC and DPW will move to the fourth floor, except for plan checking which will remain on the fifth floor. Security, administration and finance will be on the sixth floor.

Regarding planning and DR Reform.

On March 4, 2010, the Planning Commission adopted an amended DR Reform Policy, which superseded their policy adopted on June 18, 2009.  This amended Policy was the result of continued community outreach. On March 8, 2010, after four hearings at the  Board of Supervisor’s Land Use Committee, Supervisor Mar introduced Amendments of the Whole, and then continued the legislation to the Call of the Chair. The Committee felt that it was not the right time to reform the DR process, but that in a year it may be more appropriate to move forward with DR Reform.

The Department will be hosting two community outreach meetings to present the Tier 1 & Tier 2 proposal and to gather feedback. The one-hour meetings will be held at the Planning Department (1650 Mission Street, 4th Floor, Room 421) beginning at 6: 00pm on May 6, 2010, and May 10, 2010. On May 20, 2010, the Department will present this Policy to the Planning Commission for their review, comment, and possible adoption.

For a more complete report go to: http://www.sfplanning.org/index.aspx?page=1891

For the invite go to :
http://sf-planning.org/ftp/files/NP/invitetooutreachfortier1&2policy.pdf

An update from Cheryl Chan at DPW:

DPW has updated some of our applications and they are now available online, dated March 31, 2010. Please use these revised applications, effective May 3, 2010. Links to the revised application forms and list of changes can be found at http://www.sfgov.org/site/sfdpw_page.asp?id=38109 OR www.sfdpw.org

By Henry Karnilowicz

For those of you who may not be aware. Plumbing inspectors are now asking for faucet specifications concerning lead content, this is in response to AB1953 – http://info.sen.ca.gov/pub/05-06/bill/asm/ab_1951-2000/ab_1953_cfa_20060818_134053_sen_floor.html.

Site Permit Review Criteria:

• Architectural Plans
• Structural Design Criteria Document
• Use or Occupancy
• Exterior Wall Protection
• Means of Egress

There was a BIC (Building Inspection Commission) meeting on March 17 and the agenda included a presentation by the elevator in dustry and the Disabled Community, about AB090 regarding destination elevators, which the BIC supported. The purpose of these elevators is that passengers with disabilities will be able to preprogram the destination of which floor they wish to travel to. One of the high risers that already has such a system is 1 Front Street.

One of the other items on the agenda was the Permit Tracking System for which an RFP was to go out in about three to four weeks. Another was voluntary soft story retrofitting legislation which had passed. There will be no plan check fees for voluntary retrofitting however inspection fees will be charged. The next piece of legislation that is being worked on is mandatory soft story retrofitting. On the item of vacant buildings registration there are currently 107 buildings registered.

The PAC (Public Advisory Committee) meeting was on March 18, 2010.

Director Day said that currently there is only a draft of the organizati onal chart. Next month she will provide a flow chart.

On disabled access CASp (Certified Access Specialists) will be reviewing accessibility applications. Currently though there is only one staff person who is so certified. It is recommended though that private CASp individuals inspect properties and provide a report on accessibility compliance.

Director Day said that the CSLB (Contractors State License Board) has been in contact with her and has asked that all the inspectors check and report on shoddy work and work being done by unlicensed contractors.

There was discussion about soft story retrofitting. The buildings that will be required to be retrofitted are three story or more and five units or more. There will be financial incentives and loan packages. Standards are still being developed.

DBI has an RFP out for electronic management which will include accepting and plan checking electronic files also all clerks will have acces s to credit card scanners so they all will be able to accept payments. On collection of fees, Director Day said that she is in communication with the tax collector so that business licenses can be paid at DBI.

There was an item raised about the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) having teams enforcing the requirement that persons disturbing lead paint in prior to 1978 buildings will have to be certified. For those who are not certified there will be some hefty penalties. This law came into effect this month. For more information go to http://epa.gov/lead/pubs/renovation.htm

On a sad note. For those of you who knew Simon Brown, he passed away last week.

By Henry Karnilowicz

There was a PAC (Public Advisory Committee) meeting on February 18, 2010. The agenda included a discussion on the code rewrite in 2007 and 2008. January 2011 the California Building Code (CBC) will be in effect and it will take about six months for local amendments. The state also will be adopting the IRC (International Residential Code). There will be the California Green Code update at the next PAC meeting.

On the pending voluntary soft story incentives include a reduction in fees and expedited permitting. There is a working group in place discussing mandatory soft story legislation. The issue was raised about the triggering of ADA compliance as it will be more difficult to get a hardship exemption. Director Day said that the Certified Access Specialist Program (CASP) is in effect and those so certified will be making site visits fro a fee,, at the request of the owners, and will make determinations on what is acceptable for the Americans with Disability Act (ADA) compliance.

On plan checking a check list has been created but fire and the Department of Public Works (DPW) are still in the process of preparing check lists for plan review. Initial Plan Review (IPR) is to be on the first floor. Records management, administration, DPW and Public Utilities Commission (PUC -back operations) and CED (Code Enforcement Division) will be on the fourth floor at 1660 Mission. Management Information Services (MIS) will stay at 1650 Mission.

Regarding release of plans by records management there will be a hold for up to 30 days, allowing for a response from the producer of the plans, and then the Director will make the determination if plans can be released. Records Management staff is looking into the process in other jurisdictions and will then determine the process to be implemented at the Department of Building Inspection (DBI).

On the item regarding Site Permits: DBI is concerned that Site Permits are being released without payment of any fees. A fee of 25% to 75% is being considered before the first addendum is accepted. Deputy Director Laurence Kornfield provided a handout of a check list for Site Permit acceptance.

Director Day said that the “Queuematic” automatic scheduling system will be in place shortly allowing appointments to be made at any time.

On a planning matter. The DR (Discretionary Review) reform is moving along. The latest being an amendment to the proposed legislation from Supervisor Eric Mar. Please read the attached document. This item will again apparently be before the Land Use Committee on Monday, March 8, 2010.

By Henry Karnilowicz

What’s being proposed: Neighborhood groups would still have to file the DR within the 30 day window. They would just have extra time to “prove” that the DR is really from a group that has taken a vote to file the DR. The idea was that some groups don’t meet frequently, so it enables them to discuss it at their regular meeting.

By Henry Karnilowicz

There was a PAC (Public Advisory Committee) meeting on January 21, 2010.
The agenda included a discussion on electrical permit fees. Currently a separate permit is required for each unit in a building whereas previously one permit was required and additional fees were paid for extra inspections as needed. It was felt that having separate permits creates more paperwork. Director Day said she would look into the code to make a determination.

Another item was records retrieval. The current process, which has been in effect at DBI for many years, copies of plans are released to owners or to agents with an owner’s affidavit. Director Day said that this process is illegal and that records management will hold the request for copies of plans for 30 days and will require an affidavit from the owner and a release from the producer of the plans. If there is no original producer of the plans then the request will go to the successor. After the 30 days if there is no response then Director Day will make the determination if the plans should be released to the requestor.

Deputy Director Kornfield passed out a checklist for developing ground floor rooms. With a suggestion by one of the committee Deputy Director Kornfield said he would work with a sub committee to develop a checklist for TI’s.

Deputy Director Kornfield said that details for voluntary strengthening are being completed for typical situations and Director Day said that owners will be able to select which method to use. Deputy Director Kornfield said that there will be standard details for decks and stairs. He also said that DBI is working on directions for construction drawing comments. Director Day said that they need to work on a check list for site permits.

Director Day said that the California Residential Code will come into effect next year and that sprinklers will be required for single and two family buildings also in new units that are created in an existing building.

Commencing February 1, 2010 fire will not sign of on any applications for buildings that are listed as requiring sprinklers and have not complied with the sprinkler ordinance.

Deputy Director Sweeney said that DBI will no longer be taking anonymous complaint over the phone and anonymous complaint will be accepted with a personal filing at DBI.

Director Day said that she is seeking having 11 staff back spread throughout DBI.

MTA will have a counter on the first floor for questions regarding the TDF ordinance.

One of the committee asked about converting an application from a type 3 to a type 8, for site permits, so that addendums can then be hand carried to all the stations to which there was no response from staff.

Deputy Director Kornfield said that planning will have a counter on the fifth floor but the PIC (Planning Information Counter) will stay on the first floor.

On planning following is information from the planning department.

The Planning Department is beginning a process to provide all Planning Commission case report materials online. As such, it is now policy that sponsors provide a PDF copy of final plans to be posted online the same day the hard copy case report is released (typically one week before the hearing).