If you fail to plan, you plan to fail
In order to get a building permit in Contra Costa County it needs to go through planning first. I thought it would be a simple box to check. I assumed incorrectly.
I should have realized it when before the county would take my $500 they wanted me to look over the minor subdivision permit. I had already been at there office over 1.5 hrs with my wife and two kids. So I read through the plans quickly. I noticed the year of 2010 and a lot of things that pertained to the subdivision but not specifically my property. So after 15 minutes of reading through it, I signed it and handed over $500.
The cover page of that minor subdivision permit
I am not doing anything unusual, I would like to put a small manufactured home on a 5 acre lot. The building department told me that I could build any size home anywhere on my lot so long as it didn’t infringe on the setbacks from the county. I guess that is not true if you are part of this minor subdivision. My Plans failed in 5 ways (I put my thoughts on these items in italics)
- Condition of Approval #8 requires proposed buildings to be built within the defined buildable area as shown on the attached vesting Tentative parcel Plan. Revise your site plan to show this area and ensure that the proposed house is located within this envelope.
I paid $500 dollars for him to spend his time to review this, and he wants my site plan to have the cross-hatched area that is on a 8 year old document? The document states it expired 3 years after it was written. Whatever, I’ll jump through this hoop.
2. Condition of Approval #9 requires illuminated address numbers that are clearly visible to street. Update elevations to reflect this requirement
Easily done….
3. Condition #12 Requires a fee of $1000 for police services mitigation. Please remit a check in this amount payable to Contra Costa County
More money… sure
4. Conditions #13-#15 requires front-yard landscaping. Please provide a landscaping plan to show a suitable amount of landscaping with California native plant materials. California native drought tolerant plants or trees shall be used as much as possible. Additionally, submit a cost estimate for the installation cost of the proposed landscaping. The proposed landscaping must comply with the requirements of the California Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance
He Attached 20 pages of the “Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance” …how nice a front-yard landscaping plan and cost estimate. I am tapped out of money on this venture and cannot even dream of what I want to put in my front yard! Dirt is fine for me right now. Maybe Grass when I feel like I have some money again.
My front yard looks like this now, and will probably continue to
5. Condition #18 requires a preliminary geology, soil, and foundation report to be reviewed by the County Peer Review Geologist. Please submit this report, as well as remit a check made out to Contra Costa County in the amount of $750 to cover the cost of the geological review.
I don’t even know how to begin on this one.
I went to visit my “friend” in planning on Friday, but he has every other Friday off and I just happened to be there on his day off. I have been to the county offices more times than I should have. I have called the building dept many times as well. Every time I talked with them, I got that impression that planning was mostly a formality, unless you are trying to do something rather unusual. My plans, are as simple as they can be. A small home on 5 acres. But somehow, it’s not so simple.
I am not trying to play a sad song here. I hope to let everyone know that you should start your permitting process way before you know everything you are going to do. Even though there is all kinds of data on their website and a building permits “checklist”, start the process and let them tell you what you are missing. They will make sure to tell you… just not right away.
I was taught to have everything prepared before you begin. As in cooking, make sure you have all your ingredients before you start making cookies… But with government work, it’s better to start making cookies without any regard to if you have enough eggs. Heck it’s welcomed to start making cookies even if you aren’t sure what eggs are!
If you are bored and want to read it, here are the minor subdivision requirements with numbers I reference
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