Simi Valley Municipal Code Ch. 7 Permit Issuance

(a) The application, plans, specifications, computations and other data filed by an applicant for permit shall be reviewed by the Building Official as deemed appropriate. Such plans may be reviewed by other City departments to verify compliance with other applicable laws.

(b) If the Building Official finds that the work described in an application for a permit and the plans, specifications and other data filed therewith conform to the requirements of this Title and the technical codes and other pertinent laws and ordinances, and that the required fees have been paid, the Building Official shall issue a permit therefore to the applicant.

(c) The Building Official shall endorse, in writing or stamp, the required plans and specifications.

(d) Approved plans and specifications shall not be changed, modified or altered without authorizations from the Building Official, and all work regulated by this Title shall be done in accordance with the approved plans.

(§ 2 (Exh. A), Ord. No. 1346, eff. January 5, 2023)

(a) The Building Official may issue a permit for the construction of part of a building, structure or building service equipment before the entire plans and specifications for the whole building, structure or building service equipment have been submitted or approved, provided adequate information and detailed statements have been filed complying with all pertinent requirements of the technical codes.

(b) The holder of a permit for partial construction shall proceed without assurance that the permit for the entire building, structure or building service will be granted.

(§ 2 (Exh. A), Ord. No. 1346, eff. January 5, 2023)

(a) One set of approved plans, specifications and computations shall be retained by the Building Official for a period of not less than one hundred eighty (180) days from the date of completion of the work covered therein or as required by the State or local laws.

(b) One set of approved plans and specifications shall be returned to the applicant and shall be kept on the site of the building or work at all times during which the work authorized thereby is in progress.

(§ 2 (Exh. A), Ord. No. 1346, eff. January 5, 2023)

(a) The issuance of a permit or approval of plans, specifications and computations shall not be construed to be a permit for, or an approval of any violation of, any of the provisions of this Title or the technical codes, or of any other law or ordinance.

(b) Permits presuming to give authority to violate or cancel the provisions of this Title or of other City ordinances shall not be valid.

(c) The issuance of a permit based on plans, specifications and other data shall not prevent the Building Official from thereafter requiring the correction of errors in the plans, specifications and other data, or from preventing building operations being carried on thereunder when there is a violation of this Title or of any other City ordinances.

(§ 2 (Exh. A), Ord. No. 1346, eff. January 5, 2023)

(a) Every permit issued by the Building Official under the provisions of the technical codes shall expire by limitation and become null and void, if the building or work authorized by such permit is not commenced within twelve (12) months from the date of such permit, or if the building or work authorized by such permit is suspended or abandoned at any time after the work is commenced for a period of one hundred eighty (180) days.

(b) All permits shall expire by limitation of time and become null and void unless an inspection indicating substantial progress in construction has been requested and performed every one hundred eighty (180) days or sooner.

(c) Before work terminated pursuant to subsection (b) above can be recommenced, a new permit shall be first obtained, and the permittee shall pay new full permit fees.

(d) The fee therefore shall be pursuant to Section 8-7.07 and Table 1 of this Code provided no changes have been made to the original plans or specifications for such work; and provided further that such suspension or abandonment has not exceeded one (1) year.

(e) If the suspension or abandonment of the project has exceeded one year, a new permit shall be obtained and the permit fees be paid in full.

(§ 2 (Exh. A), Ord. No. 1346, eff. January 5, 2023)

(a) A permittee holding an unexpired permit may apply for an extension of the time within which work may commence under that permit, if the permittee can demonstrate that, for good and satisfactory reasons, it is not feasible to commence the work within the required time.

(b) The Building Official may extend the time for action by the permittee for a period not exceeding one hundred eighty (180) days upon payment of appropriate fees and a written request by the permittee showing that circumstances beyond the control of the permittee have prevented action from being taken.

(c) Permits shall not be extended more than once, except that, the Building Official may approve additional extensions of one hundred eighty (180) days when the applicant demonstrates that special unusual circumstances exist. In this case, the Building Official may require that additional fees be paid and plans be revised to partially or fully comply with the current codes.

(d) Permit time extension when there are multiple permits on a single project must comply with all of the following:

(1) For the purpose of permit expiration, all permits associated with a single project (i.e., same address, suite, portion of building) will be considered as one project. If an inspection has been performed on any of the permits for the project, all permits will be considered to have been extended for an additional one hundred eighty (180) days. However, no permit more than three (3) years old may be extended by the extension of another permit on the same project, except where the applicant demonstrates that special unusual circumstances exist, the Building Official may approve such an extension.

(2) In order to extend a permit described in subsection (1), above, one of the permits must be extended subject to aforementioned limitations and payment of required fees. Additionally, an inspection indicating that the applicant has made substantial progress must be requested and performed on the permit that has been extended within 180 days, from the date of permit issuance.

(§ 2 (Exh. A), Ord. No. 1346, eff. January 5, 2023)

An expired building permit may be renewed provided it has not been expired for more than one (1) year, no changes have been made to the plans or specifications previously approved by the expired permit and appropriate permit renewal fees are paid. In instances where work has been initiated prior to the expiration of the permit, permit renewal fees shall be assessed pursuant to the degree of progress made on the work authorized by the permit. Permit renewal fees shall be assessed by the Building Official pursuant to Table 1.

Table 1

(§ 2 (Exh. A), Ord. No. 1346, eff. January 5, 2023)

The Building Official is authorized to suspend or revoke a permit issued under the provisions of this Code when the permit is issued in error or on the basis of incorrect inaccurate, incomplete, or fraudulent information provided by the applicant, or when such permit is in violation of an ordinance, regulation, State law or the provisions of this Code. All suspension or revocation of permits must be in writing showing the cause and the time period for such action.

(§ 2 (Exh. A), Ord. No. 1346, eff. January 5, 2023)

Emergency permit may be issued by the Building Official for any area or work regulated by this Code when it is determined by the Building Official that the work is of an emergency nature and failure to perform the work may be detrimental to the health and safety or welfare of the public, or the environment. Applications for emergency permits shall be filed no later than three (3) working days following the commencement of emergency work. All emergency work shall be pre-approved by the Building Official prior to commencement of any work.

(§ 2 (Exh. A), Ord. No. 1346, eff. January 5, 2023)

Except where special building designs or other mitigation measures have been approved by the Building Official and co-operating officials of other City and County agencies, a building permit may be denied where physical features of a building site are such that denial of the building permit is deemed necessary to safeguard life, limb, health, property or public welfare. Physical features, which justify denial of a permit, shall include but shall not be limited to the following:

(a) Precipitous cliffs or other adjacent vertical landmasses of unknown stability.

(b) Unstable soils or geologic conditions.

(c) Terrain, which is subject to flooding or severe soil erosion.

(d) Terrain, which is deemed contaminated by products of hydrocarbon or other hazardous material.

(§ 2 (Exh. A), Ord. No. 1346, eff. January 5, 2023)