BPC-003 Building Plan Check Submittal List

Version 03/07/2024

Residential

The uploaded plan set shall be a complete set, including all sheets of the proposed plan set.  All sheets of the plan set shall be formatted to the same sheet size and orientation. All sheets shall be listed on the Cover Sheet in an appropriate Sheet Index. Supporting documents shall be uploaded as separate files, individually identified based on document type. All sheets of plans and all supporting documents shall be signed, sealed, and dated, as required by the California Business and Professions Code.

All Projects

Job address must be posted at the site and at the road, visible from both directions. Applicant must provide a map clearly indicating location of project to eliminate processing delays and provide gate codes as necessary. See CNI-002 Site Evaluation Procedures, Site Evaluation Procedures for Building and Grading Permits. All projects subject to the green building ordinance are required to have the Build It Green (BIG) or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) checklists incorporated on the plans with worksheets attached to each plan set.

It is important to note that it is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that construction documents submitted for review are of sufficient clarity to indicate the location, nature and extent of the work proposed and show in detail that the work will conform to the provisions of all relevant codes, laws, rules and regulations, as applicable. The construction documents shall be prepared by a registered design professional where required by the California Business and Code, where special circumstances exist, or where determined by the building official. A complete set of construction documents typically consists of the following mandatory items:

Cover Sheet

Shall clearly identify and itemize the full extent of the proposed scope of work under the associated Building permit application. Shall identify all associated work being done under separate permits on the subject parcel. Shall identify any associated permits proposed to be deferred during construction. A sheet index shall be provided, listing all sheets that are included in the plan set. Shall identify the square footages and occupancy group classification(s) and type(s) of construction of all existing, new, and altered building areas. Shall list all applicable codes. Shall identify and provide contact information of the responsible design professional(s) and all proposed consultants. Shall provide other relevant information necessary for a full review to be conducted, e.g. if the existing or proposed structure currently contains a fire sprinkler system, the fire hazard severity category of the parcel, relevant flood zone information, etc.

Conditions of Approval

For commercial projects and other applications where the proposed use requires a permit from the Planning Division, typically the conditions of approval are required to be included as part of the project plans.

Site Plan

Must comply with Minimum Standard Site Plan, see CSS-019 Minimum Standard Site Plan Requirements, depicting such things as property lines, north arrow, all existing and proposed buildings or structures, setbacks to property lines and creeks, driveways, lot dimensions, drainage features, contour lines, septic system and all associated components and expansion areas, well, existing and proposed underground utilities, fire safe standards requirements, etc.

Floor Plan

Show dimensions, use of each room, windows, doors, plumbing fixtures, electrical and mechanical features, including locations of electrical panels, furnaces, water heaters, and Title 24 lighting requirements. Multiple floor plans shall be provided for rooms or areas proposed to have multiple uses. Projects requiring accessible features shall identify and dimension accessible clearances and dimensions at all doors and other accessible elements. Sheets with nonresidential floor plans shall also provide appropriate justifying dimensions and tables, identifying and detailing an adequate means of egress is provided for all occupied spaces, and adequate plumbing facilities are provided for the intended occupant load.

Foundation Plan

Show dimensions, type of foundation, details of all footings (interior and exterior), porches, patios, garage slabs, straps, hold-downs, anchor bolts, retaining walls, stepped footing details, sub-grade preparation, adjacent slopes, and crawl space access and ventilation.

Elevations

Exterior views from each side (minimum of 4 sides) showing and identifying all exterior building materials, windows, doors, roof pitch, dimensions of existing and proposed height above adjacent grade of all existing and proposed building elements, venting of roof insulation, and setbacks to all slopes steeper than 5:1 (horizontal:vertical).

Framing Plan

Show all floors, ceilings, roofs, stairs, walls, decks and porches. Identify the size and spacing of all framing members, locate all hold-downs, connections and cross reference all applicable details. Identify and dimension all proposed shear walls, and other elements of the lateral force resisting system. Dimension heights of floors, ceilings and roofs from grade.

Cross Sections

At least one cross section in each direction through entire building from bottom of footing to top of roof structure. Identify all structural members and insulation. Include other sections as required for complex structures and special framing details.

Structural Details

Structural details of all foundation, floor, wall, and roof construction. Include connections, support of beams, diaphragm and shear wall construction, transfer of lateral forces (wind and seismic), foundation dimensions and reinforcement, and required subsurface drainage at foundations and retaining walls. Adequate details shall be provided to identify and demonstrate the transfer of forces (both lateral and vertical) at all connections from the roof diaphragm to the foundation-soil interface.

Signed Drawings

Plans must be signed by the responsible designer. All sheets must be sealed, signed, and dated by a licensed design professional (California licensed engineer or architect), where required by the California Business and Professions Code.

Accessibility

All plans with employee work areas or access by the public are required to identify and detail accessible dimensions, clearances, and elevations at applicable building areas and elements. These include, but are not limited to, accessible parking and loading zones, signage, accessible doors and maneuvering clearances, changes in level, connection to the public way, toilet rooms, drinking fountains and bottle filling stations, and separation from the vehicular way of the accessible route. Plans shall adequately detail existing accessible path(s) of travel and accessible serving proposed area(s) of alteration. When a building area is altered, upgrades must be undertaken to the path of travel serving the area of alteration until fully compliant. The extent of these accessible upgrades, if not providing full compliance, shall be justified on an Unreasonable Hardship Application, completed by the design professional and included with the application.

Other Items Which May Be Required

Title 24 Energy Code Documentation

All new construction, additions, and alterations that affect insulation, the space conditioning system, or amount of fenestration in a structure require associated California Energy code documentation to be uploaded with the application and included in the plan set. The energy documentation shall be prepared by a certified consultant and registered with an appropriate California Energy Commission approved agency.

Cal Green Checklist

All new structures, residential additions or alterations that increase conditioned volume, and nonresidential additions and alterations exceeding $200,000 in permit valuation shall upload an applicable CALGreen checklist, prepared by the responsible designer. The checklist and associated plan set shall be reviewed and verified by a Sonoma County approved CALGreen consultant to meet the minimum CALGreen requirements and incorporate all requirements into the associated plan set and supporting documents.

Engineering Calculations

All proposed structural elements, methods of construction, and connections shall be adequately justified with structural calculations demonstrating the demand on and capacity of all structural elements and connections. The exception being, specific prescriptive requirements for framing member span and loading, connections, or lateral bracing that may be adhered to without justifying structural calculations. All structural members and connections shall be designed and justified to resist the most intensive loading the elements is anticipated to experience during the proposed design life. All failure mechanisms shall be adequately justified in the engineering calculations, and this document shall be sealed, signed, and dated as required by the Professional Engineers Act and the Architects Practice Act Geotechnical Report.

A geotechnical report, prepared in accordance with Chapter 18 of the California Building Code, shall be uploaded for all projects with new or altered foundation elements unless specifically exempted by the building official due to knowledge of adequate subsurface material at the proposed foundation area. A virtual site review will be conducted to ascertain mapped soil conditions in the proposed foundation area(s) when a geotechnical report is not included with the original submittal documents. A plan review letter from the geotechnical engineer, verifying that all geotechnical recommendations have been adhered to in the project plans, details, and specifications, and onsite inspections of foundations excavations, fill placement and compaction, and installation of adequate subsurface drainage provisions may also be required by the geotechnical engineer of record.

Geotechnical Report

Two (2) signed and stamped sets are required for all new commercial structures, or if indicated in structural calculations, building plans, subdivision development plans or by site evaluation. A plan review letter from the geotechnical engineer, verifying that all geotechnical recommendations have been adhered to, may also be required.

Truss Calculations and Layout

When engineered trusses are used, the truss design and calculations shall be reviewed and approved by the design professional in responsible charge for compliance with the overall design.

Special Inspections

When special inspection is required by Chapter 17 of the California Building Code, the architect or engineer of record shall prepare an inspection program which shall be submitted to the building official for approval prior to issuance of the building permit. The Statement of Special Inspections shall identify all required testing and observations by third party inspection agencies, identify the Sonoma County approved third party agencies who will be performing these inspections, and confirm the responsible contractor is aware of the requirements of the Statement of Special Inspections.

Flood Zone Requirements

An elevation certificate prepared by a licensed surveyor is required if project is located within a special flood hazard area. Plans in applicable flood zones shall identify and detail flood resistant construction, as required. Applications for alterations to non-elevated nor flood protected structures within a flood zone shall include an applicable valuation summary, Form CNI-003 Substantial Improvement/Substantial Damage Valuation Summary for FEMA Compliance (PDF), demonstrating FEMA compliance.

Creek Setback

Required when adjacent to different types of waterways, including designated streams, streamside conservation areas, lakes, ponds reservoirs, and wetlands. Minimum setback distances from the top of the bank are typically two and half times the depth of the creek plus an additional thirty feet. See Form DRN-005 for specific technical information and guidance.

Grading Plans/Grading Permit

Required if project meets the criteria established by the current California Building Code. If Grading plans and details are included in the proposed Building Permit set, these shall be identified as “For Reference Only”, as they will be reviewed and approved under the separate Grading Permit application. All Building Permit applications which include any ground disturbance shall upload a completed Form GRD-002 Grading Permit Questionnaire (PDF), prior to acceptance and routing.

Photovoltaic System for New Dwellings

New dwellings require a photovoltaic system to be installed in conjunction with construction of the new dwelling unless exempted under the requirements of the California Energy Code. This photovoltaic system, including adequate plans and justifying documents, shall either be included within the plan set for the New Dwelling and included in the Building Permit application or submitted under a separate Building Permit application. If the photovoltaic system is applied for and reviewed under a separate Buidling Permit application, that application must be applied for concurrently with the permit for the dwelling.