To make an appointment with Planning and Building staff, please use the following link: No Wait Inside. Walk-ins are available Mondays and Fridays from 8:30 – 11:45 AM and are limited to 15-minutes each to accommodate as many people as possible.
To submit electronic Building Permit or Land Use Permit Applications, please visit the Permitting page.
Director of Planning & Building
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A Minor Use Permit is a discretionary permit, acted on by a hearing officer on behalf of the Director of Planning & Building, allowing a specific land use. Approval of a land use permit only entitles the use itself; separate permits may also be required for any construction or grading activities.
A pre-application meeting is intended to aid prospective applicants in understanding the required rules and regulations that apply to their project and to reveal potential problems. The goal of providing a pre-application meeting is to make the permitting process as efficient and understandable as possible. These meetings are typically optional. If the applicant chooses to utilize this process, there is a separate fee that must be paid prior the meeting.
Schedule a Pre-Application Meeting.
Complete a Land Use Permit Application Package.
Planning staff will email the billing contact an invoice. Pay invoice here*.
Once the invoice is paid, the project review timeline will begin.
Department of Planning & Building staff reviews the application for consistency with applicable land use regulations.
Staff schedules the application for a public hearing called a Planning Department Hearing.
During the public hearing, the hearing body considers the application and reaches a decision to either approve, conditionally approve, or deny the application.
Any person can appeal a decision to the Board of Supervisors. Projects located within the Coastal Zone can be appealed to (or by) the California Coastal Commission.
Depending on the conditions of approval, the applicant may be required to enter into one or more legal agreements.
The applicant may apply for a time extension to extend the approval date for one year. The maximum available time extensions are based on the land use entitlement type.
Approval of a land use permit only entitles the use itself. This approval includes conditions (such as requiring additional approvals from other agencies) and possible mitigation measures that the applicant must comply with. Because only the use is entitled with approval of a land use permit, any construction or grading is subject to separate permits.
Anyone can use this service.
Please refer to the Department of Planning & Building Fee Schedule for application fees.
This service is available throughout the year during regular business hours except during scheduled holidays.
Click on location name to show hours of operation, directions and phone information
Monday - Friday 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM
976 Osos Street Room 200 San Luis Obispo, CA 93408
Tel: (805) 781-5600
Permits/Inspections: (805) 788-6602
Fax: (805) 781-1242
The definitions of the various planning permits are provided on the Land Use Entitlements page.
Ultimately, the use proposed by a land use permit application must be consistent with applicable land use regulations, including but not limited to the County's General Plan, land use ordinances (inland or coastal), and any applicable area and community plans.
There are a number of issues you should consider when developing your project and preparing your application, including:
Land use regulations are important because they determine where particular uses can be allowed and what requirements must be met and procedures be completed before a particular use is allowed.