Planning & Building

Permit Types

Agricultural Preserve - A request to enter into a contract with the county to retain a property in agricultural uses, and have the land reassessed on the basis of the agricultural income producing capability of the land.  This assures the landowners that property valuations and taxes will remain at generally lower levels. 

Business License Clearance  - A staff-level review to verify that a new business and the building in which it will be located are in compliance with land use regulations. 

Certificate of Compliance - A process through which the county records a document to establish a legal record officially recognizing a lot as legal in compliance with the State Subdivision Map Act and County Real Property Division Ordinance.  A conditional  certificate of compliance establishes a legal record when the property was not created in compliance with the Subdivision Map Act and county ordinances.   A Certificate of Compliance application is acted on by staff.  A Conditional Certificate of Compliance application is acted on by the Subdivision Review Board. 

Coastal Development Permit - A Plot Plan, Minor Use Permit or Development Plan permit for development within the Coastal Zone. 

Conditional Use Permit (Development Plan) - A discretionary permit, acted on by the Planning Commission, allowing a specific land use. 

Condo (new or conversion) -The process of dividing real property into “airspace” or “postage-stamp” lots for the purposes of sale, lease or financing.  State law requires both approval and recordation of a map showing the division before the new parcel can legally be sold, leased; or financed. 

Construction Permit (Building or Grading Permit) -   A permit required to construct, erect, enlarge, alter, repair, move, improve, convert, or demolish any building or structure, unless exempted by the county Building and Construction Ordinance (Title 19) or the Uniform Building Code (UBC). 

Curb, Gutter and Sidewalk Waiver - A request to waive the requirement for construction of curb, gutter and sidewalk, acted on by County Planning and County Engineering staff. 

Development Plan (Conditional Use Permit) - A discretionary permit, acted on by the Planning Commission, allowing a specific land use. 

Discretionary Permit - Any permit requiring a decision-making body to exercise judgement prior to its approval.  Depending on the specifics of a given application and its accompanying circumstances, discretionary permits may be approved, conditionally approved, or denied. 

Emergency Permit - Authorization granted by the Planning Director, allowing a property owner to perform emergency work associated with a sudden, unexpected occurrence demanding immediate action to prevent or mitigate loss or damage to life, health, property or essential public services.  The property owner must apply for and receive required land use permits and construction permits within 30 days of receiving the emergency permit. 

General Plan Amendment - An application subject to review by the Planning Commission and approval by the Board of Supervisors, that amends the county's general plan.  An amendment can change the land use category (zoning) on a parcel, change standards that apply to a parcel contained in an Area Plan of the Land Use Element, or change the text of any adopted general plan element. 

General Plan Amendment with Update - An amendment of the general plan that is processed concurrently with, and incorporated into, an update of an area plan of the Land Use Element of the general plan. 

Grading Permit - A Plot Plan/Construction Permit required for any excavation, fill, or other earthwork, unless the project is exempted by the Land Use Ordinance. 

Lot Line Adjustment - A discretionary application that alters the property lines between four or fewer existing adjoining parcels, taking land from one parcel and adding it to an adjacent parcel without increasing the number of parcels.  A lot line adjustment is acted on by either the Hearing Officer or the Subdivision Review Board.  

Ministerial Permit - Any type of permit for which the staff needs to determine only conformity with applicable ordinances before approving the project (opposite of a discretionary permit). 

Minor Use Permit -A discretionary permit, acted on by the Hearing Officer (Zoning Administrator), allowing a specific land use. 

Parcel Map - The process of dividing real property into 4 or fewer lots for the purposes of sale, lease or financing (including condominiums).  State law requires approval and recordation of a map showing the division before sale, lease or financing of a new parcel can legally occur.  Parcel maps are acted on by the Subdivision Review Board. 

Plot Plan - A ministerial permit, acted on by staff, allowing a specific land use. 

Public Lot -  A process through which land conveyed to or from a governmental agency, public entity, public utility, or a subsidiary of a public utility, is reviewed and exempted from the filing of a parcel or final map. 

Receiving Site (TDC) - A site that meets the receiving site criteria in the Land Use Ordinance.  Transfer of Development Credits can be transferred to receiving sites, which receive a density bonus as an incentive to participate in the Transfer of Development Credit program. 

Reversion to Acreage - A process which joins multiple lots into a single parcel through the recordation of a map approved by either the Subdivision Review Board or the Planning Commission. 

Road Abandonment - A formal request to abandon the right-of-way adjacent to a lot, thus incorporating that right-of-way into that lot.  This is processed by both the County Public Works and Planning Departments, and the decision is made by the Board of Supervisors. 

Road Naming - An application acted on by the Hearing Officer (Zoning Administrator) to name or rename roads and access easements in the county not associated with a parcel or tract map. 

Sending Site (TDC) - A site that meets the sending site criteria in the Land Use Ordinance.  Development credits from a sending site are transferred to a receiving site in exchange for compensation to the landowner as part of the Transfer of Development Credit (TDC) program. 

Site Plan -  A ministerial permit, acted on by staff, allowing a specific land use. 

Specific Plan - A plan, reviewed by the Planning Commission and approved by the Board of Supervisors, specifying a systematic implementation of the general plan for a specifically defined area. 

Surface Mining/Reclamation Plan – A discretionary permit, acted on by Planning Commission, allowing the mining of surface materials from a site and requiring the reclamation of the site after the mining is completed. 

Tract Map -The process of dividing real property into 5 or more lots for the purposes of sale, lease or financing (including condominiums).  State law requires approval and recordation of a map showing the division before sale, lease or financing of a new parcel can legally occur.  Tract maps are acted on by the Planning Commission. 

Tree Removal Permit - A permit, acted on by staff, that is required for the removal and replacement of trees within certain areas of the county under certain circumstances. 

Variance - A discretionary permit to modify requirements of the Land Use Ordinance or the standards in the Area Plans of the Land Use Element.   A variance cannot reduce the minimum parcel size or authorize uses that are not allowed by Table 2-2 of the Land Use Ordinance or Table O of the Coastal Zone Land Use Element. 

Voluntary Merger - A process that legally merges two adjoining legal lots into a single legal lot.   An application to merge two or more contiguous parcels under common ownership acted on by staff. 

Zoning Clearance - A ministerial permit processed and approved as part of the construction permit or business license clearance.