2016 CALIFORNIA BUILDING STANDARDS CODE ADOPTION

The 2016 California Building Standards Code will become effective statewide on January 1, 2017. On November 17, 2016 the Sonoma City Council adopted an ordinance amending the 2016 California Building Standards Code (need link to "executed Adopted Ordinance Adopting and Amending the 2016 Building Standards pdf).

STREAMLINED BUILDING PERMIT PROCESSING NOW OFFERED FOR QUALIFYING RESIDENTIAL AND NONRESIDENTIAL ALTERATION AND TENANT IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS

In 2013, the City of Sonoma Building Department offered a new "FAST START" plan checking program to help new and remodeled businesses open their doors for business quicker. FAST START Plan Check is now available to residential alteration projects as well. FAST START is a plan check process that shortens the building permit processing time for existing buildings undergoing alteration or tenant improvement projects. Projects qualifying for FAST START Plan Check at the time of initial building permit application go to the front of the plan check line.

FAST START Plan Check benefits homeowners and businesses needing building permits for their alteration or tenant improvement project by significantly speeding up the initial building permit plan review for their project. It also helps everyone involved in the project through the use of high quality plans and specifications by which to perform the work. The program is completely optional and there are no additional fees to applicants utilizing the program.

To be eligible for FAST START Plan Check, building permit applicants must hire licensed design professionals and approved consultants to prepare plans and specifications for their project and must qualify for the program by having their architect successfully complete a FAST START Plan Check - Eligibility Checklist. The FAST START Plan Check program only applies to the initial building permit plan review for qualifying submittals for existing Residential and nonresidential buildings. Subsequent plan reviews will be checked in accordance with normal Building Department plan check protocols and time lines.

BASIC PLAN NOTES FOR ONE- & TWO-FAMILY DWELLINGS
The Building Department has created a set of basic plan notes that can be used by those preparing new, addition or alteration plans for one- and two-family dwellings. Click here for the MS Word version or click here for the PDF version. [Updated to 2016 Codes]