Bay Area: Developing Updates
Posted by Nicholas Pounder
We recognize the trust you place in Burnham Nationwide for help navigating through complex municipal processes. Our goal, as always, is to continue communicating with city officials online, via email and by phone and provide you with updates on any city implementation that may take place in the coming weeks.
Bay Area Updates 4.07.20
Bay Area Updates 3.25.20
- In response to Santa Clara County's Public Health mandatory order issued March 16, City of San Jose City Hall, the Permit Center, and Development Services Offices are closed to public visitation until further notice.
- City of Oakland Planning and Building counters will now be closed to the public.
- You may still submit certain types of applications online, provide plans, and ask questions using our online services and resources.
Bay Area Updates 3.19.20
- Monday, March 16, six Bay Area counties, San Francisco, Santa Clara, San Mateo, Marin, Contra Costa and Alameda, announced a “shelter in place” order for all residents.
- The counties are directing everyone to stay inside their homes and away from others as much as possible until Tuesday, April 7.
- Beginning Tuesday, March 17, San Francisco Department of Building Inspection and San Jose's Planning and Building Divisions will be closed to the public, with the exception of email communications, for three weeks minimum. Inspection services are the only services ongoing at this time.
For existing projects and appointments, please expect to hear from the assigned staff regarding rescheduling and alternative solutions.
Please contact Burnham with any questions; we will be here throughout these unprecedented times to answer any questions you may have.
We will come out of this stronger than ever, together.
Are San Jose City Hall and Development Services Offices still closed to the public, as described in this post?
No - the order issued by San Francisco, Santa Clara, San Mateo, Marin, Contra Costa, and Alameda counties had a defined initial end date (April 7, 2020), and the broader emergency shelter-in-place framework has long since concluded across all six counties.
Is the Bay Area "shelter in place" order from March 2020 still in effect?
No - the order issued by San Francisco, Santa Clara, San Mateo, Marin, Contra Costa, and Alameda counties had a defined initial end date (April 7, 2020), and the broader emergency shelter-in-place framework has long since concluded across all six counties.
Was SF DBI closed to the public during this period, as mentioned in this post?
Yes - this is accurately reflected in the post, and it was the precursor to the operational shifts covered in more depth in this blog's "SFDBI Reverts Back to In-Person Submittals" and "San Francisco DBI Announces OTC Plan Review Expansion" posts. SF DBI has long since returned to standard in-person and electronic service options.
Was SF DBI closed to the public during this period, as mentioned in this post?
Yes - this is accurately reflected in the post, and it was the precursor to the operational shifts covered in more depth in this blog's "SFDBI Reverts Back to In-Person Submittals" and "San Francisco DBI Announces OTC Plan Review Expansion" posts. SF DBI has long since returned to standard in-person and electronic service options.
Were inspections the only ongoing service during this Bay Area closure period?
Yes, as described, though that limitation was specific to the initial three-week closure window in March 2020 and doesn't reflect current SF DBI or San Jose operations, which offer the full range of standard plan review, permitting, and inspection services today.
Where can I find current operating status for Bay Area building departments instead of this 2020 snapshot?
SF DBI and San Jose's Planning and Building Divisions both maintain current websites reflecting standard operations, this blog's other SF-specific posts (on OTC plan review and submittal processes) reflect their current, non-pandemic procedures far more accurately than this 2020 snapshot.
