BUILDING DIVISION - When you are considering making property improvements, or if you are concerned about construction activity in your neighborhood, we recommend that you contact our Building Division staff to determine the Codes and other requirements that apply. New Building Construction such as additions, alteration, repair or demolition and occasional events such as movie filming, carnivals, circuses, amusement parks, etc.

At the public counter you can view records of previous permits. An information card for each property lists the types of permits issued. For projects currently under construction, we also keep copies of the approved plans and "job folders" containing public records.

We are often asked if the City maintains copies of building plans. Project plans are kept on file until the original construction is completed. Plans for commercial projects and large residential construction are also microfilmed and are stored for later viewing at our public counter. However, by State law we cannot make copies of plans or reports without the written permission of the owner and the person who prepared the plans. We advise you to contact the original architect, engineer or designer to obtain approval to copy plans.

Be sure and check the maps and computer information available at our City Hall counter. We have copies of geotechnical reports; specialized data on maps illustrating County Assessor parcels, flood zones, address numbers, abandoned oil wells, and so on. The Department has also prepared special memoranda to clarify and interpret code issues.

See APPLYING FOR PERMITS for the next step in building construction process.

CITY TREASURER - Fees from the various City Departments are paid at the Treasurer's window, City Hall Door 2. The License and Collections section, City Hall Door 1, monitors business licenses required for contractors, sub-contractors under their control or direction to have a current Redondo Beach business license prior to permitting them to begin work, obtain a "list of Sub-Contractors" form, and submit the completed form to the License Department 15 days prior to request for final inspection.

COMMUNITY SERVICE - See Financial Assistance

ENGINEERING DIVISION - This Division provides information, issue permits, establishes bonds and makes inspections for improvements, construction in the public way such as excavations in or under public right-of-way, or installation of pipes, curbs, sidewalks, storing of materials and private property in the public way, reviews drainage plans, traffic, etc.

FIRE DEPARTMENT - The Fire Department review plans for Fire and Building Codes items, such as fire sprinkler permits, the use of hazardous materials or handling of high flammable materials, large occupancy facilities, high rise buildings, oil well drilling, tents, fuel/chemical tanks, filming permit reviews and so on. The Fire Department then inspects the buildings for compliance. For more detailed information, contact the Fire Prevention Bureau.

PLANNING DIVISION - Regulations governing how a property can be used and the minimum zoning standards for development are supplied at the Planning Division. Contact the city planners for information regarding requirements for allowed uses, height restrictions, yards, lot coverage, density, parking, architectural treatments, historic preservation, processing of variances, conditional use permits, subdivisions, building within the Coastal Zones, etc. Any applications needing Planning Commission or Historical Commission approvals will be handled here.

POLICE DEPARTMENT - Permits to install burglar alarm systems in building are processed by the Crime Prevention Unit. Also filming permit review.

SCHOOL DISTRICT - California law allows school districts to assess fees when new buildings are built, and when additions to existing buildings are constructed. These fees are based on the square footage added. Prior to permit issuance, you or your representative must take a set of plans to the school district. Their staff will determine the school fees to be paid prior to permit issuance. If required, fee must be paid prior to permit issuance.

INFORMATION FROM OTHER SOURCES

COUNTY/STATE/FEDERAL AGENCIES

These agencies regulations supplement and sometimes supersede the City's. For information contact:

ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act)

This act sets guidelines for accessibility to places of public accommodation, multiple residential and commercial facilities by individuals with disabilities. These guidelines are to be applied during the design, construction, and alteration of such buildings and facilities to the extent required by regulations issued by Federal agencies, including the Department of Justice, under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 as well as existing ones.

Cal-OSHA - General information, excavation permits for vertical cuts over 5' and potentially hazardous conditions, installation of elevators and lifts 5' or more.

COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SERVICES (DHS)

Call the appropriate telephone number from the following list: permits for food establishments, restaurants, markets, warehouses, public pools, environmental health, management of radiation-producing equipment including medical office devices, contaminated soils site investigation.

COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT - Hazardous materials.

COUNTY RECORDER - The legal documents that give ownership to property sometimes have restrictions on what can be done with the land. Check your deed and title report for any building restrictions. Some of the types of restrictions you might find in your deed and/or title search are: easements (strip(s) of land within your parcel that you cannot built over without permission of the easements holder, such as a utility company), public rights-of way: or mortgage or tenant rights of approval. Fortunately, most remodel projects do not conflict with deed restrictions. However, remember that deed restrictions must be considered even if the City is not authorized to enforce them.

L.A. COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS, WASTE MANAGEMENT DIVISION - Soil contamination, underground tanks.

COUNTY TAX ASSESSOR - People express concern to our staff about the potential effect of improving their property on their property taxes. You should contact the Assessor's Office for policies regarding improvements to property and how it will affect your taxes.

OFFICE OF STATE ARCHITECT - The office of the State Architect/Access Compliance Section has staff available to respond to questions regarding the access regulations, either through the hotline or by correspondence (see resource guide). Also, the State Architect's Office regulates the construction of some essential facilities such as public schools, hospitals, etc.

HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT - If you are considering construction a new multi-unit residential building, apartment buildings (3 or more units), condominium buildings (4 or more units), hotel, motel, lodging houses, factory built housing, be aware that State disabled access requirements may apply. Contact HCD for copies of requirements.

SOUTH COAST AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT DISTRICT - Notifying, reporting, removing, handling, labeling, storing and disposing of asbestos containing material; permits for uses releasing various airborne materials - see City questionnaire.

STATE DIVISION OF OIL AND GAS - A limited number of private parcels in the City are currently or have been oil well drilling sites, including sites designated for residential use. On lots with wells, State review of the condition of the well is required prior to City building permit. Application information is available from the Building Division.

STATE CONTRACTOR'S LICENSE BOARD - Most construction permits are obtained by licensed contractors. You may contact the License Board to obtain names of local contractors and their current status. Contractors must bring their "pocket licenses" to the Building Division as proof of registration.

CALTRANS may require improvements or widening along State Highways such as Artesia Boulevard, Hawthorne Boulevard, and Pacific Coast Highway.

CONTACTING LOCAL UTILITIES

Below are the entities to contact to arrange for the locating, identifying, marking, and rerouting of existing utility lines and easements, as well as installation of new ones.

TIME WARNER CABLE COMPANY - For cable hook-up location, information on proper cable materials.

CALIFORNIA WATER SERVICE - Contact their commercial office to sign up for temporary construction site water from hydrants, new and resized meters, routing of lines; for repairs and emergencies.

COUNTY SANITATION DISTRICT - The County charges connection fees for increased sewer demand (for example, constructing a new building or changing a building to a more intensive use such as retail to a Laundromat). We have fee schedules and maps to their office.

DIG-ALERT - Will identify underground utilities in your project area. By the California Government Code, a "Dig-Alert" I.D. number must be issued before a Permit to Excavate is valid.

Frontier (Home telephone service)
To arrange for a field engineer to locate connection point

PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT - For sewer connection.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON - to contact planner for meter spotting, checking clearance to power lines, construction in easements, "Action Line" for energy saving measures, rebate programs.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA GAS COMPANY- add meter, service line removal, marketing.

ATHENS SERVICES - waste disposal, recycling program.

SELECTING DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION PROFESSIONALS

First step, after you decide on improving your property, we advise that you contact a design professional such as an architect or an engineer to assist you with the proper design and plans that meet your needs and yet comply with City, State and Federal laws. Then, with or without the help of your design professional, organize your construction project by making a list of all work necessary, and decide who will do the work. Think in terms of the trades involved: carpentry, masonry, electrical work, plumbing, painting, metal work, tiling, plasterwork, insulating, foundation work, etc.

Owners who obtain construction permits must perform the work in a safe and professional manner, and must provide worker's compensation insurance for relatives and others working on the project. When you do not act as owner-contractor, the contractor must be State licensed, have a valid City business license, current certificate of worker's compensation, have obtained the appropriate permits, and have signed a contract for all desired work.

Listed in the Resource Guide are telephone numbers of agencies who register and monitor these professionals, including the Department of Consumer Affairs, the Board of Architectural Examiners, State Contractor's License Board, and the California Board of Registration for Engineers and Land Surveyors.

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

Rebate programs for repairs and upgrades of both residential and commercial properties are sometimes available (for example, water-conserving plumbing fixtures, and energy conserving construction and appliances). Check for notifications at the public counter and contact the utilities listed in the Resource Guide. Financial assistance is available in some cases to repair homes through the Community Services Department, Housing Rehabilitation Section.

Before you try to "cost out" the job in real dollars and apply for a loan, we suggest you check it against our local building code requirements.

When shopping for a loan compare credit units, savings and loan associations, commercial banks, and finance companies.

ADOPTED BUILDING CODES, CITY AMENDMENTS AND INTERPRETATIONS

Most state Building Codes which are mandated to be adopted locally by the City Council are revised and published on three-year cycles. These codes undergo an ever-changing process in order to accommodate new technologies and materials, respond to new researches and studies, react to natural phenomenon's and disasters or simply improve on current code requirements.

Current adopted codes are as follows:
2013 California Building Code
2013 California Plumbing Code
2013 California Mechanical Code
2013 California Electrical Code
2013 California Energy Code
2013 California Fire Code
2013 California CALGREEN Code

REDONDO BEACH MUNICIPAL CODE PROVISIONS

Redondo Beach has enacted laws known as Municipal Ordinances dealing with specialized building construction requirements. The Ordinances are available online under the Redondo Beach Municipal Code.