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Your suggestions for post-wildfire demo and rebuild permits

We are rather fortunate in Florida because we have a strong building code officials association for the state. We have systems in place to provide volunteer service and assistance to other municipalities because of the frequency of hurricanes that devastate areas and overwhelmed building departments. this is from Permit technicians right through inspectors and plans examiners. Expediting permits is the priority yet the importance of strict code regulation where it’s important is what applies. If someone doesn’t give you a good set of electrical drawings, that’s not so big because you’re gonna do the inspection anyway. But structurally everything has to be the way it’s supposed to be. so there’s a little forgiveness, with roofing permits and everything else but it’s based on expediting them and not picking people although all of the codes still apply. So whether it gets inspected in the field or in planner review for the regular trades, it’s about working with the community.
 
OK, here's the specifics from the Mayor of LA on how they will simplify and "grandfather" existing buildings for reconstruction:
https://mayor.lacity.gov/news/mayor...-clear-way-angelenos-rebuild-their-homes-fast

This caught my eye:
10. Self Certification: The Department of Building and Safety shall report back within 15 days on what permit review(s) could potentially be undertaken as a self-certification procedure by a licensed project architect, for Eligible Projects that are limited to the reconstruction of a single-family residential structure.​
As an architect I find this encouraging; would you agree with this kind of approach in your city if you were facing a recovery of this magnitude?
 
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I would not agree with using the architects that we have around my area. They may get the framing and foundation right but usually don't know anything about electric, or plumbing and get the snow loads and accessibility wrong all the time.
 
Yikes said:
This caught my eye:
10. Self Certification: The Department of Building and Safety shall report back within 15 days on what permit review(s) could potentially be undertaken as a self-certification procedure by a licensed project architect, for Eligible Projects that are limited to the reconstruction of a single-family residential structure.​
As an architect I find this encouraging; would you agree with this kind of approach in your city if you were facing a recovery of this magnitude?
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As an architect, this scares the hell out of me. Any architect who is considering this should check with their professional liability insurance carrier to see if this service is covered. My guess is that it's not.

Professional liability insurance coverage is based on the ordinary standard of care for design professionals, which is generally viewed by the insurance companies as being the scope of services encompassed by the standard AIA or engineers' society standard contract documents. The standard scope of services is based on having your construction documents reviewed and approved by an AHJ. I can't imagine that a liability insurer would want to insure the additional liability of self-certifying that your work complies with code in all respects, with NO review by an AHJ.

Also: Is this addressing plan reviews, or does this also mean that architects can perform construction inspections? It says "permit reviews" -- does that include inspections?
 
Yankee Chronicler said:
Also: Is this addressing plan reviews, or does this also mean that architects can perform construction inspections? It says "permit reviews" -- does that include inspections?
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This was my question as well.

As an AHJ, I don't think I would have too much issue with allowing RDPs to self-certify SFDs in this situation, but plans still need dropped off (randomly do plan reviews). Same on inspections. RDPs can do it, but inspectors might do random spot checks.
 
Yankee Chronicler said:
As an architect, this scares the hell out of me. Any architect who is considering this should check with their professional liability insurance carrier to see if this service is covered. My guess is that it's not.

Professional liability insurance coverage is based on the ordinary standard of care for design professionals, which is generally viewed by the insurance companies as being the scope of services encompassed by the standard AIA or engineers' society standard contract documents. The standard scope of services is based on having your construction documents reviewed and approved by an AHJ. I can't imagine that a liability insurer would want to insure the additional liability of self-certifying that your work complies with code in all respects, with NO review by an AHJ.

Also: Is this addressing plan reviews, or does this also mean that architects can perform construction inspections? It says "permit reviews" -- does that include inspections?
Click to expand...
I thought we had some statute that relieves some designers of liability in disaster situations…Too vacationy to find it right now…
 
steveray said:
I thought we had some statute that relieves some designers of liability in disaster situations…Too vacationy to find it right now…
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Some sort of good Samaritan law? It's possible. I don't know if all states have such a law. My comment might not apply if a jurisdiction (California, in this case) has such a law in effect.
 
In my area the contractors tell me they could build at least twice as many houses if they could hire more workers. Since they cannot get more workers us inspectors can always keep up with them. I don't know if this is the same situation on LA.
 
Found it:

Sec. 20-298c. Liability of architect who voluntary assists public safety official in evaluating safety elements of built environment in aftermath of major disaster or emergency. (a) As used in this section:

(1) “Built environment” means a human-made environment, including: (A) Homes, (B) buildings, (C) streets, (D) sidewalks, (E) parks, and (F) transportation, energy and other infrastructure; and

(2) “Public safety official” means:

(A) A state or municipal police officer or firefighter;

(B) A building official or assistant building official appointed under sections 29-260 and 29-261, or the State Building Inspector appointed under section 29-252, or such inspector's designee;

(C) A member of a community emergency response team that is activated by the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, a local emergency preparedness official or a municipal police agency;

(D) An official from the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection; or

(E) An official from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

(b) Any architect licensed pursuant to chapter 390 who, at the request of, under the direction of or in connection with a public safety official, voluntarily and without compensation, acts in good faith to assist such official evaluating the safety of elements of a built environment in the aftermath of a major disaster or emergency, as those terms are defined in section 28-1, shall:

(1) Be held to the same standard of care applicable to a public safety official who would have performed an evaluation of the safety elements of a built environment, if not for the major disaster or emergency, and

(2) Be subject to civil liability only upon a finding that the architect failed to act as a reasonably prudent public safety official, as applicable to the circumstances, would have acted under the same or similar circumstances.

(c) The provisions of subsection (b) of this section shall exclusively apply to acts or omissions by an architect that occur during the time period that a declaration of a civil preparedness emergency pursuant to section 28-9 is effective or for sixty days after the issuance of such declaration, whichever is longer.
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Pay particular attention to paragraph (b), which applies only if the architect is working voluntarily and without compensation, and if he/she is working under the direction of a building official (or other "public safety official").
 

https://up.codes/viewer/los-angeles...e-2022/chapter/3/building-planning#R301.1.3.2​

Los Angeles County Residential Code 2022​

R301.1.3.2 Woodframe Structures​

The Building Official shall require construction documents to be approved and stamped by a California licensed architect or engineer for all dwellings of woodframe construction more than two stories and basement in height located in Seismic Design Category A, B, or C. Notwithstanding other sections of law, the law establishing these provisions is found in Business and Professions Code Sections 5537 and 6737.1.
The Building Official shall require construction documents to be approved and stamped by a California licensed architect or engineer for all dwellings of woodframe construction more than one story in height or with a basement located in Seismic Design Category D 0 , D 1 , or D 2 or E.
 
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