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County extends contract with 4 Leaf for plan-check and code enforcement overflow work
Summary
Supervisors approved a contract amendment to continue using 4 Leaf as a consultant for plan-check, inspections and code-enforcement overflow through June 30, 2026; staff said plan-check fees reimburse most of the work and the county will examine in-house staffing as part of budget conversations.
The San Benito County Board of Supervisors voted March 25 to approve a contract amendment with 4 Leaf to continue providing plan-check, building inspections and code-enforcement overflow services through June 30, 2026.
What the contract covers: Building-department staff described the contract as an on-call augmentation of county staff for plan review, inspections and code-enforcement work when county staffing levels or workloads exceed in-house capacity. The contract was originally established in 2021 as a pool of qualified consultants available to the county; the current amendment covers an increased not-to-exceed amount the department said was required to pay consultants who perform plan checks and inspections.
How payment works: County staff explained that plan-check fees paid by applicants fund most plan-review work and that a portion of a plan-check fee is remitted to 4 Leaf when 4 Leaf performs a review. "The contract indicates that 65% -- not of the whole permit, but of the actual plan-check fee -- gets paid to 4 Leaf if they are involved in the plan-check review," one staff presenter said.
Board concerns and response: Supervisor Currow said she had received complaints from applicants and other development-industry representatives about 4 Leaf's responsiveness and work quality and asked whether the county intended to re-bid or consider in-house hiring. Building-department staff said they plan to continue monitoring performance, include a periodic go-to-bid process and examine staffing levels as part of upcoming budget discussions.
Vote: The board approved the contract amendment by unanimous roll call (5-0).
What to watch for next: Staff said they will monitor contractor performance, return to the board if additional amendments are needed and include options for in-house staffing and competitive bids in budget discussions.
Note: Staff said most plan-check costs are charged back to permit applicants; the amendment preserves the county's ability to meet statutory plan-review timelines when staffing shortfalls occur.
