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Board asks staff to clarify demolition definition, proposes 75% surface-area threshold and exterior-wall inclusion
Summary
Board members debated a draft demolition scope intended to distinguish demolition from remodels, discussed measuring 75% of surface area including exterior walls, and asked staff to return with a concise, easy-to-apply definition modeled after other jurisdictions.
City staff presented draft language to clarify when a project requires a demolition permit versus when it should be treated as a remodel or deconstruction. The proposed approach would make a project a demolition if it removes 75% or more of the structure’s surface area — a calculation that would include vertical exterior wall surface area as well as floor area. The board discussed multiple examples, including projects that remove all interior finishes but leave the slab and foundation, and noted how current practice sometimes classifies those projects as remodels.
Staff said the intent is to close a loophole when a single remaining wall has been used to treat a near-complete teardown as a remodel. Board members and staff discussed execution details: whether to count roof area or to measure only exterior wall surface and floor area, how to handle foundations or houses lifted for new foundations, and whether to present the rule as a percentage of combined vertical and horizontal surface area. Several members recommended putting a concise definition in the administrative chapter (Chapter 5) or using a short bullet list that is easy for applicants and staff to apply.
Board members asked staff to research other jurisdictions’ demolition-language and return with clearer wording. Staff agreed to draft a revised scope (examples discussed included requiring 75% plus a vertical exterior-wall threshold or a simple threshold based on combined surface area) and bring it back for review.
Why it matters: The clarification would determine when projects require the demolition-permit process (including notices and utility coordination) and when they may proceed under a remodel/deconstruction path. That distinction affects notification timelines, asbestos review steps and permit sequencing for both commercial projects and historic-area work.
