Commission approves code change letting DBI use multiple data sources for permit valuations

Kirk Means of DBI Technical Services told the Commission on Dec. 17 that the department seeks a code amendment to allow the building official to reference "various data sources" when publishing the cost schedule for permit valuations. Means said San Francisco requires flexibility because specialized items — tower cranes, seismic upgrades and remodeling work — are not always covered uniformly in a single national valuation source.

"The code change would allow us to continue to gather information from authorized sources that help us put together these costs to help the general public come up with the valuations that their permit fees are charged based on," Means said. He described the cost schedule as a benchmark that ensures consistent fee calculations across similar projects even when exact costs vary.

Commissioner Walker moved to amend Building Code section 107A.0.2 to refer to multiple data sources for the cost schedule; the motion was seconded and passed on a unanimous roll‑call vote.

What happens next: DBI will draft the ordinance language and proceed with the normal legislative/administrative process to update the code and the published cost schedule used to compute permit fees.