Santa Monica approves self-certification pilot to speed certain commercial permits

The Santa Monica City Council approved a self-certification pilot program intended to shorten permit turnaround for select commercial nonstructural tenant improvements.

Staff described Phase 1 as limited to commercial nonstructural tenant improvements and certain temporary structures used for events, with two later phases tentatively planned for detached ADUs and single-family dwellings. Under the proposal, a licensed architect or engineer would serve as the project lead and assume primary responsibility for plan compliance; a Certified Access Specialist (CASp) would verify accessibility where required. Staff told council inspections would remain in place and that the city will retain audit and enforcement tools including a three-strike disqualification policy.

During public comment, local architects, business owners and development advocates said the program would ease plan-check bottlenecks. Council members questioned the program’s prequalification threshold — staff had proposed that a participating lead have completed three similar permits in Santa Monica within the prior 15 years — and liability/insurance implications. Building official Sia Fulsavayan and other staff said additional liability insurance is commonly required in comparable programs and that LA County public-health approvals would still be needed for restaurant projects.

Council directed staff to allow building-code-only self-certification for restaurant tenant improvements (coupled with health department approvals), to consider lowering prequalification thresholds and to report back with program metrics on a regular schedule. The council approved the staff recommendation with these directions.