Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Santa Monica council approves self‑certification pilot to speed permits, with safeguards
Summary
Council approved a three‑phase pilot to let qualified licensed professionals 'self‑certify' certain permits (Phase 1: commercial non‑structural tenant improvements) to shorten plan‑check times; the program includes prequalification, auditing, a three‑strike rule and exclusions for higher‑risk uses.
The Santa Monica City Council on Dec. 16 unanimously approved a staff‑recommended pilot that lets prequalified licensed professionals submit plans and assume responsibility for code compliance in exchange for expedited permitting.
Planning staff presented a three‑phase program that begins with Phase 1 — commercial non‑structural tenant improvements — a high‑volume category that makes up roughly 30% of plan checks. Staff described how a licensed architect or engineer would serve as the project lead and attest to code compliance; Certified Access Specialists (CASp) and other licensed consultants…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
