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Council questions ADU and permit-streamlining changes as private plan checkers expand
Summary
Council members pressed staff on how new state rules — 15-day completeness checks, a 60‑day permit clock and allowance for private plan checkers — will affect local review standards and safety oversight in Norco.
Council members used the legislative update to probe how several bills will alter ADU permitting and oversight.
The city attorney summarized the new ADU rules: applicants must receive a completeness determination within 15 days and the city then has 60 days to make a permit decision once an application is complete. "So, it's from the complete application...The 60 days from the complete," the attorney said, stressing the clock runs from an applicant's complete submission.
Council members raised practical concerns about applicant-hired plan checkers and the quality of plans. One council member warned of inadequate submitted plans and asked whether the city could refuse permits for poor documentation: "I've seen plans...there's nothing on it. What's gonna hold the roof up?" the council member said, expressing worry that an engineer's stamp could allow deficient plans to pass through.
Staff responded that applicants would still provide engineer stamps and the city would retain responsibility to issue permits and perform QA/QC plan checks. "We still issue the permit, and we won't do that until we like the plans," a staff member said, adding that engineers often appreciate the city's additional review because it catches errors.
The council did not take formal action but directed staff to monitor implementation and report back with recommended local procedures to preserve safety and clarity around completeness determinations.
