Development Review Process

The City of San Diego's coordinated development review process: Customer service is our top priority

Development Services is responsible for managing the majority of the construction and development project review services for the City of San Diego. The Development Services Department draws its functions from the building inspection, engineering, fire, planning, zoning and water/sewer specialties.

The major functions of building plan check and inspection, development and environmental planning, and subdivision review have been centralized to provide greater coordination and management of the development process.

These services (with the exception of field inspection) are under one roof in the Development Review Center (formerly the City Operations Building) located at 1222 First Avenue in downtown San Diego.

Development Services Department

Economic Development

Public Works

Neighborhood Code Compliance

Project Management

Community Service Centers

Need help navigating the development process? See Development Process: Step-by-Step for more details.

Need a speaker? A representative of the City of San Diego's Development Services Department would be happy to speak to your group. Call (619) 446-5446 to schedule.

Have a comment or question? E-mail us at dsdweb@sandiego.gov.

Development Services

Development Services Department handles construction and development review from long-range planning, to development review, to inspection.

This includes the review of subdivision maps and public improvement and grading plans; compliance with land use regulations, community plans and environmental statutes; and review of construction plans and inspection of construction projects. This includes review for transportation, park and recreation, and water/sewer elements. The department is responsible for managing the land development process from concept to completion.

The following summarizes the construction and development processing responsibilities and services provided by Development Services:

Construction code plan review, construction field inspection, construction permits, development and environmental plan review, development and permit information, engineering and building records, engineering services environmental permits, facilities financing fire code plan check, grading permits hazardous materials plan check and inspection, long range planning, mobile home permits and inspection, Multiple Species Conservation Program, sign permits, subdivision review, traffic control permits, zoning and more.

Economic Development

The City's Economic Development and Community Services Department is responsible for business development and assistance. This includes business advocacy, development and assistance.

Public Works

Public Works provides many of the services of the former General Services and Engineering and Capital Projects Departments, such as the maintenance and operation of streets and their traffic flow as well as the design and construction of capital improvement projects. The Engineering and Capital Projects Department is responsible for public right-of-way improvements, floodplain management, traffic engineering and the city's capital improvements program.

Neighborhood Code Compliance

Neighborhood Code Compliance staff enforces construction and zoning codes on existing structures.

Project Management

Project managers are the heart of the City of San Diego's new system for processing construction and development projects. Project Managers make the City's development review process seamless to the customer. Each project requiring environmental or land development review has a project manager, who coordinates preliminary review among the various disciplines, and sets processing times.

In addition, project managers use innovative computer mapping and other technology to reduce processing times and make information more accessible to customers. Call (619) 446-5210 for more information on project management.

Community Service Centers

Some Development Services services are available at San Diego's Community Service Centers. For information, visit your local center or call (619) 446-5000.