This division investigates and enforces code violations related to land use, development regulations, building and housing codes, abandoned properties, disabled access and noise regulations. It works in partnership with the people of San Diego to promote and maintain a safe and desirable living and working environment; improve the quality of San Diego's neighborhoods through education, enforcement and abatement; respond to community concerns and attain code compliance while maintaining high professional standards and continually seeking improvements and innovations.

This division is comprised of building project plan review and inspection sections.

• The plan review section reviews proposed construction projects for compliance with the adopted City and State codes and standards, including accessibility, electrical, fire protection systems, hazardous materials, life safety, mechanical, noise, plumbing, smoke control,  structural and sustainability.
• The inspection section inspects construction projects on private property for compliance with the adopted City and State codes and standards, including accessibility, electrical, fire protection systems, hazardous materials, life safety, mechanical, plumbing, smoke control, structural, sustainability and construction stormwater best management practices. It also provides inspection of the Utilities Undergrounding Program and issues permits, and inspects mobile home parks.

This division provides overall administrative support to the department, the public and other City departments. Its core responsibilities include fiscal and procurement support, grant management, human resources, payroll, accounting and cashier services. The division is also responsible for maintaining records of construction plans and permits on City property dating back to 1955.

The division is also responsible for leading process improvement initiatives that help optimize service delivery and modernize and manage DSD's information and data services. The division serves as the technology liaison between DSD, the Department of Information Technology, other City departments and City information technology vendors. Working with these sources, it implements, monitors and manages automation solutions for the department's daily business needs.

The division comprises 10 sections that review discretionary and ministerial review projects. These sections are engineering review, transportation review, drainage and grades, traffic safety, water and sewer, stormwater, geology, mapping (including addressing and street naming), permitting and project management. The division's primary function is to review permitting, engineering and mapping-related approvals at both the discretionary and ministerial levels for compliance with federal, state and local regulations. The division also provides utility permitting and stormwater compliance oversight.

The division works within the public right of way to ensure conformance with City, state and federal regulations regarding traffic flow, pedestrian access, street lights, and traffic signals. It also administers and issues traffic control plans/permits. The division also reviews mapping projects, building, grading, and public improvement plans, Over-The-Counter permits, traffic control plans, reports and other approval types for compliance with:

• Geologic and geotechnical regulations and standards of the California Building Code.
• The Land Development Code, and the State of California. This discipline reviews any required geotechnical reports.
• The Land Development Manual: Landscape Standard and Landscape Regulations.
• Previously approved discretionary land use permits and/or tentative maps, public right of way vacations and easement abandonments.
• Mapping actions (parcel maps, final maps, dedication drawings, easement grants, etc.), including mapped brush management zones and landscape easements for compliance with the Subdivision Map Act, Land Surveyor's Act, Survey Monuments, and the Streets and Highways Code.

The Land Development Review Division includes the planning, zoning, landscaping, environmental, mitigation monitoring and historic disciplines. It reviews ministerial and discretionary projects for compliance with the Land Development Code, Community Plans, and the General Plan, as well as compliance with other City, state and federal regulations.

This newly formed, customer service focused division is dedicated to creating seamless customer interactions throughout all of DSD.  This division includes four sections: Records, Project Submittal and Issuance, Talent Development and the Customer Care Center.

The Records team maintains and manages all of the division records on a variety of media, and works with both internal and external customers to provide reviews or copies of those records.

The Project Submittal and Issuance team set up and issue the majority of the 72,000 private ministerial permits processed by the City each year.

Our newly-formed Safety and Training Team is focused on ensuring all employees receive the highest quality training and support to perform their jobs to the fullest and ensure their safety while doing so.

The Customer Care Team handles our call center, oversight of our self-help options and virtual appointments to assist customers with any questions related to DSD services.

The Development Services Department is proud to launch a dedicated Project Management Division tailored to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of permitting in the City of San Diego. 

The Division brings together development project managers from the ministerial and discretionary permitting areas along with legislative noticing staff. The Project Management Division is responsible for processing permits, including those related to Complete Communities Now, Affordable Housing Permit Now, cannabis conditional use, life sciences and complicated infrastructure projects. 

The establishment of the Project Management Division represents a strategic investment in enhancing the permitting capabilities of DSD.  Through its multifaceted approach to project management, legislative support and permitting oversight the division will give staff the ability to operate with greater agility, transparency and accountability. Its goal is to ultimately advance public interest and drive positive change within the permitting process to provide exceptional customer service.

This division is responsible for streamlining wireless communications (4G/5G/Fiber/Utility) deployment in the City of San Diego by:

• Partnering with the telecommunications industry, primarily consisting of cable companies, internet service providers, and telephone and satellite companies.
• Speeding up the process so that citizens of San Diego can always enjoy the benefits of instant/fast connectivity without disturbing the aesthetics of the City.
• Preparing the City for the future of the Internet of Things (IoT), drones and autonomous driving.

This division is end-to-end, handling applications from submission to the issuance of wireless communication facilities.

This division conducts long-range planning and development review functions, working to implement the vision of the Downtown Community Plan. This plan aims to create and develop a dynamic Downtown that accommodates growth as a regional employment center and residential neighborhood. The division is responsible for Downtown Development, including:

• Planning review of private development proposals.
• Development project management.
• Updates to the Downtown Community Plan and planned district ordinances.
• Public park planning.
• Enhanced public infrastructure planning.
• Special studies.

This division also coordinates the implementation of local and state legislation and provides data analytics and business intelligence for the Department.