What You Should Know

1. Single Discipline Preliminary Review

   • Reviews that a single discipline can best answer.
   • A single-discipline review takes 20 business days from the time the application is deemed complete, and the fees are paid.

2. Multiple Discipline Preliminary Review

   • When questions and the information requested involve more than one review discipline, the project is considered a multiple-discipline Preliminary Review.
   • These projects receive a Development Project Manager who will help facilitate the project and provide coordination between all the review disciplines.
   • The Development Project Manager will coordinate the reviewer’s written responses to your specific issues and forward them to the applicant.
   • After the initial review, applicants may meet with staff for an additional hourly charge.
   • A multiple discipline Preliminary Review is expected to be completed 20 days from the application deemed complete date when all fees are paid.

3. Review Option for SB-330 Eligible Projects: Single and Multiple Discipline

   Effective as of Jan. 1, 2020, and expiring on Jan. 1, 2030, California Senate Bill (SB) 330, otherwise referred to as “The Housing Crisis Act of 2019,” allows for eligible housing development projects seeking approval enhanced streamlining and vesting opportunities, such that the project is only subject to the ordinances, development regulations, policies, standards, and fees at the time the Preliminary Review application is deemed submitted. If applying under SB-330, this option must be selected.
   
   Check DSD’s Zoning & Parcel Information Portal to learn more about the zoning and other land use regulations that may apply to your property.
   
   Your project may require a historical review to determine conformance with the historic resources regulations if your project is located:

   1. On a site with a designated historic resource.
   2. Within a designated historic district.
   3. On a site containing a structure of 45 years or more.
   4. Please review Information Bulletin 581 for additional information. 

4. Focused Preliminary Review for Complete Communities Now

   To apply for the focused preliminary required by the Complete Communities Now program, follow the Complete Communities Now—Focused Preliminary Review Instructions. For additional information, please review Information Bulletin 411 and the Complete Communities Now webpage.

5. Preliminary Fee and Exaction Estimate

   Pursuant to Assembly Bill 1820 (2024), an applicant may request a preliminary fee and exaction estimate for information about expected project fees and exactions. To obtain such an estimate, applicants must include the request as a question in a Multiple Discipline Preliminary Review and select the following reviewers:

   • Planning Facilities-Financing (for development impact fees);
   • DSD-Planning Review (or DSD-Downtown, if the project is located within the Downtown area) (for any applicable inclusionary housing fees); and
   • DSD-Combined (for water and sewer impact fees).

   The application must include all of the information specified in California Gov. Code Section 65941.1(a) (see Section 8 of Form-375).

   Per California Government Code Section 65941.1(b)(5), a preliminary fee and exaction estimate shall be for informational purposes only and shall not be legally binding or otherwise affect the scope, amount, or time of payment of any fee or exaction that is determined by other provisions of law.

   More information about project fees can be found in the following resources:

   • Impact Fees Webpage (includes links to the Citywide Development Impact Fee (DIF) Calculator and the Fee Schedule)
   • Water and Sewer Fee Schedule
   • Information Bulletin 146 – School Fees
   • Information Bulletin 532 – Requirements for Inclusionary Affordable Housing
   • Information Bulletin 501 – Fee Schedule for Construction Permits-Structures
   • Information Bulletin 502 – Grading/Public Right-of-Way Permits and Mapping Actions
   • Information Bulletin 503 – Fee/Deposit Schedules for Development & Policy Approvals/Permits
   • Information Bulletin 103 – Fee Schedule for Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing/Gas Permits

Fees

Preliminary Review fees are based either on a single discipline or multiple disciplines. Depending on your project scope, you can add more than one discipline to your Preliminary Review request. Learn more.

The Preliminary Review fee does not include meetings with Development Services staff. You may request a Preliminary Review meeting with the reviewer(s) to discuss the Preliminary Review results. An additional fee is required for this meeting, based upon an hourly rate for each staff person requested to attend the meeting.

Inspections

• No inspections are required.

Exemptions

• No exemptions apply.

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