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Commercial ApplicationCombination Permits

September 9, 2021

Presenter: Mr. Richard Chamberlin, Development Services Engineer

Overview of Today’s Session

PurposeReview general process of commercial application.

Your questions during the sessionGeneral process questions, please use Chat.

Questions about specific projects, please emaildsdbuildsasupport@sanantonio.govbuildsaocmteam@sanantonio.govPlease provide record id# and details.

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Overview of Today’s Session

PowerPoint Presentation will be emailed to all participants after the session.A brief survey will be sent to all participants after the training session. Your feedback is valuable and helps us to plan future training sessions.

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ObjectivesI will learn……

• Working with Combination Permits• Which permits are combination permits

• Using the Amendment record on Permit vs Application• How are MEP (Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing) fees paid• Scheduling inspections – Who can schedule what/when

• Important Information to know before applying for a Commercial Application

• Types and groupings of Permits available to Apply for• Fees - Providing Valuation and Building Sq Ft• MEP work indicated in the application and Sidewalk Curb

information – Affects on Fees and Inspections9/10/2021

RecordsApplication

For any Commercial including ApartmentsRecord COM-PRJ-APP(year)-398(5 numbers)

PermitsOne or more permits issued from an ApplicationRecord COM-Varied-PMT(year)- 8 Numbers

One Application can result in one or many Permits.

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Workflow1. Application record created

2. Upload electronic files, construction plans and forms3. Completeness Review to review application and documents4. Invoice Plan Review Fees e-mailed5. Payment and Technical Reviews start6. At the last Approved Review:

Permit Records are createdPermit Fees created and Invoices e-mailedAll Inspections created and Pending IssuanceInvoices sent out

Payment and Approved plans become available to download9/10/2021

DefinitionsCombination Permit Definition

All inspections and fees required to complete the specific scope of work for any issued Building Permit are located on the building permit. There are no standalone trade permitsor application for fees/inspections.

Licensed Professional (LP)All the trade contractors that have State or City Licenses and Registered with the City. These are not Contacts.

ContactsAll people that can see and work with the application and later permits. These do not include the LP. General Contractors are Contacts.

Fee CalculationsPlan Review and Building Permit fees are based on Valuation of each Permit to be issuedMEP fees are based on Square Footage of the building or work area9/10/2021

Combination Permits – What is IncludedA Combination Permit includes all:

• Building Fees and inspections (called Base Fees)• All Electrical Fees and inspections – including TML and TOPS• All Mechanical Fees and inspections• All Plumbing Fees and inspections – including irrigation and Re-cycle

water• All Flatwork fees and inspections in the City Public Right-of-Way

(sidewalk/curb/driveway approaches)A Combination Permit does NOT include:

• Any Fire Permits: Fire Alarm, Fire Sprinkler, Fire Underground, Hydrants, Gaseous Suppression, etc.

• Require their own Fire System Applications by Licensed Fire Contractors

Separate MEP Sidewalk/Curb PermitsNO separate MEP or Sidewalk/Curb permit should ever be pulled.

Otherwise:• MEP/Flatwork Fees will end up being paid twice.• Duplicate inspections will be created on separate permits.• Will delay the release to CPS (if required) if any inspections

are performed on invalid MEP Sidewalk/Curb permits.• Will delay the issuance of the Certificate of Occupancy.• The standalone permit will have to be voided later.

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Combination Permits – Who may schedule?Base inspections may be scheduled by any Contact, typically the General Contractor:

MEP/Flatwork inspections can only be scheduled by the Licensed Professional (LP) trade contractor for the type of inspection

• Mechanical• Electrical• Plumbing• Flatwork (sidewalk/curb/driveway approaches in public right of way)

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Building Fire Traffic Tree

Combination – Payment and Inspections

Once a Commercial Permit record is created, inspections are “Pending Issuance”. The following is required for all various inspections to be active - set to Pending status):

• Fee payments are required to issue a permit and allow work to start.• Payments are made on each individual permit

separately.• Or one payment may be made on the application

record for all the permits to be issued at once.

• For Commercial, use the Shopping Cart to pay permit fees.

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Combination Permits - Payment

• Pay the Base Fee to issue the base permit using the Shopping Cart under the Payment tab. Payment of the base fees allows scheduling of the basic inspections that includes building, fire, tree and traffic.

• MEP and Flatwork fees may be deferred for payment later and those associated inspections are on hold.• Payment of the Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing and/or

Flatwork may be paid by anyone with the base fees or can be paid later by the MEP/flatwork contractors (LP).

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Combination Permits – LP on Permits• The Licensed Professionals (registered MEP and Flatwork

contractors) must be added to the individual permit as Licensed Professionals to login and pay their particular fees (if they were not already added to the application before the permit records were created.)

• Once a Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing or Flatwork contractor pays their specific fees, they can start scheduling their specific MEP and Flatwork inspections on the building permit.

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The Shopping CartSelection of Fees for Payment

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Open the record to pay fees:• Paying on the Application pays all

the fees on all permits.• Paying on each Permit allows some

to be issued and others not to be issued – (Apartments often issue over time).

Select the View Fees Details once the list of invoices populates.

This will bring up the Shopping Cart.

The Shopping Cart allows any contact or LP on the record to select which fees to pay.

Payment of Base Fees issues the permit and sets inspections for Building, Fire, Tree, Traffic, Health, ect., to Pending.

All Fees may be paid at once, or select the fees to be paid later, by clicking Pay Later -These are normally the MEP and Flatwork fees.

Later, the MEP and Flatwork contractors can pay their specific fees--once they are added to the Permit Record as Licensed Professionals. They login to their own portal account to see the record.

After clicking Pay Later for all Electrical and Plumbing Fees, only the Base Fees remain to pay and issue the permit.

• Once these Base Fees are paid, the Approved Plans are generated and available to download.

Click Continue Application to pay the fees shown on the screen.

Payment of FeesAffect on Inspections

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Where Fees are paid Inspections are Pending, ready to Schedule (#1).

Where Fees are not paid, Inspections are Pending Issuance and can not be scheduled (#2).

In this example, an Electrical Contractor must be added as LP to the record (if not already added) and pay their Electrical fees—doing so sets the Electrical inspections to Pending, and available for the Electrical contractor to schedule.

Licensed Professionals on the Records• LPs can be added on the application up front (if hired and

known). They will carry over to each permit when the permit record is created (convenient if there are many permits/buildings – apartments).

• Normally the LPs are added to each Permit. They are added in order to schedule their specific inspections for that permit.

• Example: Only an Electrical Contractor on the permit can schedule all the electrical inspections.

• The LPs must be registered and active in the system –and not expired to be added to a record. The LPs would pay their specific fees, if not already paid by a contact, when the base fees were paid.

Adding the MEP and Flatwork Contractors

The Amendment Record is Used for:• The purpose of adding the LP - Licensed Professionals (MEP and

Flatwork contractors), the Amendment Record includes a type entitled Add and Remove.

• Add and Remove can be used to add contacts on the records, but also used to add and remove LP.

• If the General Contractor is not the applicant, they will be added as a Contact to the application and/or permits

• Add an LP for each trade to pay their fees. Each LP is REQUIRED to be added to schedule the specific inspections.

• Remove an LP and replace with another LP of the same type.

• May also have more than one LP for a specific trade (working on different systems).

• Select the type Add/Remove Contact (#1).

• Describe what you are intending (#2).

• The next screen will be the address (pre-populated) and you may skip it.

If the Applicant is not the General Contractor, the GC is added as a Contact on this screen.

• This example shows no MEP or Flatwork Contractors added to this Record.

• You would look up trade contractors; you may never add a new one since they must be registered with the City.

Tip: Look up by the City License Number (the contractor can provide to you – may not match their state license number exactly), phone number, name (first and last), or Company Name (in that order of preference). Only search by one field, it will be hard to find if you fill out too many fields.

You might need to try several search versions to find the contractor. If they are not in the system, then they are not registered with the City as State Licensed Contractors and can not be added until they register their state license with DSD.

Edit and Delete if you added the wrong contractor.

In this case, I only want to add the State Licensed Electrical Contractor to pay his fees and start scheduling electrical inspections.

Typical Projects will have work involving Plumbing, often Mechanical, and sometimes Flatwork. These are added in this screen also by Looking Up each LP for each trade.

Amendments – Add/Remove Final Screens

• After adding (or removing and replacing), the rest of the screens can be skipped.

• Screen that confirms the new list of LP trade contractors.

• Screen where you can add documents (not needed but available).

• A Final Review screen where you can review all information and edit if necessary.

• The Final Review screen has a certification statement to Check at the bottom.

• Finally, the process is complete and you are provided with an Amendment record number (next slide and the Amendment record is a record in your list.

Completion of the Amendment will result in a record number (#1).

The actual Record is found under the Home tab, My Records then under Amendments (#2).

For Add and Remove of LP, the result Status isCompleted. There is no City Review

The Application Process

Starting the Application

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A license is not required to apply for a commercial application. If you do not have a registered License Professional connected to your account, this screen will not come up.

Starting the Commercial Application

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Starting the Application - Address

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• You can search for an Address or a Parcel. For address, less is best. Address is found only if in the City GIS database.

• Type only part of the street name. Try search by Street number only.

• All City parcels are in GIS. You can find Parcel in the City One Stop Map and skip Address.

Starting the Application - Address

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Starting the Application - Contacts

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The Owner is Required

(Company Name/Business Owner)

Set yourself as the Owner or continue to next screen to add another person or company.

Any contacts you add here will be copied over to the permit(s).

Use Escrow Owner if you will pay with your Escrow Account.

Starting the Application – Contacts Look Up

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Unless you add yourself as the Owner, you will get an error message. Always use Look Up first to find the Owner contact; either an individual or a company.

Starting the Application – Contacts Look Up

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Starting the Application – Contacts Look Up

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Using Look-Up, once you have found the Owner (if in the system as a Contact) then you must also add the address that is in the system and indicate Company Name/Business Owner.

Starting the Application – Add New Contact

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If you need to Add New , you will have to fill out all the contact information including mailing address.

Be sure to indicate Company Name/Business Owner as the Type.

Starting the Application – Contacts

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Starting the Application – Trade Contractor

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This next screen is to add any Licensed Professionals, i.e., any Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing or Flatwork contractors.

They are not required, or perhaps, may not have been hired yet.

For Combination Permits they may be added later in the permit(s) once hired to pay their fees and schedule their inspections.

Starting the Application – Describe Permits

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These next screens are the most critical to understand –What are you applying for?

Choosing Phased vs Non-Phased Applications

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A.Phased Submittalsa) Phases of the total Project are submitted as multiple separate

applications over timeb) Uses the Amendment record to submit next the nect Phase –

this saves re-entering the Address and Contacts. All other information is entered new like a new application.

c)Phases are Sitework, Foundation, and Shell d) First Time Interior Finish Out (IFO) are under Non-Phasede) If there has been a previous submittal, only check what is

submitted for the current applicationf) Shell submittals often come in with no previous submittal. All

three (Sitework, Foundation and Shell should be checked)g) Minor Structures (often not occupiable building) – May be a

stand-alone application or added as part of a larger project

Choosing Phased Applications vs Non-Phased

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A Shell may come in as one package, but the City does not consider a Shell to be the final permit because there is no Certificate of Occupancy issued. A First Time Interior Finish Out application is required as the last phase even if a different Owner.

MEP Fees

MEP Fees have a new Fee ScheduleMEP Fees are based on square footageReduced for Storage and increased for Residential

Total MEP fees are split across:• Sitework 10%• Foundation 10%• Shell 80%

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Affects how you apply for a Sitework PermitUnder Phased or Non-Phased

Choosing Phased Applications vs Non-Phased

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B. Non-Phased Submittalsa) The entire Project scope of work is submitted in One Applicationb)Includes:

• New Buildings (occupiable to obtain a COO). All New Buildings create a Sitework permit (important for multi-building projects).

• Remodels or Additions to an existing buildings or suites –had a previous tenant or has an existing tenant.

• First Time Interior Finish Outs (IFO) No previous or existing tenant has ever been in the building or suite.

• Minor Structures (often not occupiable building) – Can be a standalone application or added as part of a larger project.

Choosing Phased Applications vs Non-Phased

9/10/2021If a Minor Structure is the only scope of work, DO NOT select any other checkboxes (sitework).

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Application – Remaining General Info Screen

Sections of the Application – Various Screens

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Application Screens appear based on what you are applying for:• Specific Business Uses - used for Zoning and Health Dept• Tree Protection Details - Provide previous tree permit information• Storm Water Flood Details - Informational• General Site Details - Information for various Agencies• Sidewalk and Curb Details - Creates fees for flatwork• Multiple Building Details - Indicates how many buildings, foundations, shells/permits

• Screens collect information for each building - Creates fees and inspections• Specific Building Information - informational & Hazardous Materials• Energy Conservation - Informational• Remodel and Addition - Indicate if a new COO will be issued or not• Minor Building Structures - Information for all minor work in scope

• Minor Structures being applied for have separate screens to provide information.• All Minor Structures are NOT combination permits. Any MEP or flatwork needed

requires separate MEP or Sidewalk/Curb permits.

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The Sitework screen does not always appear. If a Sitework permit is to be issued, the valuation and MEP work is critical information.Also remember, if you add Sewer work here, then do not add sewer work later in the building information screens. Sewer is not the only example where you may inadvertently add extra fees by adding the work more than once.

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Includes Type A1 through A4

Type A3 will create a separate review, and if sent for a Vested Rights review, will include a fee. Indicating A3 causes more questions to answer concerning the Vested Rights Determination number on file.

Indicate if there are previous tree permits or variances to help tree reviewer.

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InformationalThe Increase and Decrease in Impervious Cover is required by FEMA for all property in the City Limits.

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The Sidewalk, Curb and Driveway screen is critical for Combination Permits.Indicating Yes then asks for the square footage of work in the Public right-of-way.Be aware, you should answer No if all the work is on TxDOT right-of-way.TxDOT has their own permits through the District Office.Sidewalk Curb Fees will be created by answering Yes.Based on the Traffic/Sidewalk Review Sidewalk/Curb inspections will be added.

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Multiple Buildings are often built on a lot as part of a large project.Apartments contain many buildings and issue many permits/COO.Each building being proposed for a permit requires separate information for fees, inspections, release to CPS, and Certificate of Occupancy purposes.The Question applies to foundations and tenant spaces.

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Each Foundation, Shell, or New Building in the scope of work requires a separate row for information to be entered.Each building will have its own unique MEP work for fee and inspection.Each Building has its own Building Number. Best Practice is to go to DSD Addressing before the application to have building numbers assigned – to enter the approved building number on this screen.

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This screen shows the results of adding the valuation and MEP work information for the two buildings, for this particular application.

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Each building may have its own Occupancy Classification / Use and

different information for the future Certificate of Occupancy.

If you indicated two buildings, then you will need two rows with the

same building number as the previous screen.

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This screen shows the results of adding the two buildings

Occupancy/Use for this particular application.

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• If you are applying for a temporary building, do not miss the first question.• A seasonal building or temporary sales office have a limited Certificate of

Occupancy of 180 days.• Presence of hazardous materials, high pile storage, or certain occupancy

uses creates the need for a OCL (Commodities Letter) upload and subsequent OCL review.

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Energy Conservation is Informational.

Although there may be multiple buildings, fill out the information for the typical. Most applications are for Remodels/Additions or for one New Building, so the information is only needed once.

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If you checked the Minor Building Structures checkbox on the earlier screen, this screen appears to indicate which permits you are applying for.

By checking one or more, a permit is issued for the ones you check.Each may require entering more information of subsequent screens.

These are the Non-Combination permit types.

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The Final Application screens

1. City Fee Waiver screen (if Yes, provide the approved Fee Waiver program number provided by the City Department approving the fee waiver application).

2. Review screen to edit any information – check the certification at bottom and Submit.

Finishing the Application

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Successful Submittal

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Thank you for joining us.