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The County Board of Supervisors discussed how to make the permitting process for changes to single-family homes and commercial businesses faster and cheaper at Tuesday’s meeting.
The board directed staff to pursue making planning permits unappealable for single-family homes (as well as small accessory developments such as pools or sheds) that do not trigger environmental review. Within the planning department, projects would either be labeled simple or complex, with complex projects requiring more time for review. All county policies, including resource protection policies, would still apply.
Additionally, county supervisors voted to direct county staff to create a tiered approach to determine whether a project needs design review for single-family homes. Some projects would be exempt from design review, some would require approval by the planning department only, and some would go before the Board of Architectural Review. County staff will need to determine what kind of projects fall in each category.
The county will pursue changing the permitting process for some commercial properties. Specifically, supervisors directed county staff to create a threshold for commercial developments that will allow some projects to be unappealable. County staff will draw up a rule change that removes a rule requiring additional parking with a business-use change (such as a restaurant to a retail store), and exempt some commercial developments from design review.
Finally, the supervisors directed staff to study where, in single-family home projects and commercial projects, planning staff could provide exemptions or reduce the level of permit required.
Generally, the supervisors were split on whether there should be carveouts, or places where the streamlined permits do not apply, or whether the changes should apply across the board.
This meeting marks the third “streamlining” initiative the county’s planning department has put forward to try to increase efficiency and comply with state laws. The first amended outdoor lighting and sign standards, and removed the outdoor shopping zone district. The second focused on streamlining housing development and making zoning codes simpler.
County staff said it aims to return to the supervisors before the end of 2026 with updates to review.
