We are in the early, beginning phase of the rebuild. Construction is not happening yet in mass, but things are beginning to move forward. The Mayor’s Executive Order to clear the way for quick approval of fire rebuild permits is having an impact. Our firm received one of the first four permits approved, and we are seeing that momentum continue. The city is prioritizing the review and approval. The Building Department is providing feedback on proposed plans well within the required 30 day review period. Our recent experience is that this review window has been closer to two and a half to three weeks.
The review process has not been overly cumbersome either. In general, the reviews have been straightforward, with minimal objections. Plus 10 percent on square footage and plus 10 percent on height are being approved. The only factored to increasing the building height is that the plans not exceed current restrictions on maxed out height. Coastal Zones or Bluffs and other ecologically sensitive areas still have the same restrictions as before the fires. However, even if you are in a coastal review area, you can consider expanding the footprint from the original structure by 10%. This is being allowed.
