In this issue:
- ICC Committee Action Hearings
- May is Building Safety Month
- Latest on BuildSA
- PCTAC Update
- Open Data Reports Now Available
- SABCA Wrap Up
- Contractor Connect Training
- Legislative News
- We are Hiring
- Performance Measures
- Join the Line with CityPass
- Safety Protocols at the One Stop
- Online Resources
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DSD Panel Members at the Committee Action Hearings |
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It is important for a city like San Antonio to have building-related, fire and property maintenance codes that are current and up to date to nationally accepted and accredited standards. DSD prides itself in being always at the forefront of adopting the latest codes and having representation in the development of the upcoming ones.
The International Code Council (ICC) reviews and updates all building-related codes on a three-year cycle. Recently, Director Michael Shannon and Senior Plans Examiner Vincent Trevino participated in the public hearings held to review proposed changes for the 2024 i-Codes.
“As DSD Director, having an active role in the development of the codes helps in positioning our resources and services in line with latest trends,” said Shannon. “It is also a platform that supports the department’s vision of remaining a leader in development services.”
First time representative Vincent Trevino served in the Fuel Gas Committee. “I recently had the honor to serve with dedicated professionals and code officials from around various parts of the country,” he said. “This was a great experience and I look forward to the opportunity of serving on other committees in the future and attending the public comment hearings in Pittsburg in the fall.”
The Committee Action Hearings run from April 11 through May 5, 2021.
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May is Building Safety Month |
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The 41st annual Building Safety Month (BSM) starts May 1, 2021! This year's theme is Prevent, Prepare, Protect. BUILDING CODES SAVE. Like in the years' past, the Development Services Department supports the International Code Council with observing the month-long movement to raise awareness about building safety.
This year’s program has weekly themes that highlight the importance of building codes and reinforces the need for the implementation of modern, regularly-updated codes to create safe structures. Through building code adoption and enforcement, communities prevent, prepare and protect against future disasters. Homes and buildings that are built in compliance with building safety codes are sustainable with the onset of natural disasters. Officials who enforce the codes are essential to helping minimize the risks of death, injury and property damage when catastrophes occur.
Join us throughout May to take advantage of free virtual 1-hour training sessions aligned with the BSM weekly themes; to register for any of the sessions or for more information about BSM, simply click the Register Here link.
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Date: May 4, 2021
Time: 8:30 a.m.
Presentation: Climate Action & Adaptation Plan Presenter: Douglas Melnick, Director, Office of Sustainability | Register Here
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Date May 12, 2021
Time: 8:30 a.m.
Presentation: Training the Next Generation
Presenter: Leslie Ruiz, Project Manager - Field Services | Register Here
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Date: May 20, 2021
Time: 8:30 a.m.
Presentation: Surprise! It’s Snowing in San Antonio-Plumbing Issues
Presenter: Ted Morales, Sr. Plumbing Inspector - Field Services | Register Here
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Date: May 25, 2021
Time: 8:30 a.m.
Presentation: Disaster Preparedness
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Hansen will remain open for Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing (MEP) permits only related to NEW Residential Building permits issued in Hansen prior to Nov. 30, 2020. All new building related permits, as well as MEP and Flatwork permits related to commercial permits issued in Hansen should be submitted through BuildSA. Please remember, new commercial and residential permits are combination permits now and a separate MEP or Flatwork permit is not required. Be sure to answer questions related to MEP or Sidewalk /Curb correctly on the application. For more information, please review the Combination Permit online matrix.
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Development Services continues to monitor the number of open residential and commercial building permits in Hansen. A total of 3,324 permits have been closed in Hansen within the last 3 months. Our general goal is to close most open permits in Hansen or identify when they should be migrated to the new BuildSA platform. Today both staff and customers are working out of two systems, which is challenging for various reasons. For customers, this is challenging when attempting to close out or obtain a Certificate of Occupancy or Letter of Completion. |
We continue to work to resolve critical issues and evaluate and incorporate improvements. As such, the following addition was released last month:
- Irrigation Permits: State Irrigator Licensed Contractors can now submit permit applications for Plumbing Irrigation Permits and Plumbing Backflow Permits online.
Training is on-going, and available as group or one-on-one sessions; for training requests, please email us. For the latest on BuildSA and training resources, please visit our website.
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Open permits with NO activity for more than 12 months identified...
A large volume of open permits with no activity, for more than 12 months, were identified in Hansen. As a reminder, open permits with no activity for over 180 days may be closed per Chapter 10, Section 6. If permits are closed due to no activity, customers will have to re-apply for a new permit.
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On April 14, 2021 the Planning Commission heard the recommendations from the Nominating Committee for appointments and reappointments to the Planning Commission Technical Advisory Committee (PCTAC). Nominations were approved for positions in multiple categories including an Environmental/Historic representative, three Registered Professional Engineers, two Registered Architects, two Development/Real Estate Professionals, and two Community Representatives. Additionally, two Experience Members were appointed by the Planning Commission. In total, seven Committee members were reappointed to the two-year terms, with the balance being selected to serve their first term. Review the PCTAC Members list for appointments, and the PCTAC website for additional information.
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Open Data Reporting Now Available |
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New reports for applications submitted and permits issued for commercial and residential building and trade work are now available on the City's Open Data SA website. The information can be filtered by council districts, neighborhood conservation districts, and historic districts, and can be printed or downloaded for use in applications like Microsoft Excel. We created a video to help you navigate through the data.
For easy access to these reports, visit the quick links section on the DSD website and look for the Permit Reports icon on the right side of the page.
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It's a Wrap - SABCA Spring 2021 |
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In March, Development Services hosted the Spring 2021 San Antonio Building Codes Academy (SABCA), comprised of two courses – 2018 IRC Essentials and SOARES Grounding and Bonding. The four-day training was the second virtual academy to be held since the onset of COVID-19.
Patrick Vandergriff, International Code Consulting (ICC) Services, trained the 2018 IRC Essentials course on March 23 and 24; and Keith Lofland, Director of Technical Services for the International Association of Electrical Inspectors (IAEI), trained the SOARES Grounding and Bonding class on March 25 and 26. Both instructors gave knowledgeable and insightful presentations to 294 attendees, yielding CEUs to staff and customers.
The sessions were conducted using WebEx events, allowing for easy registration, tracking of all attendees, and sign on with multiple platforms like desktop computers, laptops, tablets and cell phones. Dry runs were conducted with both instructors to make sure the training sessions ran smoothly. Technical support was also available for those needing assistance when logging in to the sessions. With the success of SABCA, DSD will continue to use Webex events when hosting future training sessions.
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Sign Up for Contractor Training |
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Contractor Training
Homebuilder and Home Improvement, Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing contractors are encouraged to register for the upcoming Contractor Connect classes to help meet the criteria of Contractor Plus and Premier categories. The free Webex training sessions run from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Please sign up in advance by selecting the training of choice and completing the registration link next to the date below:
For more information about the program, visit the Contractor Connect website.
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Contractor Search Tool
For residents, Contractor Connect also provides an enhanced search tool that generates a list of registered contractors to choose from.
The list is compiled based on the type of work (home improvement, plumbing, electrical, mechanical, etc.) needed for the project, along with the category-level of Registered, Registered Plus, or Premier.
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The Development Services Department (DSD) continues to track over 100 development-related bills during the 87th Texas Legislative session. With the deadline to file new bills closed, many are being considered in House and Senate Committees. DSD will continue to monitor bills and work alongside our Government and Public Affairs Department to ensure these bills help to provide for a safer San Antonio. The Legislation session will conclude on May 31, 2021. |
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DSD is Hiring - Join our Team |
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Performance Measures
The complete Performance Measures report is available online.
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Get in Line Before Coming to the One Stop |
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For those who need to visit DSD, please join the line before coming to the building. To get in line, customers can either:
(2) download the QLess App from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store,
(3) text the word “csaonestop” to (210) 794-6955
When ready, enter your name, cell phone number, and choose the queue (service) you need. Now, you can move freely while getting SMS text notifications alerting you to when it is your turn. Estimated wait times are available on the City and DSD website. Visit the CityPass website for more information. |
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Safety Measures Continue at One Stop |
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While all plans and permit applications are to be submitted electronically online with BuildSA, we understand there may be a need to visit the Cliff Morton Development and Business Services Center (DBSC). For customers who need to visit us, before coming down, please join the line using CityPass and select the service you need to visit. You will get a notification alerting you to your place in line.
The One Stop will continue to follow our existing COVID-19 health and safety protocols for entry into the building including:
- limiting the number of customers inside the lobby to 30
- required face masks
- temperature and symptom checks
- social distancing
In line with our safety measures, entrances have sanitation stations set up with hand sanitizer, wipes and disposable masks (for customers who need a mask). Additionally, all counters have clear acrylic barriers, and to encourage social distancing, customer seating has been spaced accordingly.
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We ask if you or anyone in your household is experiencing COVID symptoms, to please stay home.
Virtual boards and commissions meetings will continue as-is until further notice.
Like you, we will continue to monitor the latest COVID-19 news and do our part to keep our customers, staff and visitors safe. For more information about the department's safety measures, online, or lobby services, please visit our website.
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For a complete list of additional online resources,
visit the following sites:
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