Commercial & Industrial Tenant Improvements

Most owners opening a business in Simi Valley will go through a process called a "occupant enhancement." An occupant improvement (TI) involves an alteration to an existing structure, either interior or outside, or both, in which case you will require to fulfill City requirements relating to architectural style, developing occupancy, building, parking, service signs, landscaping, and possible public right-of-way and drain enhancements.

Please refer to the informative brochure "How to Open a Small Company in the City of Simi Valley," which likewise assists to guide and orientate you through the renter enhancement and the City's license process, consisting of any regional agencies that may be included with the opening of your service.

First Steps

The first point of contact is to talk to the City's Planning Division to guarantee that the kind of organization is enabled in the proposed place and that the proposed organization meets the City's parking requirements. In addition, please note that your company might require a Conditional Use Permit (CUP), which is an authorization to guarantee your business is compatible with the surrounding usages.

Describe the City's Zoning Maps and Zoning Code Section 9-26.030 (usage matrix) to ensure the proposed business is zoned for the proposed use and determine if the proposed usage needs Conditional Use Permit (CUP). Please describe Conditional Use Permit for extra details in using and processing a CUP.

In addition, relying on the degree of any outside improvements, a modification license from the Planning Division may be needed. Please refer to Modification of Existing Commercial and Industrial Developments for information regarding the level of evaluation required.

Signs

If you are interested in positioning a sign( s) at your store or considering a monolith indication, you will require to obtain a Long-term Sign Permit. The Planning Division will issue a Long-term Sign Permit after ensuring compliance with the Zoning Code and Citywide Design Guidelines for place, size, and design of the sign.

Your indication contractor would prepare the required elevation exhibits and image simulation( s) showing how the sign searches the building. Please describe the Planning Division's Temporary and Permanent Signs page to find out more regarding the City's indication ordinance and requirements.

City and County Involvement

Depending upon the kind of company and the level of your enhancements, the following City departments and County companies might be involved.

Public Works Environmental Compliance Division

If your company is a restaurant, food, production, or vehicle facility, or provides medical, dental, veterinary, or photo-processing services, the Environmental Compliance Division of Public Works will likewise be associated with business job.

The Environmental Compliance staff enforces the City's Sewer Use, Stormwater, and Water Conservation Ordinances. By monitoring, examining, and examining the service's practices and operations, the Division secures the general public health and the environment from toxic, hazardous, and other toxins.

New organizations are required to complete an Ecological Compliance Discharge Permit Application. The candidate might likewise be needed to submit a layout and plumbing strategies. Depending on the type of organization, you may be needed to set up a pretreatment device, such as a grease interceptor, prior to acquiring building permits.

For additional information, please contact the Environmental Compliance Technical Assistance at (805) 583-6420.

Ventura County Fire Protection District

The City's Building and Safety Division will identify whether the Ventura County Fire Department will need to approve your renter improvement building strategies. Approval from this Agency is normally needed for many building and construction jobs.

While based in Camarillo, the Ventura County Fire Protection District is at the Building and Safety Division in Town Hall (Map) to respond to concerns on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM.

For tasks needing the District's approval, building and construction strategies will need to be sent to the following address: Ventura County Fire Protection District, 165 Durley Avenue, Camarillo, CA 93010-8586.

To find out more, please contact Ventura County Fire Protection District at (805) 389-9710.

Ventura County Environmental Health Division

The City's Building and Safety Division will likewise recognize whether the Ventura County Environmental Health Division will need to authorize your strategies. Food-handling establishments, companies that produce harmful materials and waste, medical waste, and other pollutants will require approval from this Agency.

For extra details, please contact Ventura County Environmental Health at (805) 654-2813.

Building and Safety Division

Most enhancements require building strategies and a structure authorization from Building and Safety. Construction plans showing the proposed work are required so City personnel can issue applicable licenses after guaranteeing the strategies are safe, structurally sound, and in compliance with all appropriate Building Codes.

Please describe Tenant Improvement Process for Entrepreneur for the Building and Safety Tenant Improvement Guide to help you through the procedure and a number of documents to assist your design professional prepare plans rapidly and properly. There are 4 parts to the tenant enhancement process:

1. Construction Plan Preparation
2. Construction Plan Submittal/Review
3. Permit Issuance and Construction
4. Occupancy

Construction Plan Preparation

The primary step to ensuring a successful building task includes maintaining a licensed designer and/or engineer to draw your building and construction strategies. Typically, strategies prepared by a certified architect and/or engineer will result in both time and expense savings during the construction stage and will help with a smoother renter improvement procedure.

As a courtesy, a walkthrough of the suggested website can be set up with the City's Building and Safety personnel, company owner, and architect to attend to any concerns or issues concerning general code requirements prior to prepare submittal.

Plans consisting of all proposed architectural, handicapped access, energy, plumbing, mechanical, and electrical changes will require to be submitted to the City for plan evaluation and license processing. Although not needed, it is advised that all plans be submitted at the very same time.

Plan Requirements

To assist the design specialist in drawing prepare for the proposed scope of work, please refer to the following links for referral product outlining the different code and State requirements for the designer's evaluation:

Planning Division - Over-the-Counter (OTC) Plan Review Criteria
Building and Safety Non-Residential Plan Check Correction List, Including Accessibility Requirements
Building and Safety - Tenant Improvement Guide - OTC Projects Less 3,000 Square Feet
Building and Safety - Tenant Improvement Guide - Projects Exceeding 3,000 Square Feet

To help familiarize business owner with the renter improvement process and get a better understanding of the City's departments, external agencies, and actions included, please describe the Flow diagram of the Tenant Improvement Process.

If the occupant enhancement includes a simple modification, an unlicensed designer or licensed professional carrying out the work might be enabled to send the proposed strategies. Building and Safety will make this determination once the Scope of Work has been specified.

Construction Plan Submittal/Review

Once your designer and/or engineer have finished the construction strategies, City engineers will require to guarantee that the drawings adhere to California Building regulations. This is the 2nd part of the tenant improvement process and is often called "Plan Check."

It is not unusual for strategies to be returned to the designer and or engineer with corrections. For this reason, plans usually reenter the "strategy check" process for a 2nd evaluation. Building and Safety staff will determine the proper plan check charges at the time of strategy submittal. Plan check fees are based upon the scope of work of the job, which is identified by the size and type of building and construction.

Over-the-counter plan evaluation for non-structural improvements is offered for existing buildings when the total area is less than 3,000 square feet.

Service by appointment is offered on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 8:00 AM and 10:00 AM and can be set up by calling (805) 583-6723. Plan check is likewise readily available by visit with the respective strategy checker.

Standard plan evaluation for renter enhancements on existing buildings exceeding 3,000 square feet or "A" type tenancies such as dining establishments will require a 10- to 15-business day turn around. Building permits are not released till all City staff and applicable agencies have approved the proposed plans.

Permit Issuance and Construction

Once building and construction strategies have been approved and prior to starting construction, a structure permit is released to the owner of the residential or commercial property or a certified contractor.

When a permit is provided to the residential or commercial property owner, the regard to 'Owner/Builder' is referenced on the license. Building and Safety personnel will offer the 'Owner/Builder' with documentation notifying them of their duties and possible threat of having actually the authorization issued in the Owner/Builder name.

If the authorization is provided to a licensed contractor, the professional will be required to provide proof of Worker's Compensation insurance coverage. The professional needs to have a Company Tax Certificate in order to get the license. In addition, insurance needs to be maintained throughout the building and construction period per guidelines of the California Labor Code.

Larger projects will require a pre-construction meeting. A pre-construction conference normally includes Building and Safety evaluation and engineering staff along with the job's superintendent. The conference offers a chance to evaluate timespan, building requirements, and the City inspection procedure.

Please note that it is essential to arrange all of the necessary structure evaluations in order to review each stage of building and construction. It is the City inspector's task to guarantee all work follows the approved plans and all suitable State codes. The City inspector will not conduct examinations unless it is scheduled by the contractor or task supervisor.

Inspections can be set up for the next company day by calling (805) 583-6723 no behind 3:00 PM on the day preceding the examination.

Occupancy

The final phase of the occupant enhancement procedure includes obtaining final approvals from City departments and external companies included with the project. Depending on the kind of organization and scope of the project, you might need to obtain sign-off from the City's Planning Division and Public Works Department, in addition to the Ventura County Fire Department and Environmental Health Division.

During the building process, the structure inspector will provide correction notices, informing the professional or superintendent of items that do not satisfy building code requirements. All outstanding code requirements need to be resolved prior to requesting the final evaluation.

Once construction is total, final assessments and sign-offs are gotten from both City departments and external companies, the City's Building Official will issue a Certificate of Occupancy. This legal file allows you to occupy your brand-new service space.