The in-person Planning and Building Counter will be open Monday – Thursday from 8 am to 12 noon. During counter hours, staff will be available to answer general questions about the Town’s procedures and how to apply for permits. If applicants have detailed questions, they will be asked to make an appointment for service. (Please check the signs for the latest information when you visit Town Hall.)

Over the Counter Permits are defined as minor permits that do not require plans or materials. Examples include water heater replacement, panel upgrade, and water line repair. The Planning and Building Director or their designee will determine which permits fall into this category.

Applicants may come in to Town Hall Monday – Thursday from 8 am to 12 noon to apply for these types of permits in person. Alternatively, applicant may apply via email using the process for Limited Scope of Work Projects.

Limited Scope of Work Projects  are defined as follows:

• Solar Photovoltaics (rooftop and ground-mount)
• Solar Roofing Photovoltaics
• Battery Back-up Systems
• Generators
• Reroofing
• Interior-Only Remodeling With No Structural Plans/Calculations

All steps of the review process will be done electronically over email. These applications will be processed on a first-come-first-served basis. For more information, please review the Virtual Building Permit Submittal Process for Limited Scope Projects.

Please submit Limited Scope of Work Projects to planbuild@portolavalley.net

Larger Scope of Work Projects are all projects that do not fall into the Limited Scope category above. All steps of the review process will be done electronically and will include a Zoom virtual counter meeting. For more information, please review the Virtual Building Permit Submittal Process for Larger Scope Projects.

Due to staffing shortages please note a change in the inspections scheduling process:   Staff will set the inspection schedule on Monday morning through Wednesday 3 p.m. and require three days advance notice.  Inspections appointments will still continue to be Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 12 noon.  

To schedule an inspection, please email inspections@portolavalley.net with your request. Include the following information:

• contact person
• contact person’s phone number
• property address
• building permit number
• type of inspection
• requested inspection day or soonest available

Please do not consider the inspection scheduled until you receive confirmation from staff.

The Town expects all job sites to follow appropriate Cal OSHA guidance to protect workers and visitors. The inspector has the right to cancel the inspection and leave the site at any time at their sole discretion. The Town may adopt additional safety criteria for inspections at its discretion.

Due to a high volume of inquiries and requests for service, the Planning Division has developed a virtual queue ticketing system, that is first come – first served,  to ensure applicants can access Planning services virtually in a fair and efficient manner. In order for staff to respond to your Planning inquiry or request for service, please submit a virtual meeting request through the PV Connect portal: www.portolavalley.net/virtualappointment.  

Once you submit a completed virtual meeting request, you will be issued a ticket number and placed in the queue based on the order of receipt of your ticket and others.  Staff will contact you to schedule the virtual meeting when your ticket is next in queue. Your patience is appreciated as we are experiencing a high volume of requests. The Town is bringing on additional resources to increase the number of appointments and help decrease the wait time.

Below is more information on the three types of virtual meetings the Planning Division is offering through this new ticketing system and further instructions on how to schedule each meeting. 

Virtual Counter Meetings

These brief (15 to 20 minute) meetings are designed for Staff to assist you with any general Planning questions you may have, provide initial / cursory review of projects in their early design stages, and determine if the project triggers a Planning permit. Basic materials, such as site plans and floor plans are available for the planner to review but may still be conceptual. There is no fee for these meetings, but if informal review continues for multiple meetings, staff may request a fee/deposit for staff time. These meetings will be required for certain projects prior to submitting for a building permit to ensure you are going through the correct process.

To request a Virtual Counter meeting with staff via PV Connect, visit our website at www.portolavalley.net/virtualappointment. Go to Planning Permit Submittal and complete all the required information concerning the project.

Pre-Application Meetings

These one-hour long meetings are a required step for larger scope projects that require ASCC review such as new houses, significant additions, new accessory dwelling units, and significant changes to driveways, landscaping, or topography. This meeting typically includes a Zoom meeting and some email follow up afterwards in preparation for a formal submittal of the application to the Town. A fee and deposit for staff time may be required in advance of the meeting, depending on the scope of work. The Planning & Building Director or their designee determines whether a Pre-Application Meeting is required. For more information, please review the Virtual Meeting and Submittal Process for Planning Projects

To request a Pre-Application meeting with staff via PV Connect, visit our website at www.portolavalley.net/virtualappointment. Go to Planning Permit Submittal and complete all the required information concerning the project.

Intake Review / Formal Submittal Meetings

These meetings are designed to be a final review of the application packet by staff to identify any outstanding items or to clear it for formal submittal.  If the project is cleared for formal submittal, staff will calculate permit fees/deposits, provide instructions on how to remit payment, and provide a file sharing link to electronically transmit the application packet to the Town.  Once fee/deposit payment is processed, staff will begin the formal review process for the application.

To request an Intake Review / Formal Submittal Meeting with staff via PV Connect, visit our website at www.portolavalley.net/virtualappointment. Go to Planning Permit Submittal and complete all the required information concerning the project.