Building permits: A primer

If you’re planning a home improvement project, you may wonder “Do I need a permit for this?” Chances are good that the answer is “Yes.” The list of construction activities that do not require a permit is much shorter than the list of those that do.

If your project involves painting or wallpapering, laying a concrete walkway, changing out like-for-like electrical outlets or replacing light fixtures, no permit is needed. Building a fence of six feet in height or less does not require a permit, but check with the Planning Department to confirm your fence plan is acceptable.

Just about every other job that you or your contractor might do requires a permit. All structural, electrical and plumbing work calls for a permit. Modifying walls, adding rooms, or converting a garage demands a permit. Most remodeling requires a permit, too. Replacing drywall, even if wiring or pipes are not disturbed, requires a permit, as does replacing a water heater or dishwasher and installing new windows.

The reason for this regulation is public safety. Inspectors look for hazards and ensure the work is done safely. As reported recently in the Register, there have been fatalities due to people living in spaces that are not up to code.

Don’t assume that the contractor you’ve hired has pulled permits as required. Ask to see the permits and post according to the instructions.

For more info, visit http://www.cityofnapa.org/Departments/Community_Development/agendasforms/building/generalinfo/When_is_a_Permit_Required.pdf  

— Steve Jensen, Chief Building Official

Going down the drain

In the past, it was easy to identify the major polluters of our waterways. In many places pipelines dumped sewage and chemicals directly into streams and rivers. When the Clean Water Act came along, governments quickly identified these obvious “point source” polluters and compelled them to change their ways.

Today, much of what harms our water comes from “non-point source” pollution, or material that has multiple points of origin. Storm drains, unlike pipes connected to sinks and toilets, flow directly to our creeks and to the Napa River without treatment. Most people would never think of intentionally dumping something toxic into the storm drain system — but it’s also true that we may contribute to pollution of our creeks, rivers and oceans without knowing it.

Examples of non-point source pollution include sediment from rain hitting bare dirt, animal wastes, pesticides or fertilizers and petroleum products washed off streets, parking lots and driveways. It’s much more difficult to contain non-point source pollution because it requires all of us to think differently about what we may be putting on our yards and streets.

The City of Napa, like all cities and counties, is required to have a Storm Water Pollution Prevention Program. Working in cooperation with Napa County and all the local cities and towns, a Web site has been developed at www.napastormwater.org. The site has information for industrial, commercial and construction sectors of the business community, and information for residents, too. You can learn more about how simple choices you make at home and at work can mean a cleaner Napa River and San Francisco Bay.

The Napa River really does begin at your front door.

— Sam Jones, Associate Civil Engineer, City of Napa Public Works Department

Signs, signs, everywhere signs

The City of Napa is suffering from a bad case of sign proliferation. City ordinance 15.56 states the types, sizes and locations for legal signs. Many businesses are breaking the law by posting signs in the public right-of-way. This problem motivated the action taken last Saturday, when many illegally posted signs were removed by City personnel.

The public right of way generally means the area from the sidewalk on one side of the street to the sidewalk on the other side.

This includes the planter and median strips, where many of the illegal signs are posted. Putting signs on stakes in the public right-of-way is prohibited, as is posting them on public utility poles or sign poles.

There are also many illegal A-frame signs in use. A-frame signs are permitted downtown under specific guidelines, but are not permitted in other areas. Not only are these signs a visual blight, but in many cases they block the sidewalk and cause mobility problems for seniors and wheelchair users.

The signs removed March 3 were taken to the City’s Corporation Yard on Jackson Street. Owners can retrieve them by phoning the Code Enforcement Officer at 257-9646 to arrange for pick-up.  In the future, citations will be issued for illegally posted signs.

Review of the pertinent Municipal Code sections is encouraged for all individuals and businesses with an interest in the legal placement of signs in Napa. Questions regarding signs on private property should be directed to the City’s Planning Division at 257-9530.

— Jane Thomson, Code Enforcement Officer

“Napa City Update” provides information from Napa city officials about on-going projects of public interest. The column appears on the first Tuesday of each month. All information is from the City of Napa.