City of Sacramento Development Services Department

Plan Check

Development Engineering reviews plans to determine if the proposed development project may affect the public aspects of a project (i.e., the sidewalk, streets, etc.), and, if so, that these aspects are designed properly. The review ensures that the project will:

  1. Provide a safe, efficient roadway network that serves the needs of the community.
  2. Maintain public infrastructure.
  3. Promote economic development by providing an efficient review process.

Review Criteria

The proposed project is assigned to a Development Engineering Project Manager, who reviews the project for the following:

  • Proposed land uses and the project's effect on adjacent transportation facilities.
  • Identify any associated safety concerns.
  • Determine if there is a need for a traffic impact study.
  • Classify adjacent roadways (for example, arterial, collector, or local) based on design speeds, level of access control, roadway connectivity and traffic volumes.
  • Determine an appropriate access management strategy, which is based on adjacent roadway classifications. This includes identifying opportunities and constraints relating to driveway location and design, as well as turn movements to and from project sites.
  • Evaluation of on-site circulation for vehicles and pedestrians, as well as parking layout design and on-site maneuvering.
  • Evaluate other site design elements, including truck and service vehicle routing, emergency vehicle access, and loading dock location and design.
  • Identify improvements to the public roadway system required to support the project.
  • Evaluate the effects of the proposed development on adjacent vacant parcels.
  • Review the on-site and off-site plans to ensure proper design and agreement with all public improvements for commercial and residential projects, including:
    • Determining if existing public infrastructure is in compliance with current City, State, Federal standards and regulations, as well as conditions of project approval.
    • Reviewing public improvement plans for public infrastructure (i.e., roads, streetlights, utility lines, traffic signals, and bridges) provided with commercial and residential development projects. Frontage improvements are addressed either by off-site improvement plans, or by encroachment permits.

Engineering Fee Deposit for Improvement Plans

The fee is based on the value of the improvements. Plan check fees are paid in at least two phases:

  1. Initial deposit: uses the engineer's estimate in the below plan check fee schedule. A fee tool calculator is available online that generates the initial estimate.
  2. Final engineering fee: uses contractor's bid (or updated engineer's estimate) in our plan check fee schedule and subtracts the amount paid in the initial deposit.

The plan check fee is only an estimate for all associated costs of the project, from review to construction. The city may require an additional deposit to continue work when costs exceed the amount collected at any stage of a project.

Engineering Fee Schedule

Value of
Improvements		 Material Testing Fee
x = value of improvement		 Plan Check & Inspection Fee
x = value of improvement
$0 - $24,999 [0.03 * x] [0.30 * x]
$25,000 - $99,999 [0.02 * (x - $25,000) + $750] [0.07 * (x - $25,000) + $7,500]
$100,000 - $499,999 [0.01 * (x - $100,000) + $2,250] [0.05 * (x - $100,000) + $12,750]
$500,000 and above [0.005 * (x - $500,000) + $6,250] [0.011 * (x - $500,000) + $32,750]

 

To calculate the fee, locate the improvement value range, subtract the low value in the range from the project cost, and use the resulting value in the applicable formula.

Related Forms and Documents
Page last modified 05/23/2008 at 10:43 AM