To: Board of Supervisors
From: Planning and Building Department
Agenda Section: Departmental
SUBJECT:
title
Discussion of Whether Changes Should be Made to the Alternative Owner Builder Ordinance
end
RECOMMENDATION(S):
Recommendation
That the Board of Supervisors:
1. Consider the information contained in the Board report
2. Receive public comment
3. Direct staff whether to make changes to the Alternative Owner Builder Ordinance
Body
SOURCE OF FUNDING:
General Fund (1100), Charges for services (1100277-608000), Licenses and permits - Construction permits (1100262-203000).
DISCUSSION:
The Board of Supervisors is being asked whether the allowances of the Alternative Owner Builder (AOB) Ordinance are still appropriate given some of the applications under this ordinance that have recently been discussed. The AOB Ordinance was originally conceived as a way of allowing homesteaders to build affordable housing using methods and materials outside of the Building Code requirements. The General Plan Housing Elements in 2014 also identified the AOB program as a way of encouraging building affordable housing. The current 2019 Housing Element includes the following policy:
H-P15. Support Alternative Owner Builder Program. The County shall support alternative owner built/ owner-occupied housing to promote low-cost housing and improved permit compliance in rural areas not served by public water or sewer.
To provide flexibility and reduced permitting cost to owner/builders, the AOB Ordinance requires only one inspection (usually completed at the end of a project) unless there are significant reasons to perform additional inspections, a longer time frame in which to complete the work on the permit (5 years) and allows use of nontraditional building materials and methods. This program is an important component of the Safe Homes Program because often the nontraditional building materials used in existing homes permitted under Safe Homes cannot be approve...
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