Most often, owners are given incorrect information by asphalt or concrete contractors without ADA experience regarding obtaining City permits. Most of these types of contractors will explain that the owner does not have to obtain a city permit since it is considered maintenance work. This is true if you ONLY perform asphalt repairs. However, if you are seal coating and restriping, most cities require a permit for this alone.
One common pitfall for business owners is receiving incorrect advice from asphalt or concrete contractors lacking ADA experience. Many such contractors erroneously claim that city permits are unnecessary for certain types of work, labeling them as mere maintenance. This misconception often leads to complications down the line. ACR Design & Build, however, is well-versed in distinguishing between basic repairs and actions like seal coating and restriping, which typically require permits. By leveraging our expertise, they prevent delays and ensure that all work meets city requirements from the outset.
If you are performing any work within the Accessible Route, you must obtain a city permit. The Accessible route includes ADA parking, a path of travel to accessible entrances, and a city path of travel. This is in your best interest since you want to have some level of quality control to have a compliant outcome by involving the city plan check team and city inspectors. However, hiring a complete ADA TEAM such as ACR is the best method. The best way to move forward with obtaining the city permit is by obtaining a CASp inspection and a report to identify the corrections according to Federal and CA codes accurately. Since the report should not be used as a design, it should be used as a tool for the ADA Design professional to incorporate into the overall design of the complete Accessible Route. Once the ADA Design Professional completes the design, it should be reviewed by a CASp plan checker prior to submitting it to the city for a permit. The expert ADA contractor must perform the corrections properly once the plans are approved and the permit is issued. Choosing the expert ADA contractor is difficult despite your best efforts, even with approved plans and a CASp report, so you must navigate correctly. Once the work has been completed, the city inspector will sign off on a permit card for the owners’ records.
