Most owners opening a company in Simi Valley will go through a procedure called a "occupant improvement." An occupant enhancement (TI) involves an alteration to an existing structure, either interior or exterior, or both, in which case you will need to fulfill City requirements relating to architectural style, constructing occupancy, construction, parking, company signage, landscaping, and possible public right-of-way and sewage system improvements.

Please refer to the informational pamphlet "How to Open a Small Company in the City of Simi Valley," which also helps to assist and orientate you through the renter improvement and the City's authorization procedure, including any regional firms that might be involved with the opening of your business.

Primary steps

The very first point of contact is to examine with the City's Planning Division to make sure that the type of organization is allowed the proposed area which the proposed company satisfies the City's parking requirements. In addition, please note that your service may require a Conditional Use Permit (CUP), which is an authorization to guarantee your organization is compatible with the surrounding uses.

Refer to the City's Zoning Maps and Zoning Code Section 9-26.030 (use matrix) to ensure the proposed organization is zoned for the proposed usage and identify if the proposed usage requires Conditional Use Permit (CUP). Please describe Conditional Use Permit for extra info in using and processing a CUP.

In addition, relying on the degree of any exterior improvements, an adjustment permit from the Planning Division may be required. Please refer to Modification of Existing Commercial and Industrial Developments for details concerning the level of review needed.

Signs

If you are interested in placing an indication( s) at your storefront or thinking about a monument indication, you will require to get an Irreversible Sign Permit. The Planning Division will provide a Permanent Sign Permit after ensuring compliance with the Zoning Code and Citywide Design Guidelines for area, size, and design of the indication.

Your indication specialist would prepare the required elevation shows and photo simulation( s) showing how the indication searches the building. Please describe the Planning Division's Temporary and Permanent Signs page for additional information relating to the City's indication ordinance and requirements.

City and County Involvement

Depending on the type of service and the level of your improvements, the following City departments and County firms might be involved.

Public Works Environmental Compliance Division

If your business is a dining establishment, food, manufacturing, or vehicle facility, or offers medical, dental, veterinary, or photo-processing services, the Environmental Compliance Division of Public Works will likewise be associated with the service job.

The Environmental Compliance personnel implements the City's Sewer Use, Stormwater, and Water Conservation Ordinances. By monitoring, inspecting, and assessing the service's practices and operations, the Division secures the public health and the environment from poisonous, dangerous, and other contaminants.

New organizations are required to complete an Ecological Compliance Discharge Permit Application. The applicant may likewise be required to send a layout and pipes plans. Depending upon the kind of business, you might be required to install a pretreatment gadget, such as a grease interceptor, prior to acquiring building authorizations.

For more details, please contact the Environmental Compliance Technical Assistance at (805) 583-6420.

Ventura County Fire Protection District
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The City's Building and Safety Division will identify whether the Ventura County Fire Department will need to approve your renter improvement construction strategies. Approval from this Agency is generally required for the majority of building and construction tasks.

While based in Camarillo, the Ventura County Fire Protection District is at the Building and Safety Division in City Hall (Map) to address questions on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM.

For tasks needing the District's approval, building plans will require to be sent to the following address: Ventura County Fire Protection District, 165 Durley Avenue, Camarillo, CA 93010-8586.

For more details, please contact Ventura County Fire Protection District at (805) 389-9710.

Ventura County Environmental Health Division

The City's Building and Safety Division will also determine whether the Ventura County Environmental Health Division will need to authorize your plans. Food-handling establishments, organizations that produce harmful materials and waste, medical waste, and other pollutants will require approval from this Agency.

For extra details, please contact Ventura County Environmental Health at (805) 654-2813.

Building and Safety Division

Most enhancements require building plans and a building license from Building and Safety. Construction plans showing the proposed work are needed so City personnel can provide appropriate licenses after ensuring the strategies are safe, structurally sound, and in compliance with all relevant Building regulations.

Please refer to Tenant Improvement Process for Company Owner for the Building and Safety Tenant Improvement Guide to help you through the procedure and numerous files to assist your style expert prepare strategies quickly and precisely. There are 4 components to the tenant enhancement process:

1. Construction Plan Preparation

1. Construction Plan Submittal/Review
2. and Construction
3. Occupancy
   
   Construction Plan Preparation
   
   The initial step to making sure a successful construction task includes keeping a licensed architect and/or engineer to draw your building strategies. Typically, plans prepared by a certified architect and/or engineer will result in both time and cost savings during the construction stage and will help with a smoother tenant improvement procedure.
   
   As a courtesy, a walkthrough of the suggested website can be arranged with the City's Building and Safety personnel, organization owner, and designer to address any questions or issues relating to general code requirements prior to prepare submittal.
   
   Plans consisting of all proposed architectural, handicapped access, energy, plumbing, mechanical, and electrical changes will require to be sent to the City for strategy evaluation and license processing. Although not required, it is advised that all plans be submitted at the exact same time.
   
   Plan Requirements
   
   To help the design expert in drawing prepare for the proposed scope of work, please refer to the following links for recommendation material detailing the numerous code and State requirements for the designer's evaluation:
   
   Planning Division - Over-the-Counter (OTC) Plan Review Criteria Building and Safety Non-Residential Plan Check Correction List, Including Accessibility Requirements Building and Safety - Tenant Improvement Guide - OTC Projects Less 3,000 Square Feet Building and Safety - Tenant Improvement Guide - Projects Exceeding 3,000 Square Feet
   
   To assist acquaint the company owner with the renter enhancement process and gain a much better understanding of the City's departments, external companies, and actions involved, please describe the Flowchart of the Tenant Improvement Process.
   
   If the occupant improvement involves a basic modification, an unlicensed designer or licensed contractor carrying out the work might be enabled to submit the proposed plans. Building and Safety will make this determination once the Scope of Work has been defined.
   
   Construction Plan Submittal/Review
   
   Once your designer and/or engineer have actually completed the construction plans, City engineers will require to ensure that the drawings abide by California Building Code. This is the 2nd part of the occupant improvement procedure and is frequently called "Plan Check."
   
   It is not unusual for strategies to be gone back to the designer and or engineer with corrections. For this factor, plans usually reenter the "plan check" process for a 2nd evaluation. Building and Safety personnel will determine the suitable strategy check costs at the time of strategy submittal. Plan check charges are based upon the scope of work of the task, which is identified by the size and type of building.
   
   Over-the-counter plan review for non-structural enhancements is readily available for existing buildings when the total area is less than 3,000 square feet.
   
   Service by visit is offered on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 8:00 AM and 10:00 AM and can be organized by calling (805) 583-6723. Plan check is also readily available by consultation with the respective strategy checker.
   
   Standard strategy evaluation for tenant enhancements on existing buildings going beyond 3,000 square feet or "A" type tenancies such as restaurants will need a 10- to 15-business day reverse. Building licenses are not released up until all City staff and suitable firms have actually authorized the proposed plans.
   
   Permit Issuance and Construction
   
   Once construction strategies have actually been authorized and prior to beginning building and construction, a building license is released to the owner of the residential or commercial property or a certified specialist.
   
   When a license is issued to the residential or commercial property owner, the term of 'Owner/Builder' is referenced on the authorization. Building and Safety personnel will offer the 'Owner/Builder' with documents informing them of their duties and possible danger of having the license released in the Owner/Builder name.
   
   If the authorization is provided to a certified professional, the specialist will be required to offer proof of Worker's Compensation insurance. The professional needs to have a Service Tax Certificate in order to get the authorization. In addition, insurance must be maintained throughout the construction period per policies of the California Labor Code.
   
   Larger tasks will require a pre-construction conference. A pre-construction meeting normally consists of Building and Safety assessment and engineering personnel in addition to the project's superintendent. The meeting offers a chance to examine amount of time, construction requirements, and the City examination process.
   
   Please note that it is very important to arrange all of the necessary structure inspections in order to evaluate each stage of building and construction. It is the City inspector's job to ensure all work follows the approved strategies and all suitable State codes. The City inspector will not perform examinations unless it is scheduled by the contractor or project manager.
   
   Inspections can be set up for the next business day by calling (805) 583-6723 no later than 3:00 PM on the day preceding the examination.
   
   Occupancy
   
   The last phase of the tenant enhancement process includes getting last approvals from City departments and external firms involved with the job. Depending upon the type of service and scope of the job, you may need to obtain sign-off from the City's Planning Division and Public Works Department, in addition to the Ventura County Fire Department and Environmental Health Division.
   
   During the building procedure, the structure inspector will provide correction notices, informing the contractor or superintendent of products that do not fulfill building regulations requirements. All exceptional code requirements must be fixed prior to asking for the last inspection.
   
   Once building and construction is total, final inspections and sign-offs are gotten from both City departments and external companies, the City's Building Official will provide a Certificate of Occupancy. This legal file permits you to inhabit your new business area.
   
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