Approval!!

March 24 - Architect turned in the plans to our planning reviewer. But because we were changing the outer walls, we needed to submit the revisions to the third-party plan checker for approval. In addition, the building department requested that we get the water/gas department to sign off.

March 28 - Water/gas called our architect back. They had reviewed our project in February and had signed it off with minor red-mark conditions. But for some reason they could not find the approval on the project log. So our architect asked the guy in water/gas to send an email of his approval to the person in charge of coordination of our project.

Btw, the central project coordinator is a new thing in our city planning department! Hopefully it'll help streamline the approval process. :)

April 1 - Third-party plan checker called our architect to inform her that the revisions had been stamped and approved. Since our architect was going to be in the area, she saved us a trip by picking up our plans and delivering them to the city on her way home. When she submitted our plans, she was told that water/gas had approved of our project. So now all we had to wait for is the planning to get back to us!

April 5 - Was informed that we would have to wait the full three weeks for approval from planning. Better than the last time around when the turnaround was four weeks. Also, it's good that your hopes aren't up for an early approval.

April 13 - Approved by planning!!! This means the entire project is approved by the city! We can call our contractor and begin work!
:) :) :)