Addition/Alteration -- an extension or increase of floor area or building height or any change or modification in construction or occupancy.

Board of Adjustment -- an appointed board of seven members who hear and decide the approval of use permits and variances.

Bonded Charge Account -- a charge account set up for residential mechanical, electrical, and plumbing contractors to request permits over the phone and be billed monthly.

Code Amendments -- amendments to the building, mechanical, electrical and plumbing codes; adopted by city council.

Contractor's Affidavit -- a form required for all building safety permits issued.

Correction Notice -- an inspection report stating items which were not built to approved plans or code and which need to be corrected prior to further inspections or construction progress.

Design Review Board -- an appointed board of seven members who hear and decide the approval of exterior building elevation and landscape designs.

Engineering -- division responsible for city projects as well as private projects that might encroach into city right of ways.

Engineering Clearance -- an inspection clearance from the Engineering Division of Public Works is required prior to issuance of a certificate of occupancy on some projects. You will be advised if your project requires an engineering clearance.

Inspection Record -- the card you receive with your building permit. The inspector will sign off on the inspection card each time an inspection is approved.

Legal Description -- a description of a parcel of land by recorded tract and lot number.

MEP -- mechanical, electrical, plumbing.

Neighborhood Enhancement - a division within the Community Development Department that enforces residential zoning, nuisance, rental housing, and housing complaints.

Notice to Comply -- a legal notice citing non-compliance with zoning, housing and/or building codes.

Off-sites -- work done in a public right of way for a private project.

Planning & Zoning -- division responsible for overseeing growth and land use.

Planning & Zoning Clearance -- an inspection clearance from the planning division that is required prior to issuance of a certificate of occupancy on some projects. You will be advised if your project requires a planning and zoning clearance.

Parcel Number -- a number assigned to each parcel of land by the county assessor. 

Permit Number -- can be building, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire, water, paving, refuse, grading or drainage (among others); permit number is found in the upper right hand corner of the permit.

Plan Check -- the process of reviewing plans, specs, and calcs to verify compliance with building, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, zoning and/or fire codes.

Plot Plan -- a plat of a lot, drawn to scale, showing the actual measurement, size and location of any existing building(s) in relation to the lot lines.

Red-lines -- applicant plans with red marks which indicate items found to be in non-compliance with codes.

Re-submittal -- plans which are resubmitted for plan review with red-line items corrected and all items in plan check report addressed.

Revisions -- changes made to approved plans after a permit has been issued.

Set-backs -- the minimum required distance between the property line and the building line. 

Site Plan -- a plan which outlines the use and development of any tract of land.

Standard -- plans which will be used for several buildings or structures at different locations.

Tenant Improvement -- changes to the interior of a commercial building that do not add square footage.

Tracking Number -- number assigned to all new projects when submitted to Development Services.

Utility Clearances -- clearance called into utility companies when projects have received final inspection approval.

Variance -- process used to waive specific regulations of the Zoning & Development Code.