Article 3 Approval of Drawings and Specifications

(a) General. Before awarding a contract or commencing with construction of a school building project, the school board shall submit an application to the Division of the State Architect and obtain written approval of the plans and specifications for any of the following:

1. The construction of any new school building, or rehabilitation of or addition to any existing school building. School building is defined in Section 4-314.
2. The reconstruction or alteration of an existing school building if the estimated cost exceeds $25,000. (See Section 4-308 and 4-309.)

3. The lease or purchase of any relocatable building except where occupied as a temporary-use community college building.

   Exception: The school board may award a contract and commence construction of a “relocatable building” for emergency housing in compliance with 4-302(b).

4. The rehabilitation of a nonschool building to use as a “school building.” (See Sections 4-306 and 4-307.)

It is not necessary to secure approval for maintenance work on school buildings, in accordance with Sections 4-308 and 4-309. See Section 4-314 for the definition of “maintenance.”

(b) Filing. A separate application shall be submitted to DSA for each school building or group of school buildings on each school site. The application shall be submitted on a form prescribed by DSA. The application shall contain a project name for the school building or group of buildings, the name of the architect or registered engineer in general responsible charge of the work, the names of the architects or registered engineers who have been delegated responsibility for portions of the work (see Section 4-316), the estimated cost of the project and all such other information as is requested thereon.

(c) Delayed filing. In case the plans and specifications for the reconstruction or alteration of any school building have not been submitted to DSA under the assumption that the cost will not exceed $25,000, the school board shall, if the bids which are received indicate that the cost will be in excess of $25,000, delay letting a contract until such time as the plans and specifications have been submitted and the approval by DSA obtained. The contract or contracts, when made, shall be based on the duly approved plans and specifications.

Authority: Education Code Sections 17310 and 81142.

Reference: Education Code Sections 17295, 17297, 17302, 81133 and 81138.

HISTORY:

1. (OSA/SS 1/92) Regular order by the Office of the State Architect/ Structural Safety Section to amend Section 4-315, Part 1, Title 24, C.C.R. Filed with the Secretary of State on December 15, 1992; effective July 1, 1993. Approved by the California Building Standards Commission on December 9, 1992.

(a) General responsible charge. For every project there shall be an architect or structural engineer in general responsible charge of the preparation of the plans, specifications and observation of the work of construction.

Exception: Where the plans, specifications or work of construction for alterations or repairs do not involve architectural or structural changes, the said plans, specifications and observation of the work of construction may be under the responsible charge of a professional engineer qualified to perform services and registered in that branch of engineering applicable to the work.

A project may be divided into parts, provided that each part is clearly defined by a building or similar distinct unit. The part, so defined, shall include all portions and utility systems or facilities necessary to the complete functioning of that part.

(b) Delegation of responsibility. The architect or structural engineer in general responsible charge may delegate responsibility for any portion of the preparation of the plans, specifications and observation of the work of construction, or may employ or retain, other architects or registered engineers. No delegation to, or employment or retention of others shall be construed as relieving the architect or structural engineer in general responsible charge of his or her rights, duties and responsibilities under Sections 17302 and 81138 of the Education Code and Sections 4-336, 4-341 and 4-344 of these regulations.

Subject to the provisions of the immediately precedent sentence, the architect or structural engineer in general responsible charge may employ or retain, under his or her supervision, professional engineers registered in the applicable branches of engineering to design and observe the construction, including the making of verified reports (see Section 4-336).

(c) Assumption of responsibility. The architect or registered engineer who has been delegated responsibility becomes the “responsible design professional” for that delegated portion of the work. Any design professional delegated responsibility for any portion of the work shall perform the duties prescribed in Section 4-341(c). Any design professional delegated responsibility for any portion of the observation of construction shall perform the duties prescribed in Section 4-341(f).

When an architect or registered engineer accepts the responsibility for completion of a project or portion of a project started by another, that architect or registered engineer thereby assumes responsibility as follows:

1. If the change in responsibility occurs prior to the approval of the design documents, all responsibility shall be assumed. (See first paragraph of this subsection for procedure.)
2. If the change in responsibility occurs after the design drawings and specifications have been approved by DSA, the assuming architect or registered engineer shall be responsible for the construction of the project in accordance with the design of the previous architect or engineer. The assuming architect or registered engineer shall assume responsibility for the interpretation of and any necessary amplification of the plans and specifications and shall stamp and sign any such documents prepared for that purpose.

(d) Acceptance of responsibility. The assumption of general responsible charge or of delegated responsibility shall be established by the following:

1. Acceptance as architect or registered engineer in general responsible charge for the preparation of the plans, specifications, and observation of the work of construction shall be reported using the form(s) prescribed by DSA.
2. Acceptance as the responsible design professional to whom portions of the preparation of the plans and specifications has been delegated shall be reported using form(s) prescribed by DSA.
3. Acceptance as the responsible design professional to whom portions of the observation of work of construction has been delegated shall be reported using form(s) prescribed by DSA. Any change in the assumption of the general responsible charge or of delegated responsibility shall be reported using the form(s) prescribed by DSA. If no form is available for a specific delegation or change, the delegation of responsibility shall be reported in letter form, which shall include an indication that the school board has been notified.

(e) Alternates. The applicant, or the architect or registered engineer having general or delegated responsibility, may name one or more persons to act as alternate(s) for the design and/or observation of the work of construction, provided such persons are architects or registered engineers who themselves are qualified under these rules and regulations to assume the responsibility assigned.

Alternates shall be named on a form prescribed by DSA, or if no form is available, reported in letter form. Letters or forms shall be submitted to DSA prior to performance of work by the alternate and shall include an indication that the school board has been notified.

Authority: Education Code Sections 17310 and 81142.

Reference: Education Code Sections 17302 and 81138.

HISTORY:

1. (OSA/SS 1/92) Regular order by the Office of the State Architect/ Structural Safety Section to amend Section 4-316, Part l, Title 24, C.C.R. Filed with the Secretary of State on December 15, 1992; effective July 1, 1993. Approved by the California Building Standards Commission on December 9, 1992.

(a) General. When an application for approval of plans and specifications is filed, it shall be accompanied by three complete sets of the plans and specifications, a copy of the structural design calculations, the site data and a fee payment calculated on the estimated cost. The three complete sets of plans and specifications include the set required by Section 5-103 of Title 24, Part 1, California Code of Regulations. (See Section 4-320.)

Exception: DSA may require than an application for projects using the collaborative process for project review per Education Code Section 17319 or 81133.1 be accompanied by the filing fees per Sections 4-320 and 5-104. The deadline for submittal of completed plans, specifications and supporting documentation shall be determined by DSA in consultation with the applicant, and shall not exceed 18 months from the application date. Failure to comply with the established deadline may result in voidance of the application.

Plans and specifications which when submitted are determined, through initial plan check, by DSA to be incomplete or incorrect, shall be returned to the architect or engineer in general responsible charge with a request for compliance with these regulations before detailed plan checking commences.

(b) Plans. Plans shall designate the use or occupancy of all parts of the school buildings and shall give such other information as may be required to indicate the nature of the work proposed and to show compliance with the act and these regulations. The plans shall be legible and sufficiently detailed and cross-referenced to show clearly the pertinent features of the construction, and shall have sufficient dimensions to be readily interpreted. Where a project includes several school buildings, the plans for each shall be drawn independently except that details common to all need not be repeated.

The architect or engineer in general responsible charge or the professional engineer delegated responsibility for the design of the structural system of the project shall design and detail the anchorage and bracing of nonstructural elements. The details for the bracing and anchorage of nonstructural elements shall be shown and cross-referenced on the drawings.

(c) Specifications. Specifications shall completely set forth the requirements for the various types of materials that will enter into permanent construction and shall describe the methods not covered in the technical regulations which are to be used to obtain the required quality of the work shown on the plans as described in the specifications.

Due to the difficulty of anticipating every unsatisfactory condition that might be found in existing construction where addition, alteration, rehabilitation or reconstruction work is proposed, the following clause or one of similar meaning shall be included in the specifications:

“Should any existing conditions such as deterioration or non-complying construction be discovered which is not covered by the DSA approved documents wherein the finished work will not comply with Title 24, California Code of Regulations, a construction change document, or a separate set of plans and specifications, detailing and specifying the required repair work shall be submitted to and approved by DSA before proceeding with the repair work.”

(d) Design calculations. Calculations, stress diagrams and other pertinent data shall accompany the plans and specifications and shall be sufficiently complete so that capacities for individual structural members and their connections can be verified without additional calculations. All assumptions used in the calculations and their bases shall be stated. The calculations shall be prefaced by a statement clearly and concisely outlining the basis for the structural design and indicating the manner in which the proposed school building will resist vertical loads and horizontal forces.

The calculations shall be sufficiently complete to establish that the structure will resist the loads and forces prescribed in Part 2, Title 24, C.C.R. Assumed safe bearing pressures on soils and specified strengths of concrete shall be given in calculations and noted on plans. Where unusual conditions occur, such additional data as are pertinent to the work shall be submitted.

(e) Site data. Site data for all school sites shall include a geotechnical engineering report including subsurface site work, laboratory testing, an evaluation of site soil conditions, a recommendation for the type of foundations to be used and an allowable design value for the soil-bearing capacity.

A geologic and earthquake hazard report shall be submitted with the application for all new school sites, and for all construction on existing school sites located in a Seismic Hazard Zone, an Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zone, or in a seismic hazard zone designated in the Safety Element of a Local General Plan. DSA may require a geologic and earthquake hazard study for any construction on a school site outside of the boundaries of any geologic hazard zone where a potential geologic hazard has been previously identified.

Reports shall be prepared, and signed by a California-certified engineering geologist and a California-registered geo-technical engineer. Geologic hazard reports shall include an evaluation of the potential for damage due to flooding.

No school building shall be constructed, rehabilitated, reconstructed or relocated within 50 feet of the trace of an active fault, which has experienced surface displacement within Holocene time (approximately 11,000 years).

(f) Estimates of cost. Estimates of cost shall be based on the cost prevailing at the time the plans and specifications are submitted to DSA. The estimated cost of a project shall be increased as necessary to include the estimated cost of every alternate building or portion thereof shown on the plans or specifications as if each alternate building and portion were to be constructed separately and simultaneously.

For projects using the collaborative process for project review per Education Code Section 17319 or 81133.1, the estimated cost of the project shall be based on the cost prevailing at the time that the application is submitted. Upon submittal of complete plans and specifications, DSA may require the applicant to revise the estimated cost based on prevailing costs at that time. If the estimated cost has increased, the applicant shall submit additional filing fees based on the revised estimated cost.

When a contract amount, or the cumulative total of two or more contract amounts, exceeds the estimated cost by more than 30 percent, the estimated cost may be revised. An additional fee, if required, based on the revised estimated cost of the revision shall be paid before proceeding with the work. When the actual cost of constructing all the work shown on the approved plans is less than 70 percent of the estimated cost, a refund of overpaid fees may be claimed. (See Section 4-322 for actual cost and Section 4-325 for billing for further fees.)

(g) Deferred submittals. Only where a portion of the construction cannot be adequately detailed on the approved plans because of variations in product design and/or manufacturer, the approval of plans for such portion, when specifically accepted by DSA, may be deferred until the material suppliers are selected, provided the following conditions are met:

1. The project plans clearly indicate that DSA approval of the deferred submittal is required for the indicated portions of the work prior to fabrication and installation.
2. The project plans and specifications adequately describe the performance and loading criteria for such work.
3. A California licensed architect or California registered engineer stamps and signs the plans and specifications for the deferred submittal item. The architect or engineer in general responsible charge of the design of the project shall submit the plans and specifications for the deferred submittal item to DSA, with notation indicating that the deferred submittal documents have been found to be in general conformance with the design of the building.
4. Fabrication of deferred submittal items shall not begin without first obtaining the approval of deferred portions of the plans and specifications by DSA.

(h) Signatures required. The original signature sheet for the specifications and all plans, submitted for approval shall bear the stamp and signature of the architect or professional engineer in general responsible charge of the design of the project.

When responsibility for a portion of the work has been delegated, the plans and the original cover sheet for the specifications covering that portion of the design shall bear the signature and stamp of the responsible professional engineer or architect to whom the work has been delegated as well as that of the architect or engineer in general responsible charge. As an option, the architect or engineer in general responsible charge may sign the documents with notation indicating that the documents have been coordinated with the design documents and found to be in general conformance with the design.

Authority: Education Code Sections 17310 and 81142.

Reference: Education Code Sections 17299, 17212, 17212.5, 17319, 81133.1, 81135 and 81033.

HISTORY:

1. (OSA/SS 1/92) Regular order by the Office of the State Architect/ Structural Safety Section to amend Section 4-317, Part 1, Title 24, C.C.R. Filed with the Secretary of State on December 15, 1992; effective July 1, 1993. Approved by the California Building Standards Commission on December 9, 1992.

(a) General. After DSA has completed its check of the documents submitted with the application, the checked prints of the plans and specifications, with the items marked for corrections and/or requests for additional information noted thereon, shall be returned to the architect or registered engineer in general responsible charge. When plans and/or specifications require extensive corrections, a corrected set of prints of the plans and specifications shall be submitted for review if requested by DSA.

When the requested corrections have been made and/or the additional information has been provided by the architect or registered engineer in general responsible charge, an employee representative shall return the check set of plans and specifications along with the original plan tracings, the corrected specification pages and specification master cover sheet to DSA for backchecking. The backcheck is a comparison of the corrected plans and specifications with the check set of plans and specifications and shall be accomplished by either a conference between a knowledgeable employee representative or the architect or registered engineer in general responsible charge and the checking engineer, or by mail in the case of minor corrections to which all parties have agreed.

Changes in plans and specifications, other than changes necessary for correction, made after submission for approval, shall be brought to the attention of DSA in writing or by submission of revised plans identifying those changes clearly at the time of back-checking. Failure to give such notice may result in the voidance of any subsequent approval given to the plans and specifications.

All requested corrections shall be made, additional requested information furnished or original design justified prior to or at the time of the backcheck. When DSA deems that the corrected plans and specifications comply with these regulations and those parts of Title 24, CCR, that pertain to public school construction, DSA shall place its stamp on the reproducible sheets of drawings and master cover sheet of the specifications. The stamped drawings and specifications will be temporarily retained by DSA so that a record set can be created. DSA may direct the school district to create portions of the record set, and DSA may charge a fee to the school district to recover the costs of creating the record set.

(b) Approval of application. DSA shall issue to the school district written approval of the application for the project within five working days of stamping the approved plans and specifications. This written approval shall constitute the “written approval of the plans, as to safety of design and construction” required by Sections 17297 and 81134, Education Code, before letting a contract for any construction. (See Section 4-330 for construction time limitations.)

(c) Voidance of application. Any change, erasure, alteration or modification of any plans or specification bearing the stamp of DSA may result in voidance of the approval of the application. However, the “written approval of plans” may be extended by DSA to include revised plans and specifications after documents are submitted for review and approved. (See Section 4-323 for revised plans and Section 4-338 for addenda and construction changes.)

The procedures leading to written approval of plans shall be carried to conclusion without suspension or unnecessary delay. At the discretion of DSA, the entire application may be voided where either (1) prints from corrected plans or corrected original plans are not filed for backcheck within 6 months after the date of return of checked plans to the architect or engineer, or (2) at the discretion of DSA, any remaining unapproved increment(s) of the application may be voided when more than six months have elapsed since the last approval of an increment has been issued, and subsequent incremental plans and specifications have not been received by DSA for checking.

For voided applications, upon request by the school district, 30 percent of the total structural portion of the fee will be refunded; however, no refund will be allowed for projects upon which only the minimum fee has been paid, or upon which only an increment was voided.

Authority: Education Code Sections 17310 and 81142.

Reference: Education Code Sections 17295, 17297, 17307, 81133 and 81134.

HISTORY:

1. (OSA/SS 1/92) Regular order by the Office of the State Architect/ Structural Safety Section to amend Section 4-318, Part 1, Title 24, C.C.R. Filed with the Secretary of State on December 15, 1992; effective July 1, 1993. Approved by the California Building Standards Commission on December 9, 1992.

If a request is made by the school board for the cancellation or withdrawal of the application and return of the plans and specifications, together with the paid fee, it will be granted only when the check of plans and specifications has not actually started. If the checking of plans and specifications has started, 30 percent of the total structural fee will be refunded or applied to a new application for the same project.

No refund will be allowed for projects upon which only the minimum fee has been paid. No refund will be allowed after a contract has been let for any portion of the work except as provided by Section 4-317(f).

For projects using the collaborative process for project review per Education Code Section 17319 or 81133.1, if the project is voided by DSA or a request by the applicant is made to withdraw the application prior to submittal of completed plans and specifications, filing fees minus costs incurred by DSA will be refunded.

Authority: Education Code Sections 17310 and 81142.

Reference: Education Code Sections 17295, 17300, 81133 and 81136.

HISTORY:

1. (OSA/SS 1/92) Regular order by the Office of the State Architect/ Structural Safety Section to amend Section 4-319, Part 1, Title 24, C.C.R. Filed with the Secretary of State on December 15, 1992; effective July 1, 1993. Approved by the California Building Standards Commission on December 9, 1992.