Building & Construction Projects

Comments & Activities

Plan Review Comments

Standard Comments

Below are standard comments prepared and used by the HCAI Office of Statewide Hospital Planning and Development (OSHPD) Plan Checkers to assist in more efficient and consistent plan checks. Adobe Acrobat Reader is required for the portable document format (pdf) documents below.

Electrical Comments

Structural Comments

OSHPD 1
OSHPD 2

Reminder Lists

Plan Approval With Comments

On October 1, 1997, the HCAI Office of Statewide Hospital Planning and Development (OSHPD) in the Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI) began the “Approved with Comments” procedure.

This procedure is designed to:

  • Reduce plan review “turnaround” time.
  • Reduce the number of backchecks.
  • Reduce the time required to issue a Plan Approval Letter and a Building Permit.

Plan review and field staff are allowed to:

  • Conditionally approve plans with comments marked on the plans and specifications.
  • Determine which type of comments to mark on the plans and specifications.
  • Incorporate comments into the approved documents. These comments cannot relate to the safety of construction or design.

After the documents are approved with comments, OSHPD issues a Plan Approval Letter and a conditional Building Permit. At a later date, a Compliance Officer, a Field Fire and Life Safety Officer, a District Structural Engineer, or an Office Plan Reviewer will review and clear all comments. This review can be done at the construction site, the OSHPD office, or the office of the Architect or Engineer of Record. The Architect or Engineer of Record is responsible for ensuring the approved documents with comments are available at the job site at all times. All comments must be cleared before construction can occur in the area relating to the comments. The Compliance Officer will not issue the 100% completion report unless all comments have been cleared.

Electronic Comment and Process Review (eCPR)

To enhance our customer service, OSHPD has implemented an electronic Comment and Process Review (eCPR), a dispute resolution and appeals process designed to promptly resolve issues between our clients and the Office. The Comment and Process Review provides a clear path to resolve problems whether they occur during our plan review services in the office or out on a construction site in the field. The eCPR process should also be used to promptly resolve issues concerning processes such as emergency, over‐the‐counter, and expedited reviews.

In January 2017 the Comment and Process Review appeals procedure was codified in the California Administrative Code, Section 7‐161. This new regulatory process includes timeframes and limitations for both the client submittal of the appeal and the Office’s response to the request. The process and the time limitations were incorporated into the eServices Portal with the creation of a new CPR record type. For the complete text of California Administrative Code, Section 7‐161, see Appendix B.

The eCPR process is the electronic vehicle that will be used to request, track and escalate the appeals, regardless of whether the eCPR is created by a client in eSP or is requested in writing using any other channel or instrument.

The eCPR process mirrors the Administrative Code; as such, the eCPR workflow consists of the following Four Levels of Review:

  • First Level Review (HCAI staff who made the decision, ruling, order, or act)
  • Second Level Review (Manager of first level person)
  • Third Level Review (Deputy Division Chief)
  • Fourth Level Review (Deputy Director)

As in the past, clients can initiate CPR by discussing the issue with the staff member who made the comment or enforced the process in question; this is the first level (Level 1) of the appropriate CPR Path. If the issue is not resolved at Level 1, clients have the option of proceeding to Level 2 – Supervisor or RCO. If the issue is not resolved at Level 2, clients have the option to proceed to Level 3 – the Deputy Division Chief. And if the issue is not resolved at Level 3, clients have the option to proceed to Level 4 – the Deputy Director. After Level 4, clients may appeal unresolved issues by requesting a formal hearing before the Hospital Building Safety Board pursuant to California Administrative Section 7‐163.

At each level, the Client’s appeal can be Accepted or Denied by the appropriate HCAI staff member. The appellant will receive an email with a Results Letter attachment stating reason(s) for the decision made on an appeal.

See the eCPR Submittal Procedure

Quality of Service Survey

HCAI OSHPD is trying to obtain candid and on-going feedback from its customers, and identifying any potential problems early in the process. To help us in doing so, we are asking that you complete this survey.

Whether you wish to call our attention to someone who provided extra special service or need to call attention to an area that needs improvement, this survey provides a way to let us know. The surveys will be reviewed and will be used to identify changes that might be needed to improve our service or to recognize staff that has met or exceeded your expectations.

Our goal at HCAI is to provide professional, efficient, courteous and helpful service to those we serve at all times. Your constructive evaluation of our performance will assist us in achieving our goal.

Thank you for taking the time to help us out.

Complete Survey