Jurisdiction: City of Del Mar only. Carmel Valley and Del Mar Heights follow City of San Diego procedures; see Carmel Valley and Del Mar Heights.
This is general guidance, not legal advice. The City determines what applies to each project, and we don’t predict outcomes or timelines.
The order of things
The City of Del Mar’s Building Services page explains that plans must be reviewed and approved by Planning before a building permit is issued. Building plan review and inspections are then provided through a contracted building-services provider. So the Planning step comes first in any project that needs both.
The Local Coastal Program
Del Mar lies entirely within the Coastal Zone and administers its own coastal permits under a certified Local Coastal Program. The Land Use Plan was certified on March 18, 1993, and the implementing ordinances on September 11, 2001. Under the Municipal Code (Chapter 30.75), coastal development permits are issued by the Planning Commission, the Design Review Board, or the Planning Director, depending on the nature of the project.
Applications you may encounter
The City lists these among its development applications:
- Design Review Board (DRB). For projects that require design review, commonly those that change a building’s exterior, massing, or site.
- Coastal Development Permit. For development within the Coastal Zone, which is the entire city.
- Floodplain Development Permit. For work in the City’s mapped floodplain areas, including North Beach. See North Beach flood-zone questions.
- Land Conservation Permit. Another application the City lists; Planning will tell you whether your project needs one.
A foundation repair that doesn’t alter the exterior may involve few of these. A repair combined with an addition, a new retaining wall on a slope, or work near a bluff may involve several.
Hazard rules that shape review
Per the County’s 2023 hazard annex, the City’s program:
- Prohibits development within the floodway, wetlands, public beach, and within 40 feet of a coastal bluff edge.
- Requires real-estate disclosure for properties in the Floodplain Overlay and Coastal Bluff Overlay.
How these rules apply to a particular repair is for the City to determine. See bluff and hillside homes.
Our part before Planning sees it
Before anything is drawn, we look up which overlays and mapped hazards touch the address. The written scope then says plainly what is repair, what is replacement, and what, if anything, is new, because those words shape which reviews follow. Plans, calculations, and the geotechnical reports the City will expect come from licensed professionals; we coordinate with licensed engineers as needed. If an architect is leading a renovation, our foundation scope is fitted into their submittal rather than run alongside it. Photographs and measurements of the house as it stands round out the record.
Nothing is filed without your say-so.
Design sensitivity during construction
Del Mar values its character. Even when a project doesn’t require Design Review, we protect mature landscaping, keep staging compact, restore disturbed surfaces, and schedule with neighbors in mind.
Seawalls and bluff work
Shoreline and bluff structures bring several layers together: coastal permits, the bluff-edge rule, and statewide Coastal Act standards. See bluff stabilization and seawall work.
Owner questions
Does replacing a failed footing require Design Review?
Usually not, if the exterior doesn’t change, but Planning makes that determination. We’ll prepare the scope so the question is easy to answer.
Who issues our coastal permit, the City or the Coastal Commission?
For most projects in Del Mar, the City issues coastal permits under its certified program. Specific circumstances vary, so confirm with Planning.
Can structural work start before Planning approval?
Generally not for work that requires a permit. Emergency situations are handled differently; contact the City.
Our architect is handling Design Review. What do you contribute?
Foundation scope, engineering coordination, constructability input, and the existing-condition record.
Arrange a Free Quote
A short description of the house and what you have in mind is enough. The review path we expect is set out alongside our assessment; cost considerations are covered in what affects foundation repair cost.