Public vs Private Design and Permitting
Public vs Private Design and Permitting
(OP)
Have a question on requirements for private development design. Public design and permitting is pretty straight forwarded as there are design standards and procedures set forth that need to be followed. Private development seeems a little more vauge.
Let say you are designing a Home Depot in the City of Seattle. Do you normally need to follow the utiltiy design standards set forth by the local jurisdictions or does it follow the building code? Does the local jurisdiction normally take ownership over the utilities for maintenance purposes?
Let say you are designing a Home Depot in the City of Seattle. Do you normally need to follow the utiltiy design standards set forth by the local jurisdictions or does it follow the building code? Does the local jurisdiction normally take ownership over the utilities for maintenance purposes?





RE: Public vs Private Design and Permitting
Richard A. Cornelius, P.E.
WWW.amlinereast.com
RE: Public vs Private Design and Permitting
I'm not sure about Seattle. In my area, the utility owns and maintains the transformer, meter, and everything upstream of the tranfsormer for a building like a big-box retailer. The secondary service drop or lateral from the transformer to the main disconnect(s), and of course, everything in the building, belongs to the building owner. However, the building electrical contractor generally installs all the underground raceways for the utility's primary (if applicable) at the time of site preparation, according to utility standards.
Wait and see what others have to say. My geographic experience is limited to a few states in the southeast US.
Best to you,
Goober Dave
Haven't see the forum policies? Do so now: Forum Policies
RE: Public vs Private Design and Permitting
Best to you,
Goober Dave
Haven't see the forum policies? Do so now: Forum Policies
RE: Public vs Private Design and Permitting
However, the municipality may be the Owner, the Utility, or the Utility Customer depending on how the government is organized in the particular locale. There may be different Departments of the municipality responsible for different areas.
For electrical codes, there is a separate design code for electric utility distribution systems and the NEC Code is used for the rest of the electrical work.
The difference is mainly in the contruction process and the speed of the project, not so much the basic design. Because the municipal construction process includes public bidding, the design documents are required to be more documented and thorough.
RE: Public vs Private Design and Permitting
water and sewer lines on private property are generally handled by the building code and are not maintained by a city
gas, electric lines are public up to the meter and may be in an easement. they are maintained up to the meter
permits are required and standards set by the agency issuing the permits
RE: Public vs Private Design and Permitting
RE: Public vs Private Design and Permitting
On private property those utilities are owned and maintained by the property owner. Design on private property is governed by Uniform Building Code. In our office we use the more stringent criteria, as long as cost is not a factor.
RE: Public vs Private Design and Permitting
Anyone have any comments on when specs are needed?
RE: Public vs Private Design and Permitting
On the private side, the Owner has significantly more leeway in selecting the Contractor and as well as control of the project.
The extent of the specification is dependent on the scope and complexity of the project.
RE: Public vs Private Design and Permitting
As you said Martin, I have found that construction/material related specifications are redundant, often duplicating what is already stated in the local (utility/road/drainage) standards and/or our construction plans.
But the specifications that define "non-construction-related" items such as contract terms, payment terms, insurance requirements, indemnification clauses, etc. are important to the overall bidding and construction process. From my experience when public bids are released, they put all of this information in the bid package.
On private jobs, very often the potential contractors are handed our bid schedule and construction plans and they do not negotiate all of the "non-construction-related" items until the owner selects a contractor - very often the owner uses their attorney and we (the engineer) are not privy to these negotiations.
RE: Public vs Private Design and Permitting
On municipal projects, the specification book is actually the Contract document. The other supporting documents to the Contract such as the contract drawings should be listed in the specification book.
In addition, the standard specifications that you reference are all subject to periodic revisions. What happens if you submit a bid and the standard specification is subsequently revised? If you have the specification in the Contract, there will be no arguements as to what is the latest specification.
The standard specifications that you mention are not published by the particular municipalities and the municipalities have no control over the specifications. The standard specifications may be revised or withdrawn at any time.