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California

Demolition Requirements

Demolition, Waste and Recycling Requirements: Building permits are required for any work involving the demolition or removal and relocation of any structures such as dwelling, garages, sheds, patio covers, pool or commercial or industrial buildings or structures. Additional requirements from the City and State are required for management of waste at the construction site.

Construction & Demolition Debris Recycling

Construction and Demolition Debris Recycling Requirements

According to the 2014 Disposal Facility-Based Characterization of Solid Waste in California, construction and demolition (C&D) materials are estimated to account for between 21.7 to 25.5 percent of the disposed waste stream.

Common C&D materials include lumber, drywall, metals, masonry (brick, concrete, etc.), carpet, plastic, pipe, rocks, dirt, paper, cardboard, or green waste related to land development. Many of these materials can be reused or recycled, thus prolonging our supply of natural resources and potentially saving money in the process. Of these, metals are the most commonly recycled material while lumber makes up the majority of debris that still goes to a landfill. Reducing waste can save you money, conserve energy and resources, and reduce air, soil, and water pollution. It is also required for certain types of projects in the City of Pinole.

Covered Projects

California Green Building Standards Code (CALGREEN) Waste Management Plan Requirements for construction and demolition projects include required diversion rates and triggers for “covered projects”. CALGREEN has a goal to divert 65-percent of all construction and demolition debris from the landfill. 

  • Residential: All newly constructed buildings, all demolition-only projects, all projects that increase conditioned area, volume, or size, all projects where the addition or alteration is 1,000 sq. ft. or larger, and/or all projects where the project valuation is $50,000 or greater, except re-roof-only projects. 
  • Non-residential: All projects. 

Waste Management Plan Requirements

Applicants with “covered projects” are required to submit a Waste Management Plan to the Building Division online using the City’s waste tracking system (Green Halo Systems).  You will need to create an account if you haven’t yet done so. 

See the “Waste Management Plan (Green Halo)” tab for more information.

Hauling Construction Waste

There are two options for removal of construction waste from the jobsite:

  • Secure debris box service with the City’s franchised waste hauler, Republic Services, OR 
  • Self-haul, using your own employees, vehicles and equipment to approved recycling facilities 

Recycling Documentation and Receipts

At the end of the project, before you call in for a final building inspection, you need to provide the Debris Disposal & Diversion Report done through Green Halo. You will also need to submit recycling receipts for final approval.

Demolition Permits

Demolition Permits

Building permits are required for any work involving the demolition or removal and relocation of any structures such as dwelling, garages, sheds, patio covers, pool or commercial or industrial buildings or structures.

Document Submittal Requirements

Drawings

The Cover Sheet must list all applicable codes and a contain a description and scope of work.

A site plan, minimum of 18″x24″ is required, containing the following information:

  1. Parcel lines, including property lines and any easements
  2. All structures to remain and/or to be demolished, each clearly noted
  3. All walkways, driveways, etc, to remain or to be demolished, each clearly noted
  4. All trees to remain and/or to be demolished with canopy, species and caliper size clearly noted and the proposed method of preservation for trees to be preserved.
    • Please note: Proposed tree removal may require additional information, and a Tree Removal Permit from the Planning Division
  5. Any hazardous materials
  6. Any water wells
  7. Any septic tanks
  8. All utilities, including gas, electrical and water lines

All electronic documents in PDF form are required; no paper documents are accepted. A Design Professional is required to sign all documents.

Notification/Clearance Letters

One electronic set of all applicable clearance letters is required:

Green Halo

Register with the City’s Green Halo system to track waste and recycling. Green Halo is a free web-based service for waste diversion and recycling tracking. Through Green Halo, applicants can establish, monitor, and document their waste management plan and compliance online.

Green Halo tracks the City’s construction and demolition debris diversion rate from the landfill and carbon footprint savings. As of September 1, 2022 all construction projects in Pinole must track their waste diversion using the Green Halo system. 

Other Required Documents

  1. Building Permit Application. Learn more about applying for a building permit.
  2. Planning Application (if applicable; learn more by emailing PlanningQuestions@pinole.gov)
  3. Encroachment Permit for work in the right-of-way (if applicable; learn more by contacting Public Works at 510-741-2065 or email encroach@pinole.gov)
  4. Grading Permit (if applicable; learn more by contacting Public Works at 510-741-2065 or email encroach@ci.pinole.ca.us)
  5. Hazardous Material Disclosure Statement (AB3205) with Signature from the Property Owner
  6. Pre-Construction Waste Handling Plan
  7. Use Declaration Statement (Convey Parcel Use Post Demolition)
  8. Fire Department Live Training Exercise Agreement
  9. Statement of Storm water Pollution Prevention
  10. PCB Report (as required per 15.60 of the Municipal Code)
Waste Management Plan (Green Halo)

Waste Management Plan (Green Halo)

Green Halo is a web-based service for waste diversion and recycling tracking. Through Green Halo, applicants can establish, monitor, and document their waste management plan and compliance online at no-cost. Green Halo tracks the City’s construction and demolition debris diversion rate from the landfill and carbon footprint savings. As of September 1, 2022 all construction projects in Pinole must track their waste diversion using the Green Halo system. 

Get Started with Pinole Green Halo

  • Prior to demolition or hauling, make an account at (https://pinole.wastetracking.com/). Verify and activate your account by via email activation link.
  • Go to “Settings” “Facilities List” to check if the recycling facility is on our approved list. If the facility is not on the City of Pinole approved list, we will not accept the receipts / tickets.
    • If you cannot access this list, please call Green Halo directly at 1-888-525-1301.
  • Recycling Facility must recycle 65% or more of the waste materials. Please contact the facilities directly prior to disposal and check if they meet the 65% diversion rate.

Using Green Halo

When dropping off your waste at the facility, ensure your receipts / tickets have the following information, otherwise they will not be approved and your deposit will not be refunded:

  • Recycling Type must state: “C&D” (ie “MSW” is not accepted)

  • Origin of work must state: “Pinole”. If ticket or reports state other jurisdictions, they will not be accepted.

  • Facility must be on approved list for material type (needs to meet 65% diversion rate). Other facilities will not be accepted.
  • Enter information needed (address, tons, materials, etc.)
  • Keep all the receipts / tickets / reports from the recycling facility.
  • Upload/Scan to your Green Halo account and reference them to your Project / Permit #.

Upon Completion of the Project

  • Prior to the final inspection of a grading, demolition, and/or building permit and within 30 days after project completion, the applicant shall submit their WMP Summary to the City through Green Halo for final review.
    • The goal of the final review is to provide documentation to the City showing that the diversion requirement has been met.
    • Please note that ALL RECEIPTS for the project shall be submitted.
  • Provide any additional information the applicant believes is relevant to determining its efforts to comply in good faith with the diversion requirement.
  • Through Green Halo, the City will review the WMP and documentation noted above and a determination will be made if the applicant has complied with the diversion requirement as follows:
    • Full compliance – If the applicant has fully complied with the diversion requirement.
    • Noncompliance – If the City determines that the applicant has not complied with the diversion requirement, the City may withhold final project approval until full compliance can be established.
  • No hold on final shall be released, until the Waste Management Plan’s Summary has been provided to and approved by the City as either full compliance or good faith effort to comply

Good to Know

  • The applicant and property owner are responsible for the actions of their contractors or other agents with regard to the diversion requirement. Facilities certified through Green Halo for processing recycled materials may also process landfilled waste.
  • The applicant is responsible for indicating to facility personnel the submitted materials should be recycled.
  • Before leaving the facility, the applicant should verify the ticket lists the correct recycled material (e.g. “Mixed C&D”).
  • If the facility ticket lists “MSW” (Municipal Solid Waste), this means the materials were landfilled. In this case, there is a 0% diversion rate and no credit for recycling will be applied.
Residential Pool Demolition/Fill-In

Residential Pool Demolition/Fill-In

The California Building Code requires a building permit to be obtained prior to the removal, and/or demolition of any structure, including swimming pools. This includes removing existing pools or filling them with fill material

. There are two options for demolishing or filling in a pool: an Engineered Fill or an Uncertified Fill.

Requirements for Demolition/Filling of a Pool

Option 1: Engineered Fill

The applicant may retain a civil or geotechnical engineer to supervise the filling and compaction of the fill material per the California Building Code. The engineer shall provide a report to the City prior to the final inspection, as to observation of fill, compaction and general site drainage conditions after final grading. If the site will be considered for a structure to be place on it at a later date, this is the option that should be used.

The following also applies:

  • The natural gas line and water service serving the pool and pool equipment must be capped off with an approved fitting.
  • The electrical wiring serving the pool equipment including the breaker in the electrical panel shall be removed.

Option 2: Uncertified Fill

Swimming pools may be filled with “clean fill” if a covenant for restricted use is recorded with the County. Clean fill is uncontaminated, non-water-soluble, non-decomposable inert solid material. The term includes clean soil, rock, gravel, sand, stone, dredged material, used asphalt, and brick, block or concrete from construction and demolition activities that is separate from other waste and recognizable as such.

The following also applies:

  • Materials which have been painted are not allowed.
  • A receipt is acceptable for documenting the source of the clean fill obtained from off site. The natural gas line and water service serving the pool and pool equipment must be capped off with an approved fitting.
  • The electrical wiring serving the pool equipment including the breaker in the electrical panel shall be removed.
  • Identification of Buildable Areas
    • Non-buildable Area: if the post demolition area is to become a non-buildable area, delineate the non-buildable area on the plot plan.
    • Buildable Area: if the post demolition area is to become buildable, you must provide the following two items:
      • A demolition, drainage and compaction plan prepared and wet-stamped by a State Licensed Engineer
      • A completed special inspection form that designates the supervising Engineer or Special Inspection Agency that will both conduct the backfill compaction operation and provide a compaction report to the Building Division declaring the abated area as buildable.
  • A covenant will be required to be placed on the property and recorded with the County for a “Covenant Restricted Use Area Maintenance of Uncertified Fill.”
    • This document is to be prepared by the applicant (see Sample Pool Demo restrictions pdf )
      • signed by the property owner(s) and notarized
      • before it is recorded with the Contra Costa County Recorder’s Office at:
      • The applicant is responsible for recording the document and providing a copy of the recordation to the City prior to a Final of the permit.