Published on April 10, 2025
The Permit Center had significant growth in 2024! The permit center includes community development, current planning, fire prevention, development engineering, code enforcement and small business support.
Permit Center in 2024
A variety of activities take place at the Permit Center, including application processing, plan reviews, permitting, and inspections. In 2024, the volume of activity at the Permit Center exceeded expectations. Over the past year, we observed an increase in workload across most service areas:
Residential permits constituted 80% of total applications and 78% of all inspections. Furthermore, applications and permits for Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) continued to rise, representing 39% of all inspections.
The permit center serves as a direct link to the community and prioritizes exceptional customer service. Staff members have engaged in service training aimed at enhancing customer service techniques, which remains a continuous priority.
In addition to the increase in the number of applications, projects are becoming more complex, meaning they are bigger projects, including large distribution warehouse, commercial medical office buildings, multifamily, residential and several City facilities. In 2024, the construction valuation of submitted applications exceeded $565.3 million, marking a 500% increase from 2023. Additionally, fees collected saw an almost 300% rise year over year, increasing from $1.38 million to $4 million. This substantial growth in valuation and fees is primarily attributed to these major projects.
2024 Major Projects
36-unit 100% Affordable Senior Housing Project
14 lot subdivision at John and Abbott Street
437 lot Tentative Subdivision Map in Central Area Specific Plan
Kaiser Permanente Medical Offices
3.5 million sq. ft. Amazon Fulfillment Center
Closter Park Improvements
Hebbron Family Center
Raising Cane’s Restaurant
Palma High School, Gym Remodel and New Athletic Field House
The permit center anticipates exponential growth. The City of Salinas is embarking on a comprehensive update to its Zoning Code, which has the potential to significantly shape the city’s growth and the operations of the Community Development Department.