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• WHAT IS A REMANDMENT OF ACCESS RIGHTS (REMANDMENT)?

  The Remandment process is the formal process that is required to regain access to a public road after access has been relinquished.  After a property owner has relinquished access in and to a public street, the relinquished access or a portion thereof, may be remanded to the property owner if the findings per Government Code Section 81.1106(c) can be established. Other local governments refer to a similar process as a “revestment”.

  Remandments are processed by Planning & Development Services (PDS).  PDS is committed to helping customers navigate the mapping process and ensuring customer satisfaction. Applicants and their professional staff (Engineer and/or Land Surveyor) will work directly with PDS mapping and engineering staff. When issues arise, applicants can request a Project Issue Resolution Conference at any time in the process to discuss issues with Executive Management and County project staff.

• WHEN DO YOU NEED A REMANDMENT?

  When an owner wishes to change vehicular access into a public road where access has been relinquished, a remandment may be requested to allow for new or modified access. This application is usually processed concurrently with another permit application.

• CONSISTENCY WITH POLICIES AND REQUIREMENTS

  In order for a remandment to be approved, the County must be able to make four (4) findings:

  • Finding No. 1:  The proposed remand would not, as determined by the Director of the Department of Public Works (DPW), create a safety hazard for pedestrian or vehicular traffic.
  • Finding No. 2:  It is feasible to obtain access to the affected public street for which the remand is requested in a manner consistent with applicable County ordinances, policies, and standards.
  • Finding No. 3:  The proposed remand would not adversely affect uses adjacent to the affected public street.
  • Finding No. 4:  The remand would not result in a use of the property that does not substantially comply with the conditions of the approved subdivision where the affected street is located. 
• DECISIONS AND PUBLIC INPUT

  A Remandment is approved at the staff level per the signing authority granted from the Director of DPW and the Director of PDS. If all findings mentioned above can be made, then a public hearing is required by Government Code Section 66451. 3.  A hearing is held virtually or at the PDS office, where a Hearing Officer will determine if the required findings are met.  If approved, the applicant will work with PDS staff to process and record the Resolution of Approval.

• APPLICABLE ORDINANCES

  In addition to the subdivision ordinance, there are several other ordinances that a Final Map and Parcel Map may need to comply with.  Below is a list and link to some of the common ordinances that apply to map modifications:

  Zoning Ordinance

  Landscape Ordinance

  County Fire Code

  In addition to the Ordinances listed above, remandment applications must conform with adopted County design manuals and standards.  The most common design manuals and standards are listed below:

  Private Road Standards

  San Diego County Mapping Manual

  Public Road Standards

  San Diego Area Regional Standard Drawings

  San Diego County DPW Design Standard Drawings

• OTHER JURISDICTIONS & DEPARTMENTS

  During the review process, PDS will route the proposal to various departments, depending upon the proposed project and potential impacts. A determination will be made by PDS on which Departments and jurisdictions will need to review the project during the first review.  Depending upon the specifics of the project, outside agency approval can also be required. Some examples of other departments and jurisdictions that may be involved in the permit process include:

  Internal:

  • The Department of Public Works: Private Development Construction Inspection, Flood Control, Field Operations, Materials Lab, Special Districts for Private Road Districts (PRD), Wastewater Engineering, Traffic Engineering, Watershed Protection, and Capital Improvement Program (CIP) Divisions. 

  External:

  • Local Fire District
  • CalTrans
  • Community Planning Groups
• APPROXIMATE COST AND TIMELINE

  PDS strives to process all permits efficiently to keep costs down and to work with the community and applicants to resolve issues. The cost and timeline for processing a Remandment may vary based on the complexity of the review.

  The timelines for permit issuance can vary based on the number of iteration reviews, as well as various factors, such as the resubmittal times of applicants, and the overall complexity of the project review.

  Applicants can also submit for an optional initial consultation meeting to obtain more detailed cost, scope, and time estimates.