A pre-application meeting, also called a pre-app or pre-submittal conference, is a meeting with building department staff before a formal permit application is submitted. Not every project needs one. But for complex projects, unusual site conditions, or work in jurisdictions with strict design standards, a pre-application meeting can prevent months of back-and-forth during plan check.
When a Pre-Application Meeting Is Worth Requesting
Not every project requires a pre-application meeting, and scheduling one for a straightforward tenant improvement adds time without much benefit. Pre-app meetings are most valuable when:
The project involves a code interpretation question. If the project design depends on a specific interpretation of a code section and reasonable people could read it differently, getting the department's position in advance prevents a costly correction later.
The site has unusual conditions. Projects on non-conforming lots, irregularly shaped parcels, or properties with recorded easements or deed restrictions benefit from early department input on how those conditions affect the project.
The project requires multiple departmental approvals. Mixed-use developments, projects in overlay zones, and anything that touches planning, fire, public works, and building simultaneously benefit from a pre-app meeting that includes all relevant department representatives.
You are unsure what the jurisdiction requires. Some cities have submittal requirements not fully documented in their published checklists. A pre-application meeting surfaces these requirements before the application is assembled.
The project is in a historic district or design review area. These projects involve subjective aesthetic judgments. Getting early feedback from the reviewing body before construction documents are finalized prevents redesign work after documents are complete.
What to Bring to a Pre-Application Meeting
The quality of a pre-app meeting depends on the quality of the information you bring. More specificity produces more useful feedback. Showing up with a rough hand sketch is less useful than showing up with a site plan and a schematic floor plan.
Useful materials to prepare:
Site plan. A to-scale site plan showing the property boundaries, existing structures, proposed footprint, and setback dimensions from all property lines. This does not need to be a full permit-ready site plan, but it needs to show enough to allow the reviewer to verify basic zoning compliance.
Schematic floor plans. Floor plans at a basic level of development showing the proposed layout, use of each room, and overall square footage. The reviewer needs to understand the scope to give useful feedback.
Elevations or massing study. For projects in design review areas or historic districts, even rough elevations help the reviewer give substantive feedback on likely design review comments.
Specific questions. Write out the specific questions you need answered before the meeting. Department staff will cover more ground in a focused conversation than in a general discussion. If you have a specific code section you need an interpretation on, print it and bring it.
Project description. A one-page written description of the proposed project, the scope of work, the proposed use, and any specific conditions or constraints the project team is aware of.
What to Expect from the Meeting
Pre-application meetings typically run 30 to 60 minutes. The level of detail the department can provide depends on how developed the project is at the time of the meeting.
Department staff can generally tell you:
- Whether the proposed project is consistent with zoning
- What departments need to approve the project and in what sequence
- Whether any special studies, reports, or supplemental documentation will be required
- Their interpretation of a specific code section as applied to the project
- Whether the project is likely to require discretionary approval (planning commission, design review board, variance, etc.)
Department staff generally cannot:
- Pre-approve a design or guarantee a permit will be issued
- Provide binding rulings on code interpretations (those come through the official permit review)
- Tell you that a project will clear plan check on the first round
Following Up After the Meeting
Document the pre-application meeting thoroughly. Take notes during the meeting and follow up with a brief written summary sent to the department contact you met with. This creates a record of what was discussed and helps identify if the actual plan check reviewer has a different position than what was discussed at the pre-app.
If the department provided specific guidance about what they want to see in the application, incorporate that guidance into the permit set. Do not interpret the pre-app meeting as final approval of anything.
How CADTRI Supports Pre-Application Work
CADTRI prepares pre-application meeting packages, including site plans, schematic floor plans, and written project summaries formatted for department review. We also attend pre-application meetings when appropriate to document department guidance and incorporate it directly into the permit drawings.
If your project would benefit from a pre-application meeting preparation package, contact us and we will confirm what materials make sense for your specific project and jurisdiction.