**Important Notices**

New Operating Schedule for Development Services Center

The City continues to enhance access to online services to make it easier and more convenient for the public. As the use of online services increases, the City anticipates that the need for in-person services may begin to decrease. As a result, the City is implementing a pilot plan for reopening the Development Services Center. The plan is outlined below and subject to change. Any updates will be available at Fremont.gov/DSC.

The City's Development Services Center, located at 39550 Liberty Street, has reopened with a new operating schedule. On Mondays and Wednesdays, the Center will be open to the public from 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (closed from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.). On Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, the Center will be closed while staff focuses on processing online submittals for permits. City staff from the different divisions within the Center will be available by phone or email to provide assistance. View a list of contact information. All visitors will be required to wear a face mask, even if they are fully vaccinated.

As previously noted, while the City is pleased to restore in-person services, those needing building, planning or engineering permits also have the option of utilizing online permit services.

Online Permits and Payments Using Citizen Access

The City has implemented an online submittal process for all new permit requests using the City's Citizen Access portal. The online submittal process should be used for all new permit requests including planning permits, building/fire permits, solar permits, and engineering permits. This includes building permits for basic home upgrade projects like water heater replacements, roof replacements, and minor kitchen/bathroom remodels. The City is also accepting online payments for permit fees through Citizen Access. For more information, please visit the City's Online Permits webpage.

Electronic Plan Review

The City is now using Electronic Plan Review (ePR) for planning permits, building/fire permits, solar permits, and engineering permits. When requesting one of these types of permits, applicants are able to use the City’s online permitting portal, Citizen Access, to submit their project plans and connect with City staff on the review process. The new process eliminates the need for applicants to provide resource-intensive paper plans and documents and allows for a more efficient and transparent permit processing system. For more information, please visit the City's ePR webpage.