St. Helena, CA · Napa County
Soils Report Waiver Request
This request form and questionnaire are for responsible design professionals seeking a City of St. Helena waiver of a soils investigation report requirement.
What this form is
A responsible design professional uses this form and questionnaire to request that the Building Department waive the soils investigation report requirement for a project. The questionnaire asks about soil and site conditions and proposed construction. If answers to items 2 through 12 are all no, the professional must submit a formal letter with the completed, signed form; a yes answer to any of those items means a full soils investigation is required.
Who needs it
A responsible design professional seeking a soils investigation report waiver for a project in St. Helena needs to complete the questionnaire and submit a formal request letter.
How to submit it
Submit the completed form and formal request letter to the Building Department at 1088 College Ave., St. Helena, CA 94574. The letter should accompany the initial building permit application and other submittal documents.
About notarization
This form is signed without a notary; the accompanying waiver letter must be stamped and wet-signed by the responsible licensed engineer or architect.
How to submit this form
- 1
Download The Form
Download the Soils Report Waiver Request form and read the instructions.
- 2
Complete The Questionnaire
Provide the requested property and contact details, classify the soil, and answer the site-condition questions by circling Y or N.
- 3
Prepare The Request Letter
If all answers to items 2 through 12 are no, prepare the formal letter with the required project details and observations.
- 4
Sign And Submit
Sign the form and have the responsible licensed engineer or architect stamp and wet-sign the letter. Submit both with the initial building permit application.
Frequently asked questions
- Do I need a notary for the Soils Report Waiver Request?
- No. The form is signed without a notary. The accompanying waiver letter must be stamped and wet-signed by the responsible licensed engineer or architect.
- Who can request a soils report waiver?
- The responsible design professional—a California state-licensed engineer or architect—may request a waiver based on observations and professional opinion. If a California state-licensed geotechnical engineer is involved, that engineer must conduct the observations and prepare the request.
- How do I submit the Soils Report Waiver Request?
- Submit the completed, signed form and formal request letter to the Building Department at 1088 College Ave., St. Helena, CA 94574. The letter should accompany the initial building permit application and other submittal documents.
- When can the City require a full soils investigation?
- If any answer to questionnaire items 2 through 12 is yes, a full soils investigation is required. The form also says a waiver is not allowed for the specified foundation walls, basements, or retaining walls described in its note.