1 · Where & how you file
- Portal: apply online at MyGovernmentOnline.org (MGO Connect) — Jefferson Parish's Online Permit Portal. Create an account; upload all plans + documents as electronic files.
- Building authority: Jefferson Parish Dept. of Inspection & Code Enforcement — Building, Mechanical, Electrical & Plumbing sections.
- Site/driveway: JP Engineering Dept — Site Plan Review Section (required for any new building + parking + curb cut). The approved site plan is your driveway permit. (Contact: Engineering 504-349-5173 / Site Plan Review 504-349-5174.)
- Utilities: JP Engineering — Utilities Section (water/sewer taps, drainage).
- Codes in force: Louisiana State Uniform Construction Code — 2021 IBC + LA amendments (IMC/IPC/IFGC + NEC); OSFM enforces NFPA 101. AOR confirms adopted editions at submittal.
- Review clock: minimum ~10 business days per cycle; longer if the reviewers issue comment letters (respond fast to keep the clock moving).
2 · Who must seal the drawings (this is non-negotiable)
Louisiana RS 37:155 sets when a Professional of Record (POR) must seal. Your building blows past every threshold.
| Discipline | Seal required? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Architect (AOR) | REQUIRED — LA-licensed architect | Group A (assembly) over 2,650 SF must be sealed by an architect. You're 7,200 SF. A civil engineer cannot stamp an assembly building in LA — it must be an architect. |
| Structural (SE/PE) | Delegated to PEMB | PEMB vendor supplies LA-stamped frame + anchor-bolt design; foundation PE stamps slab/footings/piles per geotech. |
| MEP (PE) | Likely required | Engineer's seal triggers when HVAC ≥ 10 tons or electrical service ≥ 600A / 480V — a 7,200 SF hall + kitchen will hit HVAC tonnage. Plan on a sealed MEP set. |
| Civil (PE) | REQUIRED | Site plan, grading, stormwater (SPR-1 · LID §33-6.26), drainage, parking geometry, curb cut — sealed civil for Site Plan Review. |
Bottom line: your first hire is a Louisiana-licensed architect (AOR). They lead the set and pull in the structural/MEP/civil PEs. Nothing gets reviewed without the architect's seal + a "statement of supervision" on the first sheet.
3 · The review tracks (these run in parallel)
| Agency | Reviews | You submit |
|---|---|---|
| JP Inspection & Code Enforcement | Building, Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing code | Sealed A / S / M / E / P set + code data + application |
| JP Engineering — Site Plan Review | Site, parking, drainage, curb cut / driveway | Sealed civil site + drainage set + current survey |
| JP Engineering — Utilities | Water / sewer taps, capacity, drainage tie-in | Utility plan; tap applications |
| LA State Fire Marshal (OSFM) | Life safety — NFPA 101, egress, occupant load, sprinklers, hood | Plan review application + fee + sealed set + use description |
| Louisiana Dept. of Health (LDH) | Food service — the 6-unit cloud kitchen | Food establishment plan review (kitchen layout, finishes, grease) |
| JP Planning Dept. | Zoning clearance — MU-CD use verification | Zoning clearance application (needed before operating) |
| DOTD (only if applicable) | Curb cut if Manhattan Blvd is a state route | DOTD commercial driveway application — confirm jurisdiction of Manhattan Blvd first |
4 · Submittal document checklist
| # | Document | Who produces | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Completed building permit application (MyGovernmentOnline) + owner/agent/architect/contractor info + LA contractor license # | Owner | Need — file online |
| 2 | Current property survey / ALTA (PLS #8387 basis) with legal description | Surveyor | Have survey; confirm current + sealed |
| 3 | Geotechnical soils report (drives slab vs. piles + detention) | Geotech | Need — order first (~$8–15k) |
| 4 | Dimensioned site plan — parking, drainage, curb cut, setbacks (sealed civil) | Civil PE | A0.1 drafted — Civil PE seal C1.x |
| 5 | Stormwater management plan (Jefferson SPR-1 + Parking Lot Detention + MU-CD §33-6.26 LID) + detention calcs | Civil PE | Need — ~3,900 CF LID target on ALTA |
| 6 | Architectural set — floor plans, elevations, FF&E, schedules, life-safety (sealed architect) | AOR | REV H7 · 26 sheets drafted — AOR seal |
| 7 | Occupant-load calc (NFPA 101 / IBC 1004) — posted 299 | AOR | Basis set (299 lock) |
| 8 | Structural — PEMB frame + anchor bolts (LA stamp) + foundation | PEMB + PE | With vendor quote (§ order) |
| 9 | MEP set — sprinkler (NFPA 13), Type I hood (NFPA 96/UL300), electrical, plumbing, HVAC/MUA | MEP PE + fire sub | Need — sealed MEP |
| 10 | Energy code compliance (IECC 2021 / ComCheck) | AOR / MEP | Need |
| 11 | Accessibility (IBC Ch. 11 / ADA) — parking, restrooms, path of travel | AOR | In arch set |
| 12 | OSFM plan review application + fee | Owner / AOR | File with sealed set |
| 13 | LDH food establishment plan review (cloud kitchen) | Owner / kitchen designer | Parallel track |
| 14 | Zoning clearance (JP Planning · MU-CD) | Owner | Confirm A-2 + parking basis |
| 15 | Statement of supervision on first sheet | AOR | On sealed set |
5 · Permit drawing sets · REV H7 (building) + REV BA (civil)
Start here: Jefferson command center · Building CD index (26 sheets) · Civil CD index (15 sheets)
Building volume · REV H7 · 26 sheets
| Sheet | Title | By | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| G0.1–G0.2 | Code summary · life safety @ 299 OL | AOR | DRAFTED |
| S0.1 | Structural PEMB coordination · foundation · wind | PEMB + PE | COORD DRAFTED |
| M0.0 | MEP discipline index · E/P/M/FP handoff | MEP PE | INDEX DRAFTED |
| A0.1 | Site plan — hall + retail + parking + curb cut | AOR + Civil | DRAFTED |
| A1.1 | Hall floor plan · 120×60 · zones | AOR | DRAFTED |
| A1.6–A1.8 | FF&E full layout · lighting/AV · court FF&E | AOR | DRAFTED |
| A1.2–A1.3 | Retail floor · kitchen enlarged | AOR | DRAFTED |
| A0.COURT | Court floor · OL 150 | AOR | DRAFTED |
| A1.4–A1.5 | Roof · reflected ceiling | AOR | DRAFTED |
| A2.1–A2.3 | Elevations · building sections | AOR | DRAFTED |
| A3.1–A3.7 | Wall · ADA RR · windows STOCK · doors STOCK · finishes · details | AOR | DRAFTED |
| A4.1 | Signage & graphics schedule | AOR | DRAFTED |
| B-PARK | Parking worksheet · 86 min / 100 @ open | AOR + Civil | DRAFTED |
Civil volume · REV BA · companion submittal
| Sheet | Title | By | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| G1.0 · A2.0 | General notes · survey overlay PLS #8387 | Civil PE | DRAFTED |
| A0.2 | Parking geometry · 100 stalls · dimension authority | Civil PE | DRAFTED |
| T1 · T-STUDY · T-CIRC · T-SIGHT · T-30 | Traffic circulation · analysis · sight · AutoTURN | Civil PE | DRAFTED |
| F1 · A1 | Fire access · ADA plan | Civil PE | DRAFTED |
| C4.1 · C3.1 · L1 · C5 | Striping · grading/drainage · landscape · details | Civil PE | DRAFTED |
Still requires professional seal (not in CD set yet)
| Deliverable | By | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Sealed M/E/P sheets · NFPA 13 · hood · ComCheck | MEP PE + fire sub | PE TO SEAL |
| PEMB shop drawings + foundation calcs | PEMB vendor + PE | WITH VENDOR ORDER |
| Geotechnical report | Geotech PE | ORDER |
| Current sealed ALTA | PLS | CONFIRM CURRENT |
REV H7 building set is drawn to permit coordination standard — every seat, STOCK opening, court FF&E, signage. AOR verifies on stamped ALTA and seals. Civil REV BA is a separate PDF volume for Site Plan Review. MEP/structural professionals attach sealed sheets; they do not redraw interior layout from scratch.
6 · Code data summary (goes on the cover sheet)
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Occupancy group | A-2 (assembly — food/drink) · accessory B/S |
| Construction type | II-B (non-combustible PEMB steel) — verify w/ AOR |
| Sprinklered | Yes — NFPA 13 wet (required: >5,000 SF fire area AND >100 OL) |
| Gross floor area | 7,200 SF (120′ × 60′), 1 story, 16′ eave |
| Posted occupant load | 299 (deliberate design cap · SSoT §6) |
| Exits | 2 required + 1 framed future knockout (east) |
| Kitchen suppression | Type I hood + UL300 (NFPA 96) |
| Parking | CZO Table 22-1 basis · 86 code min · 100 striped @ open (48 hall + 38 retail + ADA) |
| Zoning | Jefferson Parish MU-CD |
7 · Sequence & realistic timeline
- Hire the AOR (LA architect) — required, leads the set. week 0
- Survey + geotech — order immediately; geotech decides foundation. 2–4 wks
- Zoning clearance + pre-app (JP Planning) — confirm A-2 use, parking, single curb cut. 2–4 wks
- Design + seal — AOR + civil + MEP + PEMB produce the sealed set. 2–4 months
- Parallel plan review — JP Inspection/Code + Engineering Site Plan Review + OSFM + LDH. ~1–3 months (10-day cycles + comment responses)
- Permit issued → order PEMB kit → slab → erect → MEP rough → inspections → C/O.
Honest total to permit-in-hand: ~5–8 months from hiring the architect, assuming fast comment turnaround. The single curb cut + A-2 assembly are the items reviewers scrutinize most — the 299 cap is what keeps that review smooth.
8 · Fee ballparks (verify at submittal)
| Fee | Rough range |
|---|---|
| JP building permit (by construction value) | ~$3k–$7k |
| Trade permits (M / E / P) | ~$1k–$3k combined |
| OSFM plan review | ~$0.5k–$2k (by SF/value) |
| Engineering site plan / driveway review | ~$0.5k–$2k |
| LDH food plan review | ~$0.2k–$0.6k |
| Impact / drainage / utility taps | varies — ask Utilities |
| Design fees (AOR + PEs) — not permit fees | the real cost: ~$40k–$90k (in the GC budget soft costs) |
9 · Cross-refs
- Jefferson hub (start here):
1705-JEFFERSON-STAMP-ONLY-COMMAND-CENTER.html - Master layout (site + OL):
1705-RESTAURANT-SITE-OL-LAYOUT.html - Building CD index:
1705-BUILDING-CODE-SCALED-SKETCH.html(26 sheets · REV H7) - Civil CD index:
1705-PARKING-CODE-SCALED-SKETCH.html(15 sheets · REV BA) - Export building PDF:
python3 website/scripts/export-building-engineer-pdf.py - Export civil PDF:
python3 website/scripts/export-parking-engineer-pdf.py - SSoT:
1705-NEW-PLAN-SINGLE-SOURCE-OF-TRUTH.html - Build-out brief (design-team kickoff):
1705-MIRAGE-HALL-120x60-BUILDOUT-BRIEF.html - Cheapest-buildout review:
1705-AOR-VALUE-ENGINEERING-REVIEW.html - Drainage lock:
docs/1705-MANHATTAN-DRAINAGE-STORMWATER-LOCK.md· Jefferson SPR-1 - Occupant-load lock:
docs/1705-MANHATTAN-EGRESS-OL-299-LOCK.md - PEMB vendor order:
docs/1705-MANHATTAN-PEMB-QUOTE-ORDER.md - Retired — do not submit: Rev 4 permit set · New Orleans concept docs · prior REV H viewers