Plan check comments are the written feedback from the reviewing agency (city, county, fire district, water district) identifying deficiencies, code violations, and missing information in your submitted plans. Every set of plans receives comments. The question is not whether you will get comments but how efficiently you respond to them and whether your response resolves them on the first try.

The Comment Response Format

Most agencies expect the response in a specific format: a response letter that lists each comment verbatim, followed by the applicant's response describing the action taken. The standard format:

• Comment number — matching the agency's numbering
• Agency comment — reproduced word-for-word from the plan check letter
• Response — a specific description of the action taken to address the comment, including which plan sheet was revised and where the change appears

The response should reference specific plan sheets, detail numbers, and note locations so that the re-reviewer can find the change without searching the entire plan set.

Strategies for Clean Responses

1. Address Every Comment

Do not skip comments. If a comment does not apply or you disagree with it, respond with an explanation — do not leave it blank. An unaddressed comment will be carried forward to the next round.

2. Cloud Your Changes

Mark all revisions on the plans with revision clouds (or delta symbols) and a revision number. This allows the reviewer to see exactly what changed without comparing every line of the previous submission to the current one. Some agencies require revision clouds; even when they do not, using them speeds up the review.

3. Do Not Introduce New Issues

Revisions to address comments sometimes create new issues. Changing a grading contour to fix a drainage comment might create an ADA cross-slope problem elsewhere. Before submitting the response, review all the changes holistically to ensure they do not create new conflicts.

4. Call the Reviewer

If a comment is ambiguous or you disagree with the technical basis, call the plan checker before preparing the response. A 10-minute phone call can prevent a round-trip of written correspondence that takes 4 to 6 weeks. Many plan check comments are the result of unclear plans, not actual code violations. A conversation often resolves the issue faster than a written response.

5. Group Related Comments

If multiple comments relate to the same issue (e.g., three comments about fire access that all require the same road widening), acknowledge the relationship in your response: "Comments 8, 9, and 14 are addressed by widening the fire lane from 20 feet to 26 feet, as shown on revised Sheet C-2."

6. Provide Calculations Where Requested

Some comments ask for calculations or justification: "Provide fire flow calculations," "Provide stormwater sizing calculations," "Demonstrate that the accessible route meets ADA requirements." Respond with the actual calculation or a reference to the calculation that was already submitted. Do not respond with "Calculations confirm compliance" — provide the numbers.

Common Reasons for Multiple Rounds

• Incomplete responses. Responding "See revised plans" without specifying where the change is. The reviewer cannot find it and carries the comment forward.
• Changes that create new issues. The response to Comment A fixes one problem but creates a new problem that becomes Comment A' in the next round.
• Disagreements without justification. Saying "We do not believe this requirement applies" without providing the code citation or technical basis. The reviewer will hold the comment until you provide the justification.
• Late comments from other agencies. Fire, water, and utility agency comments may arrive after the building department's comments. The second-round submittal addresses the building department comments but not the fire comments, triggering a third round.

Timeline Management

Plan check review takes 2 to 6 weeks per round in most jurisdictions. Each round of comments and response adds another cycle. A project that responds cleanly the first time can be approved in two rounds (6 to 12 weeks total). A project that triggers four rounds of comments may spend 4 to 6 months in plan check.

To minimize the number of rounds: prepare thorough plans the first time, respond completely and specifically to every comment, cloud all revisions, and communicate with the reviewer when comments are unclear. The goal is not to submit perfect plans (they do not exist) but to submit complete plans and respond thoroughly to the inevitable comments.