Which Atherton license category covers a one-person handyman business?
Category IV, which the code names for handymen, along with horseshoers, solicitors and delivery vehicles. The tax is five percent of gross receipts from work done in the town or a fixed amount, whichever is lower. It is due July 1 and delinquent after July 31, and the town takes cash or check only, not cards.
Can I finish an Atherton job on a Saturday if the owner agrees?
No. Construction, pickup and delivery are prohibited on Saturdays, Sundays and town holidays no matter what the owner wants; the weekend exemption from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. covers only residents doing their own work. For work that cannot be interrupted, the Police Chief can grant an exemption, and the contractor must notify neighbors at least 72 hours ahead.
Does replacing a gate or building a low deck in Atherton need a permit?
A gate does: gates, gate posts and columns are accessory structures that need a building permit, with a 10-foot height limit including lights. A deck needs its own permit once it is more than six inches above grade. An interior fence that stays more than 10 feet from the right-of-way and under 6 feet needs no permit.
Where can my truck park at an Atherton job?
On the property, or on the street directly in front of it on the same side. Parking anywhere else needs an approved alternate parking plan, which Code Enforcement reviews with written consent from the owners in front of whom you would park, and it is generally not approved on both sides of a street. Do not block the road for more than five minutes.
How do I book a building inspection in Atherton?
Request it before 2 p.m. on the business day before, with the permit number, job address, inspection type and a site contact. Inspections run from 8 a.m. to noon and roughly 1 to 4 p.m., and someone must be on site with the approved plans and job card. Cancel by 8 a.m. on the day if the work is not ready.
