Went to the Finance Division.  Need Zoning clearance.  Went to Zoning.  Need building owner’s signature.  Went to landladies.  Neither is in.  Assistant in meeting.  Closed Fridays.  Will mail to you.  Next week = not mailed.  Follow-up e-mails.  Was redirected to different landlady.  Corrected.

Had to wait two weeks (2-wks!) for the zoning application to come back signed by the building owner’s representative.  

Resubmitted back to the City of Berkeley only to find that the location has not been permitted since 2000, when it was an “Internet Consulting” business.  Our lease is for retail, so I have to get a building inspector to come approve the change of use in a commercial district.  They only answer the phone from 8-9am and 4:30-5pm.  I diligently called the inspector for my use and district and held interminably…:::Yes, I’m holding for –zoning inpector–::: Oh, well.  You’d be holding a mighty long time then, since he’s on vacation.  :::But I was just there this morning and they gave me his card and told me to call at 4:30?:::  Call back when he’s back from vacation.

Went to County Clerk’s Office.  Did name search and registered fictitious business name for “Picky Fix.”

Need reseller’s permit.  Went to State Board of Equalization.  Wants signatures and copies of driver’s licenses for all officers of the corporation…one of whom is in Louisiana, neither of whom has a driver’s license.

Don’t even ask me how much they want for the sign.

 Can we say $1,500 minimum for “Design Review Board” approval?  Before you can even start building the thing!  Oh, Berkeley…there is a check box for “does the business involve marijuana” (I asked.  ”If you don’t check ‘No’, we assume ‘Yes.’”).  That made me chuckle.