Section 1217 Of Article 2. Administration From California Health And Safety Code >> Division 2. >> Chapter 1. >> Article 2.
1217
. (a) An applicant for a license to operate a primary care
clinic, as specified in subdivision (a) of Section 1204 that meets
all requirements for licensure under this chapter, except that it
proposes to operate its clinic out of an existing facility that does
not satisfy all of the applicable building requirements for the
physical plant, other than fire and life safety requirements, shall
be issued a license by the state department if both of the following
requirements are met:
(1) The applicant establishes, by evidence satisfactory to the
state department, that, where possible and feasible, the applicable
building requirements have been met.
(2) The applicant submits a plan of modernization acceptable to
the state department that sets forth the proposed changes to be made,
during a period not to exceed three years from the date of initial
licensure, to bring the applicant's facility into substantial
conformance with applicable building requirements.
(b) Failure to complete the plan of modernization as approved and
within the time allowed shall constitute a basis for revocation or
nonrenewal of the applicant's license unless the applicant earlier
applies for and obtains a waiver from the department. The director
shall waive building requirements for primary care clinics where he
or she determines all of the following conditions are met:
(1) That the requirements cannot be met by an applicant, or that
they can be met only at an unreasonable and prohibitive cost.
(2) That the requirements are not essential to protect the health
and safety of the clinic staff or the public it serves.
(3) That the granting of the waiver applied for is in the public
interest.