The short answer is yes. I have worked all over the Bay Area and have had few problems gaining approval anywhere. I have worked on projects as far away as L.A. , Westport, Connecticut, British Columbia and Mendocino Getting projects approved involves zoning ordinances, planning review and often a design review board. The zoning ordinances are published standards - if they are carefully reviewed most problems can be avoided. With planning departments most planners are professional and helpful if they are treated politely and respectfully. Design review boards can be the wild card. In the best cases they are well aligned with the staff planners. Where the planners can not predict the design review boards opinions it generally is easy to find that out. In instances like this it is best to attend a design review board hearing before the design drawings are even submitted, to better understand the objectives of the board members.