EDC Supes waive fees

From the Sacramento Bee

El Dorado County supes waive permit fees for fire victims
By Cathy Locke - Bee Staff Writer
Published 4:05 pm PDT Tuesday, July 3, 2007

Saying they want to encourage victims of the Angora fire near South Lake Tahoe to rebuild their homes and businesses as soon as possible, the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors agreed Tuesday to waive county permit fees for reconstruction activities.

Laura Gill, county chief administrative officer, said the experience of other jurisdictions affected by wildfires, including San Bernardino and San Diego counties, indicated that fee waivers are more effective than fee deferrals in streamlining the rebuilding process.

The county will waive building permit and other fees associated with removing, repairing or rebuilding residential and non-residential structures damaged by the fire, provided the rebuilt or renovated structure does not exceed the square footage of the original building. Fees will be charged for any additions, Gill said.

The nine-day fire that began June 24 destroyed more than 250 homes and 75 nonresidential structures, she said.

The waiver would result in an estimated loss of $900,000 in revenue to the county, but Gill noted the funds were not anticipated in the Development Services Department's budget projections. Expediting reconstruction, however, will require contracting for outside plan checking services, which could cost the county about $100,000, she said.

Board members said it is in the county's interest to encourage property owners to rebuild.

"It's the good, humanitarian thing," Supervisor Jack Sweeney said of the waiver.

In the long run, the county likely will realize benefits in the form of increased tax revenue, he said, predicting that many property owners will replace the destroyed or damaged structures with larger homes.

Gill said the waiver period would coincide with Tahoe Regional Planning Agency rules that allow property owners to pursue replacement of structures within 18 months of the fire.