Los Angeles County is set to create an agency that will make final decisions in issuing building permits and expedite restoring properties in Altadena after not a single building permit was finalized in the aftermath of the Eaton Fire.
The LA County Board of Supervisors Tuesday passed a motion to streamline the permitting process through a new unified permitting authority.
NBCLA reported while 1,500 properties are ready for rebuilding in Altadena, none of the homes received a building permit as of Tuesday. Among 173 permit applications received, LA County initiated the permit process for only 23 of them, according to county officials.
The new unified permitting authority will be established within the Altadena One-stop Recovery Permitting Center to expedite the residential rebuilding process, said LA County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, who authored the motion.
“No rebuild permits have been issued in Altadena, and that’s unacceptable,” Barger said. “Today’s motion will cut through the red tape to get my Altadena constituents back on track to rebuilding faster. We don't have time to waste.”
The permitting agency will be “empowered” to make final permitting decisions without being tethered to certain departments, Barger’s office said.
When Altadena began clearing out debris and getting ready to rebuild, the county had promised residents that it would take a month or so to issue a building permit.
But in reality, there are three departments (planning, fire and building and safety) involved in issuing a building permit with each requiring additional time to review applications.
Margot Stueber, an Altadena resident, said she was told it would take at least three months in total before she can get a permit.
“We must ensure the rebuilding process is not only fast and efficient but also equitable and accessible for every resident,” Supervisor Lindsey Horvath said, adding the one-stop permit center that had been set up in the wake of the Woolsey Fire should be an example of how rebuilding can be expedited.
The Altadena One-Stop Permit Center is located at 464 West Woodbury Road, Suite 210, Altadena, CA 91001.
While walk-ins are welcome, consultation appointments can be scheduled at recovery.lacounty.gov.