REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
March 14, 2023
FROM
LEONARD X. HERNANDEZ, Chief Executive Officer, County Administrative Office
SUBJECT
Title
Waiver of Certain Fees Related to Recovery from the 2023 February/March Snowstorm Event
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Find that the waiver of Land Use Services Department plan review and permit fees, up to a maximum of $5,000 per property and an aggregate total of $500,000 in fee waivers, for post-disaster recovery and repairs to properties in mountain communities damaged by the extreme snowstorm event that started on February 22, 2023, serves a public purpose by facilitating the repair of structures, assisting with the safety needs of County residents and aiding the residents impacted by the snowstorm event.
2. Direct the Director of Land Use Services Department to waive all applicable plan review and permit fees as they arise in relation to Recommendation No. 1.
(Presenter: Luther Snoke, Chief Operating Officer, 387-3101)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Operate in a Fiscally-Responsible and Business-Like Manner.
Ensure Development of a Well-Planned, Balanced, and Sustainable County.
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item may result in the use of additional Discretionary Funding (Net County Cost). The services provided by the Land Use Services Department (LUS) that are covered by the recommended fee waiver will be charged to the emergency response fund set aside by the Board of Supervisors (Board) on March 1, 2023 (Item No. 1), up to a maximum amount of $500,000. The use of Discretionary General Funding is not requested at this time. However, any required budget adjustments will be presented to the Board for approval in a future Board agenda item, if necessary.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Beginning on February 22, 2023, the County’s mountain communities received an unprecedented amount of snowfall. These storms continued through early March, cutting off access to the mountain region. Many residents and guests were trapped in their homes, sometimes without power or access to food. Homes and structures have been damaged due to the weight of the snow loads, which the structures were not designed to withstand.
On February 28, 2023 (Item No. 81), the Board ratified the proclamation of a local emergency as a result of the extreme snowstorm event that started on February 22, 2023, and impacted the county. On March 1, 2023 (Item No. 1), the Board authorized additional actions to respond to the emergency, including approving $10,000,000 to be used for the emergency response. Also, on March 1, 2023, Governor Gavin Newsom declared a State of Emergency to make additional resources available to assist in plowing roads and support any critical infrastructure needs.
LUS has created a Storm Response Team within its department that is focused on supporting the public in the repair and rebuilding of their structures damaged by the extreme snowstorm event. With this team in place, the plan review and permit process for impacted residents will be expedited to the fullest extent possible.
Approval of this item would service a public purpose by assisting in the repair of properties damaged in our mountain communities, alleviating some financial burdens associated with the required building plan review and permitting costs, and addressing the safety needs of County residents, and is authorized pursuant to San Bernardino County Code Subsection 16.0231(a).
PROCUREMENT
Not applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Julie Surber, Principal Assistant County Counsel, 387-5455) on March 7, 2023; Land Use Services (Chad Nottingham, Interim Director, 387-4431) on March 7, 2023; Finance (Penelope Chang, Administrative Analyst, 387-4886) on March 7, 2023; and County Finance and Administration (Robert Saldana and Paloma Hernandez-Barker, Deputy Executive Officers, 387-5423) on March 7, 2023.