Waiver Deadline Extension Considered By Malibu Council

MALIBU, CA — The Malibu City Council will vote Monday night whether to extend a permit fee waiver deadline by six months.

The Council had originally set next Tuesday, June 30, as the deadline for applications to receive a permit application fee waiver for rebuilding from the Woolsey Fire. Applicants must also prove that the Malibu home they’re seeking to rebuild is their primary residence by showing active voter registration, driver’s license, or another form of government ID.

Mayor Pro Tem Mikke Pierson introduced a resolution in May to ease the requirements for obtaining a waiver, but the resolution was voted down by the rest of the Council.

According to a staff report, Malibu homeowners contacted the city to complain that “ongoing insurances claims, the COVID-19 pandemic and other circumstances beyond their control” were making it difficult to have applications in by the end of June. On June 8, the Council directed staff to draft a resolution to extend the fee waiver deadline until December 30.

If Resolution 20-32 is adopted, all applications for projects must be complete by December 30, 2020, and all required building permits must be pulled by June 30, 2021.

According to the staff report, the average amount of fees waived is approximately $18,000 per property. The city has already issued 240 planning verifications and 106 building permits for single family residences, already saving applicants over $2 million. The city currently anticipates it will waive up to $5.8 million over several years, which is higher than the original $4.2 million projection.

This article originally appeared on the Malibu Patch