TEMPORARY WAIVER OF PENALTY FEES FOR "AFTER-THE-FACT" WORK ON RANCHO PALOS VERDES HOMES

Just posted today, there is a new temporary program started in the Planning and Building Departments of Rancho Palos Verdes

In order to encourage property owners to obtain the necessary Planning approvals and/or building permits for improvements done without such approvals and permits, the City Council has approved a temporary program that will allow property owners to file applications with the City to obtain “after-the-fact” approval for certain improvements completed on their property without paying the required penalty fees.

Penalty fees for “after-the-fact” work are normally two times the regular fees for Planning permits and three times the regular fees for building permits.

Specifically, from December 1, 2008 through May 3, 2009 residents can contact the Planning and Building and Safety Divisions to apply to legalize certain improvements on their property that were completed without Planning or Building permits. Any of the following improvements are eligible for this program: Installation of patio covers or trellises, re-roofing of an existing structure, additions not exceeding 250 square feet and not requiring a neighborhood compatibility analysis, replacement windows, installation of skylights, and installation of pools and spas.

Applications to legalize “after-the-fact” work will still be subject to payment of all applicable application processing fees, plan check fees, and building permit fees; however, as noted, through this temporary program all penalty fees will be waived. Keep in mind that all projects will have to conform to current applicable planning requirements and current building codes and will be subject to inspection by the City to verify compliance.

For further information call the Planning Division at 310-544-5228 or the Building and Safety Division at 310-265-7800 for further information. 

This might be a good time to bring your home into compliance if you are planning to sell your home in the coming months.  Quite often, property owners don't even know they need to get permits to replace windows or roofs.