Morro Bay Eases Permitting Fees for Winter Storm Flood Victims

[Nomad]

If you live in Morro Bay, California, and are a property owner impacted by flood due to a winter storm, there is some good news for you. the Morro Bay City Council has now slashed permitting fees for building and planning by 50 percent for the people whose properties were damaged by the 2023 winter storm. This will alleviate the financial strains of rebuilding for the affected residents. The normal fee for permitting and planning is $30K and now affected families can get the permit just for $15k.

You can read the full story here

 

[Heatman]

Well, I will applaud the Morro Bay City Council for cutting down the permitting fees for those affected by the flood down to 50%, it's not an easy thing to do but is it enough in my opinion? The answer is NO!

These families have been through hell with all they have lost in the flood. If all these are considered, they shouldn't even have to pay a dime on the permit to rebuilt. Still asking for $15k is very high in the situation they have found themselves in. If it's $2k-$5k that's been asked, that would have been understandable.

 

[Eric]

Well, I will applaud the Morro Bay City Council for cutting down the permitting fees for those affected by the flood down to 50%, it's not an easy thing to do but is it enough in my opinion? The answer is NO!

These families have been through hell with all they have lost in the flood. If all these are considered, they shouldn't even have to pay a dime on the permit to rebuilt. Still asking for $15k is very high in the situation they have found themselves in. If it's $2k-$5k that's been asked, that would have been understandable.

It does seem like the permitting fees should be lower for someone in the Bakers' position. The only thing I'm wondering is what the City's true cost is for reviewing and permitting full demolition and new construction like what the Baker's are going to be proposing. If the City's costs in terms of staff labor really would be $30K, then halving that to $15K (i.e., so that $15K is shared by City taxpayers) does start to seem reasonable. I'm also wondering why the Bakers' insurance isn't covering permitting for the new construction. Presumably insurance is covering everything else so why not that component?

 

[Debashis]

This is fantastic news for the residents of Morro Bay, California! It's heartwarming to see the Morro Bay City Council taking action to support property owners who were hit hard by the 2023 winter storm. Slashing permitting fees by 50 percent is a commendable step towards easing the financial burden on those who need to rebuild their homes. It's a great example of local government stepping up to help their community in times of crisis. Kudos to Morro Bay City Council for their empathy and practical assistance during these challenging times.

 

[riberet19]

If I were in the situation in which I have been a victim of the flood and my home has been affected, I would see this movement by the Morro Bay city council very well, a rate cut of 50% is enough and can alleviate a lot to the families who are having a hard time right now due to the disaster that they in no way expected would hit them in this way.

 

[Honey]

Giving relief to Morro Bay, California, property owners who suffered terribly from winter floods is a commendable gesture. Slashing their rebuilding permit fee by 50% will hopefully reduce their financial burdens. And it's the state's responsibility to take care of its people in such difficult times. After all, the flood victims have already lost everything, and for them, the world has turned upside down.

 

[Heatman]

It does seem like the permitting fees should be lower for someone in the Bakers' position. The only thing I'm wondering is what the City's true cost is for reviewing and permitting full demolition and new construction like what the Baker's are going to be proposing. If the City's costs in terms of staff labor really would be $30K, then halving that to $15K (i.e., so that $15K is shared by City taxpayers) does start to seem reasonable. I'm also wondering why the Bakers' insurance isn't covering permitting for the new construction. Presumably insurance is covering everything else so why not that component?

I've always have this mindset that the City, State or Country have the money to fund any project they are very serious about and I don't think I've been wrong about it because that's why you always hear of embezzlement cases all the time. If there's no money to embezzle, they wouldn't be doing it. This why I feel they should have cough up more money to support families whom have been affected by the flood to a very big extent.