UPDATE: 'Fast Track' Gets County Support

11/22 UPDATE: Riverside County supervisors voted unanimously today to put the county's lobbyists to work advocating state legislation that would create a "fast-track" permitting process intended to save developers time and money.

Supervisor John Benoit, a former state legislator, and Supervisor John Tavaglione, president of the California State Association of Counties, proposed that the county spearhead efforts to establish laws to reduce the burdens on commercial and residential developers trying to get a project cleared by regulators.

"Our thought was to encourage the state to do a better job in economic development," Tavaglione said. "There are a number of different permits and licenses (businesses must obtain). The state takes much too long to process these permits. That's why we're losing so many businesses in California. There's a huge amount of bureaucracy."

Benoit agreed there is too much "red tape" that discourages ventures.

"The point is, the state has got some trimming they could do," the supervisor said.

Benoit and Tavaglione envision a statewide fast-track policy that replicates the county's.

Under Board of Supervisors' policy A-32, developers can seek fast-track authority if certain criteria are met. For instance, if a commercial builder can show that a project will create 40 new, permanent full-time jobs or will generate $12.5 million in annual taxable sales, the enterprise is deemed fast- track eligible.

If a residential developer has received public subsidies for a project or can show that 15 percent of a housing complex will be devoted to low-income renters, that enterprise, too, will be deemed fast-track eligible. The director of the county's Economic Development Agency ultimately makes the determination.

Once fast-track status is granted, developers' applications, site plans and other documents needed for project approval undergo an accelerated review by an ad hoc Land Development Committee. The goal is to have any land-use hearings before the Board of Supervisors within 90 days.

Issues that could disrupt the timetable include the need for an environmental impact report, as well as potential conflicts with the county's Multi-Species Habitat Conservation Plan.

Supervisor Jeff Stone noted that the county could afford to improve communication with applicants, pointing to a number of complaints he had received from entrepreneurs who had not received timely answers regarding whether they were going to receive a permit.

In addition to dedicating its state lobbying team toward efforts in establishing a statewide fast-track bill, the board authorized EDA staff to assist with composing a future measure.

"California Fast Track will send a message that this state is serious about job creation, retention and making our state attractive to the business community," according to the supervisors' proposal.