Board Of Supervisors — Tuesday, October 13, 2015

..Title ..Body MEMORANDUM TO: Board of Supervisors FROM: Richard Coel, Community Development Director DATE: October 8, 2015 SUBJECT: Consideration of reduced counter hours in Community Development Department EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Due to resignations and a recent retirement, the Community Development Department is understaffed by four (4) critical positions and cannot meet our current expectations for providing full day counter and phone coverage to serve the public. This situation if significantly exacerbated due to the fire recovery efforts and the need to provide staffing in Middletown on a consistent bases. With the exception of the two Code Enforcement Officers and the code enforcement CD Technician who was just hired, every other person in our department is involved in some way with fire related issues on a daily basis. There are two vacancies in the Building and Safety Division, including the Chief Building Official, and two additional planner vacancies. Recruitment processes are underway with the Human Resources Department however, the noticing and interview processes take significant time and we are unlikely to fill three of these vacancies before January 2nd. ..Recommended Action RECOMMENDED ACTION: REQUEST AUTHORIZATION TO REDUCE COUNTER HOURS: Staff is requesting authorization from the Board of Supervisors to reduce public counter hours to the time period of 1PM to 5PM, and to limit service to people who call into the office to building permit questions only for the time period of 8AM to Noon. We have been closing the Counter during the lunch hour for the past month due to limited staffing and increased field work. These reduced counter hours will allow staff to process the most urgent planning applications and still assist with disaster recovery planning and field work. As an example, we have discovered that significant omissions exist in the CalFire Damage Assessment Report that necessitates site investigations, including incorrect addresses and more than 300 missing photos of sites that were damaged. The Community Development Department and Assessor's Office will be relying heavily on this report so these omissions need to be rectified ASAP.

..Title ..Body MEMORANDUM TO: Board of Supervisors FROM: Richard Coel, Community Development Director DATE: October 9, 2015 SUBJECT: Discussion/Consideration of Board Support to Establish Temporary Permit Center in Middletown to Assist Victims of Valley Fire EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Over the past few weeks broad support has been expressed for the County to establish a temporary Permit Center in Middletown. Staff is requesting formal Board authorization to proceed with establishing a small Permit Center within the Middletown Library/Senior Center as soon as possible. At a minimum, the Center should provide space for a Building Plans Examiner or Building Inspector, a Community Development Technician, and an Environmental Health Specialist. I have discussed this matter with Jim Brown, Health Services Director, who supports this request. While we still need to iron out details for staffing of the Center, presumably in large part through a consultant agreement, we need formal Board authorization to proceed with the necessary steps to obtain office space. The Pine Room at the Senior Center appears to be adequate for three (3) staff and a small counter and waiting area. Given the severity of damage, which included damage to numerous septic systems, the significant number of non-conforming septic systems and lot sizes along with destroyed houses that were too close to creeks and front property lines, staff anticipates that there will be a myriad of issues to resolve for some areas to be able to be rebuilt. A local Permit Center will greatly assist the fire victims and the County in recovery efforts and planning matters. We may also need to staff the Center with a planner a few days per week to assist in resolving setback issues that may require processing of variances, in order to further facilitate recovery efforts. ..Recommended Action RECOMMENDED ACTION:

..Title ..Body MEMORANDUM TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FROM: Richard Coel, Community Development Director DATE: October 9, 2015 SUBJECT: Discussion/Consideration of Interim Urgency Ordinance EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: This matter was discussed during the October 6th Board hearing. Staff has revised the proposed ordinance to address two concerns that were raised. Staff is requesting the Board of Supervisors approve the attached interim urgency ordinance to defer certain provisions of the Lake County Zoning Ordinance pertaining to occupancy of recreational vehicles as temporary dwellings, due to the Valley Fire. As previously stated, the Zoning Ordinance does not allow for occupancy of temporary dwellings until such time that a building permit has been issued for construction of a new home, and either the foundation or septic system is constructed. Most of the homes lost were on small lots that pose significant safety concerns including lack of space to provide adequate separation from the burned structure debris that will need to be cleaned, dead trees that need to be cut, damaged or substandard septic systems and potential for landslides this winter. However, some of the larger parcels where homes were destroyed have adequate area where it is safe for the owners to reside, and where doing so will not impede cleanup efforts on adjacent properties. However, new construction of replacement homes is not expected to begin in earnest until next spring. Also, owners of many of the larger properties need to care for farm animals and have a significant amount of damage to repair, remove or replace, such as fences, corrals, agricultural buildings and removal of large numbers of dead trees. Their recovery is more complicated and will take more time, and these owners are more prone to looting. For the above reasons, staff believes that a limited deferral of the existing requirement that a building permit first be obtained for the replacement home prior to approval of a temporary dwelling should be made for parcels of 40,000 square feet or larger, provided that it is limited to the victims of the Valley Fire and the site is inspected and deemed adequate for an RV occupancy. This includes verification of parcel size, that the RV can be situated in a safe area void of dead trees, and that there is an existing, functioning septic system for which the RV can be connected. While the smaller lots possess too many health and safety concerns and RVs are likely to impede cleanup and recovery efforts within the small lot subdivisions, staff does not believe this will be an issue on most of the larger parcels where homes were lost. Temporary deferral of the Zoning Ordinance provisions, as recommended, will also help reduce the demand for RV park spaces, which are in short supply. Also, staff is only recommending the deferral apply for use of RVs and FEMA supplied manufactured homes, and not tiny homes or on-site construction of small temporary dwellings, and the duration of occupancy is not to exceed one (1) year unless an extension of this ordinance is granted by the Board. The purpose of the deferment is to acknowledge the additional recovery time owners of these larger parcels may require while still ensuring that the rebuilding of these communities will ultimately be consistent with the County's General Plan and any applicable area plans. This proposed ordinance now also includes a requirement that property owners sign a statement that they will begin construction of their replacement home under approval of a County of Lake building permit within one year and that failing to do so will require removal of said unit from the property. Once these property owners obtain building permits to reconstruct their homes, the normal provisions applicable to Temporary Occupancy Permits will be applied, with a Zoning Permit issued along with the building permit for the home. Section 25123 of the California Government Code provides, in pertinent part: "All ordinances shall become effective 30 days from the date of final passage, except the following ordinances, which shall take effect immediately: (d) Those for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, which shall contain a declaration of the facts constituting the urgency, and shall be passed by a four-fifths vote of the board of supervisors." Findings in Support of Temporary Deferral of the Temporary Dwelling Permit Provisions of Section 21-27.3(p) of the Lake County Zoning Ordinance: Deferral is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health and safety within the more rural areas devastated by the Valley Fire. These areas are more prone to looting and recovery efforts will take longer due to the additional property improvements such as fences, corrals, agricultural buildings, and larger number of burned, standing trees that need to be removed. On-site occupancy can be accommodated safely on these larger parcels, which will allow property owners the ability to begin recovery efforts by removing dead trees and restoring their agricultural operations. There is a shortage of local rental housing and existing recreational vehicle park capacity in Lake County. Allowing a limited number of property owners to live on their larger parcels, when conditions are deemed safe, will reduce demand of local RV parks, thereby making more spaces available for residents of small lots that cannot currently place their RVs on those lots due to the number of safety concerns. ..Recommended Action RECOMMENDED ACTION:

..Title ..Body MEMORANDUM TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FROM: Richard Coel, Community Development Director DATE: October 9, 2015 SUBJECT: Consideration of staff's recommendation to (a) Waive County Consultant Selection Process; and (b) Approve Agreement between the County of Lake and Coastland Civil Engineering, Inc. for additional Building Inspection and Plan Review Services as a result of the Valley Fire EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: This professional services agreement is necessary because there are no available, qualified building inspectors or plans examiners within Lake County that can provide the additional support needed. The process to hire additional County staff would result in a three (3) to four (4) month delay due to the legally required recruitment steps including minimum length of advertising, panel and department interview processes and physical exam and background check requirements before a job can even be offered. Even if we had the time to navigate the recruitment process, there is such a severe shortage of rental housing that it is highly unlikely new County employees will be able to find housing in Lake County if they were offered a position. Coastland Civil Engineering, Inc. is uniquely positioned to be able to provide professional Building and Safety Division staffing assistance because their employees are located in relatively close proximity to the Valley Fire area, being based in Santa Rosa. Therefore, as building inspection services are needed, they can commute the one-hour distance to conduct inspections. Plan review services would most often be conducted at Coastland's office in Santa Rosa, with plans transported via Coastland's staff and/or mail to further minimize expenses. Under the circumstances of the Valley Fire disaster, and in order to address the immediate needs, this is the least costly option. Coastland has appropriately trained building inspectors and plans examiners, and in adequate numbers. Also, while Coastland's costs for services are higher than what the County of Lake pays its own employees for salaries and benefits, their costs for services are consistent with costs for the same staff in Sonoma, Napa and Marin Counties in the private sector. Staff has contacted other agencies that have retained Coastland for their services and has received very positive responses from those agencies. In addition, our Principal Planner had positive experiences with Coastland when she worked for another Bay Area jurisdiction that had contracted with Coastland. ..Recommended Action RECOMMENDED ACTION: Staff is requesting that the Board of Supervisors waive the consultant selection process and approve the attached agreement for building inspection and plan review services to assist the Community Development Department with desperately needed services. We do not have adequate staff to respond to the increasing requests for inspections of fire damaged properties, and soon we will be faced with new applications for reconstruction of homes, as several local drafters and contractors already have contracts and intend to start constructing homes this year. In order to further minimize costs, Coastland has indicated that they could waive the mileage costs for their inspectors to drive to Middletown, and it is staff's intention to provide County vehicles, based at the Middletown Permit Center for their use when conducting inspections. This will also provide more seamless integration for inspections from the public's perspective.

..Title ..Body MEMORANDUM TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FROM: Matt Perry, County Administrative Officer DATE: October 9, 2015 SUBJECT: Consideration of staff recommendation to appoint Social Services Director Carol Huchingson as Recovery Coordinator EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: As the Board is aware, Social Service Director Carol Huchingson has been serving as director of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC). As we transition from emergency response to recovery from the Valley Fire, we have been advised by staff from the Governor's Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) that many communities having experienced similar disasters designate a recovery coordinator. This person would be the County's primary point of contact to interface with the recovery coordinators with Cal OES and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Having Carol serve in this capacity will provide continuity in the County's recovery efforts as she has developed relationships with representatives of Cal OES and FEMA and has convened meetings and conference calls with the department heads involved in the recovery operations. Furthermore, Carol is a very capable manager. The anticipated length of this assignment is approximately 6 months until the community rebuilding process is well underway. Carol has very capable deputy directors in the Social Services Department who can continue to manage the day-to-day functions of the department during the length of this special assignment. Carol, Supervisor Brown and I have discussed other options and concluded this is the best one option. Since this assignment will divert Carol's time and attention from her normal responsibilities as Social Services Director for an extended period of time and she will need the support of your Board and other department heads in fulfilling this role, I recommend this appointment be made by your Board. ..Recommended Action RECOMMENDED ACTION: Staff recommends your Board appoint Social Service Director Carol Huchingson as the Lake County Recovery Coordinator for an anticipated period of 6 months.

..Title ..Body MEMORANDUM TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FROM: Alicia Flores, Asst. Clerk of the Board DATE: October 9, 2015 SUBJECT: Discussion/Consideration of a letter of support requesting at least 50% of workforce for master cleanup to be local labor, operators and truckers EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Supervisor Brown requested this item be on the agenda. Staff has not yet collected all pertinent info at this time but will have something uploaded before the start of the meeting. ..Recommended Action RECOMMENDED ACTION: