Whittier : Uptown Builders Fee Reinstated

The Whittier City Council has voted to resume a $1,000 fee for developers who file plans for building in the earthquake-stricken Uptown business district and surrounding residential areas.

In June, the council voted to require all new Uptown commercial construction to be approved in detail by the Planning Commission, and a few weeks later, imposed the same requirement on new apartment buildings. Such construction previously did not have to be approved at a public meeting.

Since the conditional-use permit fee was a new requirement brought about by the earthquake nearly a year ago, the council waived the fee. The waiver was intended to benefit the 24 projects for which plans had been submitted to City Hall before June. The city has received permit applications for 20 of the 24 projects, according to Planning Director Elvin Porter.

Additionally, free permit applications have been processed for 17 other projects, representing a $17,000 loss in city revenue, he said.