THOUSAND OAKS : County Waives Permit Fees for Fire Victims

Ventura County supervisors Tuesday agreed to waive building permit fees for victims of the 1993 Green Meadow fire.

Supervisor Frank Schillo, whose 2nd District includes the Green Meadow area in Thousand Oaks, proposed the waiver after the board agreed last week to waive similar fees for earthquake and flood victims.

Harman Rasnow, who lost his hilltop home in the fire that charred more than 38,000 acres, said he was grateful for the board’s action. Rasnow estimated that the waiver would save him about $3,500.

Rasnow said he believed that he was entitled to the waiver because, unlike some earthquake victims, his entire house was destroyed.

Thomas Berg, director of the county’s resource management agency, said only about half a dozen property owners would probably benefit from the waiver.

Although dozens of structures were lost in the fire, only a handful of homes were actually damaged or destroyed, Berg said. As a result, the county’s cost for allowing the waiver is only expected to amount to a few thousand dollars, he said.

So far, the county has waived $11,600 in earthquake-related permit fees.