SOUTH COUNTY : County Office in South May Open

Orange County supervisors will discuss next week establishing a special South County office that will offer an array of services, from answering questions about parcel maps to performing marriages, according to a report released Wednesday.

“As South County continues to grow, South County residents are finding it more difficult to travel to the Santa Ana Civic Center to conduct routine county business,” says the report, which was written by officials in the county assessor’s office. “Residents are faced with increasing traffic congestion, long commute trips and limited public parking.”

Supervisors Gaddi H. Vasquez and Thomas F. Riley, whose districts include South County, for months have lobbied to create better services in that area. Vasquez, who recently established constituent offices in Mission Viejo and Brea, said Wednesday he welcomes the report’s recommendations.

“I think it’s an indicator of things to come,” Vasquez said. “The time has come for us to start decentralizing the services that we offer.”

The new South County office could open as soon as June and would give area residents easier access to county records, as well as walk-in service for questions regarding such things as parcel maps, tax assessment rolls and general information concerning building codes.

It would cost the county $399,660 to establish the office and purchase furniture for it. After the first year, it would cost $138,600 to keep the lease on the 7,000-square-foot space, at 24422 Avenida de la Carlotta in Laguna Hills.

In addition to its drier, more bureaucratic functions, the office would serve a more romantic one as well: It would be able to issue marriage licenses and even perform marriage ceremonies.

“Knowing South County as I do, I’m sure there will be a demand for that service,” Vasquez said.