City Council OKs 2-Year Extension for Permits : Simi Valley: Officials are concerned that new construction projects may falter in the wake of the earthquake.

Eager to shore up the city’s post-earthquake economy, the Simi Valley City Council has agreed to extend for two years most permits for new construction that will expire this year.

The extension follows the council’s decision in January to waive fees for design plans and building permits required to repair damage caused by the earthquake.

With the construction industry’s attention focused on quake repair, however, city officials are concerned that new projects will falter.

Councilman Bill Davis said he hopes that the two-year delay will encourage companies to forge ahead with new development.

“This is a fairness issue and an economic issue,” Davis said. “We’ll keep our fingers crossed, and it should work very well.”

The extension will allow the city to push back for two years any building permits set to expire between Jan. 17--the day of the quake--and Dec. 31. Permits are usually good for two to three years.

A state law enacted in the fall extended permits for housing subdivisions to bolster flagging construction. The city ordinance grants that extension to commercial and industrial developments as well.

“We’re trying to be in front of the curve,” said Deputy City Manager Brian Gabler, who helped prepare the proposal presented to the council. “By doing this, we’re going to have a better chance of keeping jobs and development going in the city.”

In other quake-related action, the city has applied for $142,000 in federal funds to pay for a soil stability study of a severely damaged area on the southeastern side of town.

The city began pursuing the study after residents complained about large cracks they said are continuing to spread under their homes and through their streets.

At the city’s request, the state’s mines and geology division agreed to conduct the study. The study will begin once funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency is approved, said Jim Davis, a state geologist who heads the division. Approval is expected later this week.

Geologists are expected to complete the study by June, he said. They will test the soil along the Arroyo Simi from Kuehner Drive to Stearns Street, compare aerial photographs taken before and after the earthquake, and monitor the ground in the neighborhood to determine if it is still moving.

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“We’ll be taking a close look at the area,” Davis said. “The intention is to have the state develop some conclusions using our particular expertise.”

The council also approved a three-month, $45,000 contract to pay a consultant to help inspect buildings and check plans for post-quake repairs.

Noting that the city is seeking FEMA reimbursement for the consulting work, Councilwoman Sandi Webb encouraged the city’s building and safety staff to return to the council for more funds if necessary.

“I know that fireplaces and some of these other earthquake projects sometimes take five or six inspections,” Webb said. “If this funding doesn’t look like it’s going to be enough, come back for more.”