ORANGE COUNTY PERSPECTIVE : Getting On With It

The devastating fires in Laguna Beach continue to heap misfortune on some victims nearly a year after blazes swept the canyons. City officials should take better care not to compound the woes of those displaced by the flames.

Laguna is a small city with a bureaucracy that was overwhelmed after the fires. Officials did a good job in helping those in need. They were forced to settle disputes over reseeding of hillsides, making new dwellings more fire-resistant and helping homeowners rebuild as quickly as possible.

From the start, the city said it would try to cut red tape to speed rebuilding, but there were some unavoidable delays in the fire-damaged neighborhood of Mystic Hills when fears arose that an old landslide could pose a hazard as new homes went up.

The experiences of two couples burned out of their homes on Buena Vista Way demonstrated the roadblocks bureaucracy can create.

Both couples learned they were ineligible for special processing and waivers of fees because they decided to rebuild elsewhere in Laguna, rather than where their homes had burned. One couple spent months waiting for their plans for a new house to finish the design review process. They said their plans sat for too long on a zoning official’s desk.

The city manager now has said the city will try to accelerate the permit process for all fire victims, even those building outside their former neighborhoods. That is sensible. Those who lost homes they loved should be helped in getting on with their lives. They should not be penalized.