FULLERTON : City Joins the Drive for One-Stop Business Permit Center

The Fire Department is applying to the state to become a certified location for issuing a variety of city and county permits, a move widely supported by small businesses.

Despite Orange County officials’ opposition, City Council members last week said one stop would make the permit process easier for city business owners.

Fire officials now will submit an application to the state, seeking to become a Certified Unified Program Agency. The city is the county’s eighth to do so, following similar action in Anaheim, Costa Mesa, Fountain Valley, Huntington Beach, Orange, Santa Ana and Newport Beach.

Under the plan, the fire stations would become centers for local businesses needing environmental permits and for firefighters conducting inspections under six hazardous materials and waste programs. Those programs currently are run by city fire departments, the county Fire Authority and the county itself.

Businesses must obtain environmental permits from three locations: their city, fire department and the county.

Fullerton Fire Chief Stephen P. Magliocco said the central control would reduce the number of inspections and fees.

County officials object to the formation of the local agencies because, they said, the agencies would create unfair disadvantages to businesses that operate out of multiple locations throughout the county. Those businesses, they said, would have to deal with inconsistent enforcement policies.

But Fullerton city officials said less than 20% of all city business owners have multiple locations.

Said Councilman Don Bankhead: “I would think that instead of fighting this type of thing, the county would jump in and embrace this type of program in an effort to downsize.”