Tale of the Red Tape

Who knew that residents of unincorporated areas of Orange County needed permits to replace dishwashers or laundry faucets? Until last month, they did need them.

The Board of Supervisors scrapped the permit requirement as part of a review of red tape, the bureaucratic burdens that can make it a nightmare for residents to remodel homes and businesses to set up shop.

The review is worthwhile. But officials in both county and many city governments also have learned that most of the regulations on the books are there for a reason. In most cases, rather than scrapping the rules, government needs to make it easier for people to comply.

It is easy to scoff at outdated rules, such as the state regulation that formaldehyde, a known carcinogen, be used in the disposal of upholstered furniture.

But it turns out that there is a reason why a homeowner needs a permit before installing a water heater: If done improperly, it could leak gas or cause an explosion. That county rule remained on the books.

All levels of government are right to review regulations, get rid of outdated ones and ensure that the requirements that remain are widely publicized. The state began a deregulation campaign several years ago. It has examined 21,000 regulations so far and abolished 4,000 codes.

The Board of Supervisors joined with the state nearly three years ago to make it easier for businesses to get permits. The board expanded its Development Processing Center in Santa Ana to provide access to representatives from agencies such as the South Coast Air Quality Management District, California Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the state Trade and Commerce Agency.

The action was a correct recognition that business needed help, especially during a recession.

Laguna Beach, too, helped residents whose homes were destroyed in the fires in 1993 to get permits to rebuild. When there were delays, they often occurred for valid reasons, such as concern that someone wanted to build a house in an area at risk for landslides.

Other Orange County cities also are trying to help homeowners and businesses as part of the normal course of business, as they should. A private group that studied the routine building-permit process in Los Angeles last year found that it took far longer to get everything done than it does in Anaheim.

A review of regulations can help in ways other than getting rid of what is outdated. It can serve as a reminder of the good reasons why rules in such areas as land use, air pollution and workplace safety were enacted and are still needed.