Requirement to Improve Roads Waived by Supervisors

(Best Syndication News) Many business owners are hesitant to make improvements to their commercial or industrial properties because the county will require them to pay for major paving projects. That may change after a vote by the supervisors this week.

The San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors lifted a requirement that forced business land owners to pay for extensive road improvements when they apply for a minor alteration to their property. Even the addition of a gazebo or a shade structure could trigger the expense.

“There have been several instances recently in which non-profits, businesses and homeowners have been required to pay for major road paving projects along the length of their property, in some cases even farther, when they wanted to build an addition or expansion, easily doubling or tripling the cost,” said First District Supervisor Brad Mitzelfelt.

Currently the county Development Code requires paving when a modification to the existing structure is implemented. But changes to that code will not require the road improvement if it involves less than fifty percent of the existing square footage.

So why the change? Mitzelfelt was informed that the Tri-Community chapter of the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Phelan was required to make road improvements when they needed to add a commercial kitchen. A similar situation occurred when a trucking company in Barstow wanted to erect a shade structure.

“This is a common-sense modification that will free residents and businesses from an onerous requirement and will allow a broad range of improvement projects to move forward,” Mitzelfelt tells Best Syndication.

The changes won’t take effect until after August 24th 2012. The new policy will only apply to unincorporated areas of the county.

“The last thing we as local government want to do is to unintentionally quash efforts by homeowners and businesses to improve their property, increase its value, and expand and support economic growth,” Supervisor Mitzelfelt said.

By: Dan Wilson

Image: Phelan Veterans were required to make road improvements when they added a commercial kitchen to their facility.