San Diego County waives fees for Coches fire victims rebuilding homes

Lakeside residents who lost their homes in the Coches fire can now apply for county fee waivers that are expected to save them thousands of dollars as the community begins to rebuild.

The Sept. 8 brush fire ignited north of Interstate 8 near Los Coches Road and rapidly spread through the area. Four mobile homes and three accessory structures were destroyed.

On Tuesday, the county Board of Supervisors voted to approve the fee waiver in an effort to ease the recovery process for affected families. The relief applies to costs associated with debris removal, burned vehicle disposal, rebuilding and document replacement.

County officials expect the move to save residents approximately $18,000 on permit and plan approvals.

As residents start the rebuilding process, the waivers are aimed at reducing cleanup and disposal costs. County officials estimate that up to $4,300 in disposal costs could be waived.

Residents could also save up to $10,098 for septic and water well permits, county Environmental Health and Quality officials said. Costs to replace vital documents — such as deeds and business documents — can also be covered by the waiver.

Document replacement requests should be submitted to the county Recorder’s Office.

Qualified residents can apply for relief with the county Building Division to confirm and update damages following the initial report. In order to receive waivers, they must provide proof of parcel ownership.

The county has assigned a Planning and Development Services recovery liaison to each property owner who was affected by the fire. Operating as a caseworker to guide residents through the recovery process, they help connect fire victims with necessary resources.