MALIBU—On Tuesday, June 9, the city of Malibu announced that the deadline for the Woolsey Fire Fee Waiver Program is approaching.
Property owners have until Tuesday, June 30, to apply for Malibu’s Woolsey Fire Fee Waiver Program. To qualify, all required Planning Department applications must be deemed complete by Tuesday, June 30, and all required building permits must be pulled by Wednesday, December 30, 2026. No fees will be waived after that date.
In 2018, the Woolsey Fire was ignited in November and was not contained until November 21. The fire spread to 96,949 acres (39,234 hectares), destroyed 1,643 structures, killed 3 people, and prompted the evacuation of more than 295,000 people in the region. The blaze started in Woolsey Canyon on the Santa Susana Field Laboratory property. Hundreds of homes on both sides of Pacific Coast Highway were destroyed during the fire.
The program helps eligible Woolsey Fire survivors rebuild by waiving certain city rebuilding fees for like-for-like or like-for-like plus 10 percent rebuilds of homes that were the owner’s primary residence on November 8, 2018. The program may transfer to heirs of previously qualified property owners. Eligible waived fees may include rebuilding fees, onsite wastewater treatment system upgrades, damaged accessory structures, and related hardscaping or landscaping.
Property owners who already paid eligible rebuilding fees may qualify for a refund. Fees for post-approval revisions will still be charged under the City’s adopted fee schedule. To learn more and apply: https://www.malibucity.org/958/Fee-Waiver-Deadlines. To discuss your project or contact Aakash Shah at 310-456-2489, ext. 385 to schedule an appointment.
By Danny Jones