County Changes Fees for Health Permits, Inspections

Businesses ranging from restaurants to tattoo art will soon see changes in fees for public health licenses, permits and inspections.

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday decided to increase fees and lower others, aiming to reflect the actual cost of providing permits, enforcing state health code laws, and inspectors' salaries, said Department of Public Health Director Dr. Jonathan Fielding in a statement.

Fielding said that without more money his inspectors would be delayed in checking plans, investigating complaints and inspecting high-risk food facilities.

But Supervisor Don Knabe, whose district includes Hermosa Beach, said that higher fees could hit small businesses hard.   

"One thing we don't need at this time is to have businesses closed and jobs lost," Knabe said. 

He suggested that the board review the fees, which will be in effect for at least one year, six months from now. 

The board approved the fee schedule in a 5-0 vote and directed Fielding to return in six months with a progress report. 

The department first asked for the fee increase in April, but the board asked them to do more work to fine tune the schedule.

Fielding's staffers met with industry representatives, held public hearings and reached out to business owners to develop the changes, he said. 

As a result, fees for vending machines, for example, remained fixed at $62 rather than rising to a proposed $275 while county staffers work with the industry to create a long-term solution. 

Charges for swimming pool inspections were revised to address apartment complexes differently than hotels and theme parks.

Previously, fees for restaurants were based on the number of seats in an establishment, but now the need for more frequent and comprehensive inspections is more closely related to the type of food served—such as prepackaged versus prepared, raw foods—than the size of the establishment.

Overall, fees went up in 119 categories and down in 52. Fees have not been raised since 2008.

The department's cost of inspecting and permitting businesses has increased by nearly $13 million over the last three years. 

— City News Service contributed to this report.