LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – In response to issues voiced by Valley fire survivors surrounding the permitting process and its effects on rebuilding, the Lake County Community Development Department announced that it will be increasing counter hours at the courthouse in Lakeport.

The counter will be open between 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and will remain open through the lunch hour.

The new hours will take effect Monday, April 4.

Over the last few months lines at the Lakeport counter have been long as Valley fire survivors move toward rebuilding homes that were destroyed.

“Given the importance of helping people get back to normal after the fires, we’re going back to a model that was successfully used in the early 2000s when development was booming in Lake County,” said Scott De Leon, interim Director of Community Development.

De Leon added, “We’re keeping the counter open most of the day, and then using that last 1.5 hours to meet as a group and review submissions made during the day.”

He expects that implementing the process of reviewing submissions in a group setting will improve efficiency and the thoroughness of the review.

De Leon also announced the closing of the Middletown satellite permitting office.

“Due to technology and staffing limitations, the center wasn’t working as effectively as it could,” De Leon said. “The intentions to open it were good, but the logistics didn’t pan out. We’ll now be able to utilize those resources to expand the hours at the Lakeport counter.”

Community Development is located on the third floor of the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St. in Lakeport. The phone number is 707-263-2221.