Discussion heats up over fire inspection fees
A Redondo Beach Fire Department ladder truck responding to a call. File photo
The Redondo Beach City Council approved a tweak to an existing ordinance that will help residents and business owners deal with excessive charges from the city’s fire inspection program. The change is estimated to reduce the program’s income by $15,000.
The resolution passed by a 3-2 vote, with Council members Todd Loewenstein and Nils Nehrenheim voting against — though not because they were looking to retain that $15,000, but because they’re looking to overhaul the program, if not eliminate it.
“I’m against it for the concern over saddling residents with more fees,” Loewenstein said after being asked to clarify his vote, which he said was ultimately symbolic. “I was against it at the beginning, and I’ve not seen any evidence that it’s leading to better fire protections.”
According to California code, all businesses and buildings with three or more residential units must be inspected at least once a year to ensure that commercial facilities and built-in fire protection features are up-to-date.
In 2017, the City Council approved a program allowing the Fire Department to charge fees of $113 per hour minimum, for performing its inspection. Those fees, according to Fire Chief Robert Metzger, were designed to help offset the costs of having Fire Department personnel performing the inspections. (That year’s budget also included the hiring of a fire inspector assigned to handle residential inspections.)
But the past two years have seen quite a bit of confusion among residents and elected officials.
The first problem, which was addressed in this resolution, was with double-billing. That would happen when a building or unit-owner (or, in the case of multi-condo residences, a Homeowner’s Association) would be charged multiple times for separate units that are intended to be counted as one occupancy; additionally, building owners were also charged multiple times, both for the building and for occupying spaces within their building.
But residents and businesses have wondered what they’re paying for. Inspection visits, particularly for small spaces, tend to be relatively short. Loewenstein, Nehrenheim and Mayor Bill Brand reported resident complaints of “fly-by” inspections, believing that fire officials would complete inspections within minutes with minimal checks.
“I live in a four-unit building, and I heard knocking around. I thought it was an Amazon delivery, then saw a woman left with nothing in her hands; weeks later, I got a notice and a bill for a home inspection,” said resident and real estate agent Wayne Craig. “I don’t know what we’re accomplishing other than revenue generation…properties are being inspected and no one is going inside.”
Fire Chief Metzger clarified that Fire Code-mandated inspections aren’t the same as home inspections — rather, they are done to ensure that fire protection and prevention features in residential common spaces and businesses are kept up to code.
Businesses also have been alarmed by instances in which the system has tripped up. In one case, a business that moved to Torrance was sent a bill when its previous space in Redondo was inspected, well after they had moved on. (In that case, the charge was reversed.)
In cases of mistaken billing, the Fire Department has reviewed and reversed charges when alerted to problems. But, Metzger said, they can’t do that unless they’re aware there’s an issue. (The Fire Department has ensured its third-party billing system includes RBFD’s contact information for resident questions.)
But the core of Loewenstein and Nehrenheim’s issue is a belief that the program is a revenue-generator set on the backs of residents.
Nehrenheim proposed that the Council consider altering the proposed resolution to adjust pricing and time allocation. That was superseded by Councilwoman Laura Emdee’s motion to pass the measure as-is to solve the immediate problems, and bring back adjustment discussions for the future.
At the end of the meeting, however, neither Nehrenheim nor Loewenstein directed staff to bring such a discussion forward for a future meeting.
When asked, Loewenstein said he “would like to see it,” doesn’t believe that the current Council makeup would allow for that to happen.
The discussion may return, however, during the city’s upcoming Fiscal Year 2019-’20 budget hearings, scheduled to begin in June.