Administrative Review Board (ARB): TO BE APPOINTED BY THE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

1. When appointed, the ARB will be composed of five members, including a representative of the Auditor-Controller, a representative of the County Executive Officer, and three public members appointed by the Board of Supervisors.
2. The ARB will conduct hearings, receives and considers evidence and makes final administrative decisions on the reasonableness of time charged to a specific plan, project or permit.
3. ARB decisions will be binding on the County, but not the applicant. Applicants may reject an ARB decision by filing an action in a court of law.
4. The ARB cannot:
• Raise or lower hourly rates on overheard calculations
• Extend time for planning applications or expiration of permits.
• Remove or waive penalties for failure to properly obtain a permit for code enforcement violations
• Reduce time charges because the property was destroyed, damaged or depreciated after the date the disputed services were performed.
• Change the classification rate of the planner, plan checker, or inspector that performed the services in dispute.
• Make any ruling that infringes in any way upon the responsibilities and duties of the Planning Commission, Zoning Administrator, Subdivision Committee, or Board of Supervisors.
5. ARB hearings will be conducted only after all administrative remedies have been exhausted between the applicant and Planning & Development Services.
6. To request a hearing before the ARB an applicant must file a request with the ARB Hearing Officer within 30 days of receipt of either:
• The full accounting of the permit costs, or
• A request by the County for additional deposits.
7. A request filed after 30 days shall be deemed untimely and rejected.
8. The Hearing Officer can be contacted by writing to:
Administrative Review Board
Resources & Development Management Department
Planning and Development Services
300 N. Flower, 3rd Floor, Attn: ARB
Santa Ana, CA 92702
or, by faxing a request to (714) 834-2771, or by e-mail