Santa Cruz County is holding a public Legalization Assistance Permit Program meeting on November 17 at the Episcopal Church of St. John the Baptist in Seacliff. The meeting will be held from 7:00 PM until 9:00 PM in the church’s cafe facility.

The Legalization Assistance Permit Program (LAPP) is designed to help property owners with unpermitted improvements (i.e. bedroom or bathroom additions, accessory units) bring them into legal compliance.

According to the county,

The program will apply to single family and multiple-family dwellings, commercial, industrial and agricultural structures which were altered, remodeled or constructed without required permits.

The LAPP program began on August 24, 2014 and will run only for a two-year period. Property owners who come forward to legalize unpermitted construction during this time will not be charged the “recover enforcement costs” fee but will have to pay regular permit fees, development impact fees, and possibly back taxes as well, and all improvements must comply with building, zoning, and environmental standards.  The full LAPP program guidelines can be read here.