A new report from the 2024-25 Mendocino County Civil Grand Jury has slammed the county’s Planning and Building Services (PBS) for major shortcomings that could endanger lives. The report, titled “PLANNING AND BUILDING DEPARTMENT: STRUCTURAL ISSUES: EXPOSING THE CRACKS,” reveals widespread problems with how the department handles building permits and enforces safety rules, especially concerning wildfire prevention.
The Grand Jury’s investigation, prompted by multiple public complaints and confirmed by site visits, uncovered a troubling pattern: the misuse of “Class K” building permits. These permits were originally meant for simple, owner-built homes in rural areas with basic safety standards. But now, the report says, PBS is improperly issuing them for all sorts of structures, including commercial buildings and large homes that don’t meet standard safety codes. In fact, nearly half of all building permits issued in 2024 were for these “substandard” Class K structures, creating a county full of buildings that don’t meet proper safety requirements.
A major concern highlighted in the report is PBS’s failure to enforce California Public Resources Code § 4290, which sets crucial fire safety rules for construction in high-risk areas. This isn’t just a minor oversight; it’s a serious threat to public safety. With the memory of the devastating 2017 Redwood Complex wildfire—which destroyed hundreds of homes and killed nine people—still fresh, the Grand Jury warns that PBS’s negligence is “setting the stage for another catastrophic life safety event.” By allowing unpermitted or improperly built structures to stand without proper fire breaks, emergency access, or water supplies, the county is leaving residents and first responders highly vulnerable to future wildfires.
The Grand Jury also found a severe lack of clear policies and procedures within PBS. This means rules are applied inconsistently, leading to favoritism and little accountability for those who break building codes. The report notes that departments often rely on the outdated excuse of “this is how we have always done it.” The Code Enforcement Division (CED) also came under fire for its reactive approach, often ignoring obvious safety violations unless they are specifically mentioned in a complaint. This leads to ongoing disputes, wasted resources, and a perception that the county isn’t serious about enforcing its own rules.
The Grand Jury’s findings are a clear call for immediate action. They stress that public safety must be the top priority for the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors. The report urges the Board to give clear instructions to PBS to strictly follow State and County laws. The “cracks” exposed in Mendocino County’s building department are more than just administrative issues; they represent a fundamental risk to the safety and well-being of everyone living there, demanding an urgent and complete overhaul.
See the entirety of the Grand Jury document here:
PBS-Structural-Issues-Exposing-the-Cracks
No policies or procedures, that’s a Carmel Angelo hold over. If it isn’t written down she can’t be accountable for anything. And everything is a moving target so every day is a new day according to the mood you wake up with. I’m glad this has come to light. Now fix it!! Before a deadly catastrophe occurs. All county leadership at every level is now accountable.
A year ago, the County sponsored several townhalls on the topic of permitting. I attended one in Fort Bragg, where I listened to the head of Planning and the head of Environmental something prattle on about how their teams were having more meetings. Nothing substantial unless you are of a bureaucratic mind. Nor were they interested in input from the audience. For example, I suggested that if a permit was not approved within 60 days, it would be deemed approved. No reaction from the two except maybe bewilderment and the meeting moved on.
There is, as far as I can tell, a culture of “no-can-do” at the County. Such attitudes usually come from the top.
County ‘leadership’? They lead corruption. They are run amok, unchecked. Every single Mendocino county department. It’s mind-boggling really – what this county’s ‘leadership’ gets away with. Who and what and when will they be brought to heel???
Kudos for a job well done!
Let’s remember that pg and e was held responsible for not maintaining code which started the 2017 fire.
Many homes are built class K as a work around to the ridiculous California solar mandate. Why pay $10K-$20K for solar panels that will take a minimum of ten years to pay for themselves and last a maximum of twenty? Not a great return on your investment, especially if you live on the coast in the perpetual fog. Oh and PG&E has a monopoly in this area and is paying less and less each year for the power your panels generate. Want to use your own power? Pony up for an expensive battery… I may be mistaken but I believe new homes are also required to install fire suppression/sprinkler systems inside? Class K gets you around the overreach of the ignorant state mandates that make your home $20K-$60K more expensive to build. If Mendocino PBS is as strict as this grand jury would like them to seemingly be, you will see a huge drop in new homes built in Mendocino county. This area needs newer homes being built to replace the dilapidated supply of housing currently available.
Everyone who struggled or is STILL struggling to rebuild after the 2017 fires or any others totally agrees with you. Many of us were forced to use class K in order to not become impoverished while we navigated insurance or contractors. No one at the county answers to anything.
People should be allowed to live in mud huts on their own property so who cares. Public Safety is a catch all phrase for the Karens who sit on the Grand Jury. They probably call the S.O.every time they see a guy with a beard and sunglasses near the park claiming that there are children there and that they’re sure the eyes behind the lenses are staring at kids when they are obviously ogling hot moms.
Sure policy and procedure are important and if the rules say 2000 sf and no auto shops then thems the rules. But if we get Code Enforcement running all over the county writing up every violation they can see then this county is dunzo. Kaput. Fineeto. Nobody wants a department that just runs everyone down for every nickel in the name of public safety. That’s BS. The worst thing we could have is code enforcement looking over fences and just knocking on every successive door to write up the whole neighborhood. Leave people alone for Pete’s sake. We have a lower standard of living than Arkansas and Arkansas is cheaper and real pretty.