§ 12.70 — Los Angeles County Planning Code

12.70.020 - Designation as administering agency. ¶

The Forester and Fire Warden since the inception of the administration of the Act by the County of Los Angeles has been and is the designated administering agency for the County of Los Angeles charged with the responsibility of administering and enforcing the provisions of the Act.

(Ord. 2010-0044 § 20 (part), 2010.)

12.70.030 - Permit—Application requirements. ¶

Every person, business, or business concern within the jurisdiction of the LACoCUPA falling within the requirements of this chapter shall be required annually to obtain from the LACoCUPA a unified program facility permit in accordance with Chapter 12.50 of this code and pay any fees as required by this chapter before operating a tank facility.

(Ord. 2010-0044 § 20 (part), 2010.)

12.70.040 - Compliance required. ¶

Every business shall comply with the reporting requirements set forth by the LACoCUPA relating to petroleum under the Act. The required reporting includes the initial submission of the tank facility statement

within 30 days of the commencement of operation of the business.

(Ord. 2010-0044 § 20 (part), 2010.)

12.70.050 - Annual Fees to Be Paid by Operators of Aboveground Tank Facility. ¶

Beginning with the fiscal year 2025-2026, the annual fee required to be paid to the Forester and Fire Warden by the operator of each tank facility for the administration and enforcement of the provisions of the Act shall be as follows:

Fee Group	Total Quantity of Petroleum in Aboveground Storage Tanks at Each Tank Facility During the Reporting Year	Annual Fee for Each Tank Facility
I	Less than 10,000 gallons	$332
II	10,000 to 100,000 gallons	$1,062
III	100,001 to 1,000,000 gallons	$1,592
IV	1,000,001 to 10,000,000 gallons	$2,123
V	10,000,001 to 100,000,000 gallons	$9,621
VI	More than 100,000,000 gallons	$20,071
VII	Exempt Handler Less than 1,320 gallons	No Fee

Exemption:

Any person, business, or business concern which conducts, exclusively for charitable purposes, an activity for which a fee is required under this chapter and from which no person benefits through the distribution of profits, payment of excessive charges or compensation, or the more advantageous pursuit of their business or profession shall not be charged any fee. Facts supporting entitlement to such exemption from a fee requirement shall be shown by affidavit filed with the Forester and Fire Warden. Any person, business, or business concern which conducts an activity for which a fee is otherwise required to be paid by this chapter shall be deemed to qualify for a fee exemption if it complies with section 214 of the California Revenue and Taxation Code as now and hereafter amended.

(Ord. 2025-0026 § 9, 2025; Ord. 2024-0041 § 11, 2024; Ord. 2023-0029 § 12, 2023; Ord. 2021-0023 § 9, 2021; Ord. 2020-0029 § 13, 2020; Ord. 2019-0027 § 13, 2019; Ord. 2016-0029 § 7, 2016; Ord. 2010-0044 § 20 (part), 2010.)

12.70.060 - Reserved. ¶

12.70.070 - Period to which fees apply. ¶

The annual fees required by Section 12.70.050 are based upon the information contained in the most recent required submission of the tank facility statement or inventory of hazardous materials on file with the Forester and Fire Warden at the time the fees are determined. The quantity reported is considered to be

current inventory or potential inventory unless amended as required pursuant to section 25270.6(a) of the Act. There are no provisions for partial year fees. There are no refunds for fees paid.

(Ord. 2010-0044 § 20 (part), 2010.)

12.70.080 - Late payment penalty. ¶

If any fee required to be paid pursuant to Sections 12.70.050 through 12.70.070 of this chapter is not paid prior to the delinquency date as defined in Section 12.52.075, in addition to such fee, the handler shall pay a penalty equal to 40 percent of the total assessed fee(s). Date of payment is the date payment is received.

(Ord. 2010-0044 § 20 (part), 2010.)

12.70.090 - Late fee payment—Lien authorized when. ¶

If any fee and late fee required to be paid by this chapter are not paid within 30 days after the delinquency date as defined in Section 12.52.075, a certificate of lien may be recorded upon all real property in the County owned or later acquired by the permittee or person liable for payment of such fee(s) and any late payment penalty as authorized by section 101345 of the California Health and Safety Code.

(Ord. 2010-0044 § 20 (part), 2010.)

12.70.100 - Fee schedule—Annual adjustment procedure. ¶

The fees contained in Sections 12.70.050 through 12.70.070 inclusive shall be adjusted annually by the following procedure:

The annual adjustment shall be the result of computing the change in the annualized cost to the administering agency for administering the program, where "annualized cost" is defined as the program cost which includes applicable salary, employee benefits, and overhead calculated from rates contained in the administering agency's rate package, as approved by the Auditor-Controller.

The program cost is annually reallocated among operators based upon the number of operators in each fee group and time involved in administering the program.

(Ord. 2010-0044 § 20 (part), 2010.)

12.70.110 - Permit—Period of validity—Renewals. ¶

Unified program facility permits for the hazardous materials program element required by this chapter shall be issued for a period of one year. A valid permit shall be renewable from year to year upon payment, on or before the delinquency date contained in the invoice for each such year, of the fees assessed pursuant to Section 12.70.050 of this chapter, or upon payment of such fees plus any late payment penalty imposed pursuant to Section 12.70.080 of this chapter, provided the facility is in compliance with all conditions and limitations of such permit. Unified program facility permits shall be deemed to have expired if payment of the renewal fees and applicable penalties has not been made on or before the delinquency date of the invoice. The delinquency date is defined as the 61st day after the date of the invoice.

(Ord. 2010-0044 § 20 (part), 2010.)

12.70.120 - Disputes and appeals of assessed fee. ¶

Any dispute or appeal of the fees and late fees described in Sections 12.70.050, 12.70.060, 12.70.080, and 12.70.090 of this chapter shall be handled in accordance with the procedures for handling disputes and appeals of unified program facility fees specified in Section 12.50.140 of the County Code.

(Ord. 2010-0044 § 20 (part), 2010.)

12.70.130 - Collection and accounting requirements. ¶

All payments made pursuant to this chapter shall be collected and accounted for in accordance with the requirements of the County Treasurer-Tax Collector and the County Auditor-Controller.

(Ord. 2010-0044 § 20 (part), 2010.)

12.70.140 - Re-issuance of a lost permit. ¶

Where a unified program facility permit has been lost, the chief shall issue a duplicate permit to the owner thereof upon submittal of a complete application and, in addition to any other requirements in this chapter, payment of all required and past due fee and penalties, and payment of a $15.00 permit re-issuance fee.

(Ord. 2010-0044 § 20 (part), 2010.)

12.70.150 - Severability.

If any provision of this chapter or the application thereof to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the chapter, and the application of such provision to other persons or circumstances, shall not be affected thereby.

(Ord. 2010-0044 § 20 (part), 2010.)

Chapter 12.80 - STORMWATER AND RUNOFF POLLUTION CONTROL Part 1 - DEFINITIONS

12.80.010 - Definitions applicable to Chapter 12.80.

The following words, phrases and terms as used in this chapter shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this Part 1.

(Ord. 98-0021 § 1 (part), 1998.)

12.80.020 - Act.

"Act" means the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, also known as the Clean Water Act, as amended, 33 U.S.C. 1251, et seq.

(Ord. 98-0021 § 1 (part), 1998.)

12.80.030 - Adverse impact.

"Adverse impact" means a detrimental effect upon water quality or beneficial uses caused by a discharge or loading of a pollutant or pollutants.

(Ord. 98-0021 § 1 (part), 1998.)