County to create work group to evaluate business license proposal
Supervisors urge simple process if policy is adopted
The Inyo County Board of Supervisors at its meeting Tuesday instructed county staff to form a workgroup that would evaluate requiring business licenses in the unincorporated parts of the county.
The issue has been raised by Inyo County Treasurer Alisha McMurtrie, who outlined for the board several reasons why a county business license policy would benefit local government, the public and the business community in general.
Currently the only businesses required to have licenses are cannabis-related businesses. Supervisors have expressed a desire to see business licenses required for short-term rental operators as well.
At Tuesday’s meeting supervisors said that if a business license policy were to be adopted it must be as simple and unencumbering in cost and time to business owners as possible.
McMurtrie suggested the working group include members of county staff as well as business owners from Lone Pine, Big Pine and the unincorporated areas surrounding the city of Bishop where most of the businesses in the unincorporated areas of the county are located.
She also suggested that representatives from different types of businesses also be included on the work group for their perspectives.
McMurtrie said she and county staff could put a proposal together through the working group and come back to the board of supervisors at a late date to get more feedback from supervisors.
Benefits of business licenses
McMurtrie said a business license would be good for Inyo County to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of county residents in their transactions with entrepreneurs and to preserve and enhance the reputation and viability of businesses operating within the county.
She said with business licenses the county would learn who is doing business in the county, what type of business is being conducted and where business is being conducted.
McMurtrie said business licenses would allow for more effective communication with business operators, business compliance and community awareness of business operations.
How a business license would work
McMurtrie explained that all business operators would be required to complete an application and obtain a license and would then need to renew that license annually.
She said there should be an application fee as well as a renewal fee. She said there would be opportunities to allow for exemptions to the fees for certain businesses, such as those serving veterans or nonprofit organizations.
A license should have a defined period to be valid, such as one year, she said.
McMurtrie said there also should be defined reasons for suspension and revocation as well as a process that must be followed prior to such actions being taken.
She said a county administrative hearing board should be established, which would be the final decision-making body for appeals. The recommendation would be that this board is comprised of county department heads with knowledge of the county permitting processes, but not those who have the ability to suspend or revoke a license, such as the county tax collector or Code Enforcement.
McMurtrie said all business types should be required to obtain a license to operate within the unincorporated areas of Inyo County with no exceptions. This includes, but is not limited to short-term transient rentals, non-profit organizations and home-based businesses.
Costs
McMurtrie said while a fee will be a necessary component, depending on the complexity of the license issuance process, it should not be excessive.
She said there should be an application fee, which would be a one-time fee for initial set up and license review and issuance.
There should also be a renewal fee, which would be an annual fee that would include a check for violations and good standing from appropriate departments, she said.
McMurtrie said a pro-rated fee schedule could be developed for those new businesses opening throughout the year as well as a penalty schedule for late payments.