County Will Now Resume Issuing Permits for New Casinos

SAN DIEGO-Following a decision by the state to stay out of the matter, county building officials will resume issuing permits for local tribal casino and resort projects in the city.

Now the county may go about setting up development guidelines in order for tribes to build the casinos, a task they will start this week. Nearly a dozen casino expansions or new construction projects are on the horizon. County supervision William Horn says the tribes will be treated “like any other developer.”

The county delayed action on permits needed to excavate and do water, sewer, telephone and electric hookups. Tribal officials accused the county, which has expressed concern about the projects’ impact on traffic and the environment, of throwing roadblocks in the path of their developments.