Communications Relay Corp. v. County of Los Angeles

Appellants Communications Relay Corporation, Panorama Ranch, L.L.C., and LT-WR, L.L.C. (collectively, the property owners, or the owners) appeal from a judgment denying their petition for writ of mandate. The petition sought an order directing respondent County of Los Angeles (the County) to issue permits to construct water wells on the property owners’ real property, without requiring the owners to identify a person holding a C-57 water well contractor’s license as the person responsible for the construction. The trial court found that the County did not have a ministerial duty to issue the permits because Water Code section 13750.5 (section 13750.5) requires that any person who constructs a water well in California must hold a C-57 license. The property owners contend they are exempt from the C-57 license requirement under section 7044, subdivision (a) (section 7044(a)) of the Contractors’ State License Law (Bus. & Prof. Code, § 7000 et seq.). We affirm the judgment.

BACKGROUND

The property owners own four parcels of land in Malibu, California. They sought permits from the County to drill water wells on their properties. The County refused to issue those permits on…