CEQA General Plan

8/7/2019 CEQA General Plan

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/ceqa-general-plan 1/35

Ventura County

General Plan,Development Process

and CEQA An Overview

byBruce Smith, AICP

Planning Division(654-2497)

[email protected]



Topics to Be Covered

►General Plan Law

►County General Plan

►Development Law

►County Development Process

►CEQA Law

►County CEQA Procedures



General Plans

Planning Agency shall prepare andlegislative body shall adopt acom prehen s ive , l ong - te rm general plan

for the physical development of the countyor city (Government Code Sec. 65300).



General Plans

The following must be consistent with the GeneralPlan: Zoning Ordinance (Sec. 65860)

Specific Plans (Sec. 65454)

Subdivisions of land (Sec. 66473.5)

Public Works Facilities (Sec. 65401) – Special District may overrule if allowed by State law.

Public acquisition or disposition of real property (Sec.65402(a))

Federal, State and other cities/counties areexempt from other jurisdictions’ general plan(except LCP).



General Plans

► General Plan and elements and partsthereof must be integrated, internally consistent and compatible statement

of policies for the adopting agency (Sec.

65300.5).

► Statement of development policies and

diagrams and text setting forthobjectives, principles, standards, andplan proposals (Sec. 65302)



General Plans

Seven mandatory “elements” (Sec. 65302):

Land use

Circulation

Housing

Conservation

Open Space

Noise

Safety





Ventura County General Plan(http://www.ventura.org/rma/planning/plans/plans.htm)

► Goals, Policies andPrograms (Countywide): Resources Appendix

Hazards Appendix Land Use Appendix

Public Facilities and ServicesAppendix

► Area Plans: Ahmanson Ranch

Coastal

El Rio/Del Norte Lk. Sherwood/Hidden V.

N. Ventura Avenue

Oak Park

Ojai Valley

Piru

Saticoy

Thousand Oaks



Ventura County General Plan

►Goals – ultimate purpose, generalstatements (plan principles and objectives ).

►Policies – guide day-to-day actions(standards ) to carry out goals.

►Programs – coordinated set of futureactions (plan proposals ) to carry out goals.




►Planning Horizon – 2020

►Interpretations – Planning Director, withright of appeal to Planning Commission andBoard of Supervisors.



Ventura County General PlanResources Chapter/Appendix

► Sections:

Air Quality

Water Resources

Mineral Resources Biological Resources

Farmland Resources

Scenic Resources

Paleontological andCultural Resources

Energy Resources Coastal Beaches and

Sand Dunes



Ventura County General PlanResources Chapter/Appendix



Ventura County General PlanHazards Chapter/Appendix

► Sections:

Fault Rupture

Ground Shaking

Liquefaction Seiche

Tsunami

Landslides/Mudslides

Expansive Soils

Subsidence

Flood Hazards

Inundation from DamFailure

Coastal Wave andBeach Erosion Hazards

Fire Hazards

Transportation Related

Hazards Noise

Civil Disturbance



Ventura County General PlanHazards Chapter/Appendix



Ventura County General PlanLand Use Chapter/Appendix

►General Land Use Map: Urban (cities and unincorporated communities)

Existing Community (pre-existing residential,commercial and industrial)

Rural (>2 acres min.)

Open Space (>10 acres min.)

Agricultural (>40 acres min.)

State/Federal Facility






Ventura County General Plan -Area Plans




►Zoning Compatibility Matrix.

►Residential Building Intensity Standards & Population Density Range.

►Population, Dwelling Unit and EmploymentForecasts.

►Spheres of Influence/Guidelines for OrderlyDevelopment.

►SOAR Ordinance.

Vent a Co nt Gene al Plan



Ventura County General PlanAreas of Interest &

Spheres of Influence




Ventura County General PlanPublic Facilities & Services

Chapter/Appendix► Sections:

Transportation/Circulation

Water Supply Facilities

Waste Treatment andDisposal Facilities

Public Utilities Flood Control and

Drainage Facilities

Law Enforcement and

Emergency Services Fire Protection

Education and LibraryFacilities and Services

Parks and Recreation Other Public Buildings

and Grounds




Ventura County General PlanPublic Facilities & Services

Chapter/Appendix



Development Laws

► Subdivision Map Act

► Specific Plans

► Zoning Regulations:

Equal Protection/Treatment Open Space zoning

Density Bonus

Variances

Residential Development

Second DUs

► Development Agreements

► Permit Streamlining Act

► Fees, Exactions,Dedications, Conditions

► School Facilities Fees

►

Public notices/hearings► Growth Limitations

► Landscape waterconservation and recycling

► Interagency referrals► Consistency w/General

Plan



County Development Process



California Environmental Quality Act(CEQA)

►Public Resources Code (Sects. 21000-21178)

►California Code of Regulations (Sects. 15000-

15387) – CEQA Guidelines



CEQA

Objectives of CEQA:

Disclose environmental impacts to decisionmakers and public.

Identify and prevent/mitigate environmentaldamage.

Disclose agency decision-making.

Enhance public participation. Foster intergovernmental coordination.



CEQA

CEQA Objectives: Procedural Requirements:

Disclose environmental impacts: •Initial Studies

•Negative Declarations (ND)

•Environmental Impact Reports (EIR)

Identify and Prevent Damage: •Mitigation Measures

•

Alternatives•Mitigation Monitoring

Disclose decision-making: •Findings

•Statements of overriding considerations

Enhance public participation: •Scoping of EIRs

•Public notice requirements

•Response to comments

•Legal enforcement procedures

Foster intergovernmental coordination: •Early consultation

•Scoping meetings

•Notices of preparation

•State Clearinghouse review



CEQA Processing Steps

1. Defining the “Project”

2. Screening of Project

3. Initial Study

4. Preparation of ND,MND or EIR.

5. Public review andcomment.

6. Response tocomments andfinalize document.

7. Decision on project,findings, & mitigationmonitoring.

8. Notice of Determination.

9. Statute of limitations/court actions.



CEQA

Definition of “Project”: Activity of a public agency, a person supported

by a public agency, or permit/entitlement issued

by public agency. Potential for direct or indirect physical change

to the environment.

“Whole of the action”, which includes all:

►Multiple, related actions/permits (discretionary andministerial)

►multiple approving agencies



CEQA

Screening of Projects for CEQA:Possible Determinations: Outcome/Document:

Outside of definition of Project: Outside of CEQA

No possibility of impact: Outside of CEQA

Statutory Exemption: Notice of Exemption

Categorical Exemption: Notice of Exemption

Project covered by previous ND, MND orEIR: Finding of No Additional Impacts orAddendum or Supplemental ND, MND orEIR

Initial Study: ND, MND or EIR



CEQA

Exceptions to Categorical Exemptions: Significant impact because of unusual

circumstances.

Significant cumulative impacts.

Federal, state or local mapped resource orhazard (Class 3, 4, 5, 6 & 11).

Scenic highways.

Hazardous Waste Sites listed by Cal EPA.

Significant historic resources.



CEQA

Initial Studies (Information to justify an ND, MND or EIR, and focus

MNDs and EIRs on significant impacts and feasible mitigation measures): Project Description.

Environmental Setting(normally at project application)

. Impacts (direct & indirect, on-site & offsite, construction &

operational, and intermittent & ongoing, project & cumulative, economic

vs. physical). Feasible Mitigation Measures (avoid, minimize, rectify,

reduce or eliminate, compensate). Mandatory Findings (level of impact after mitigation). Determination of ND, MND, or EIR.



CEQA – Initial Studies (cont.)

Substantial Evidence (facts, reasonable

assumptions based on facts, expert opinion based on

facts).

Tiering (Incorporation by Reference).

Thresholds of Significance (consistency,

efficiency, disclosure to applicants/public, encourages

mitigation, justification in court).



County CEQA Procedures

►Administrative Supplement to CEQA (2010):(same topics as General Plan). http://www.ventura.org/rma/planning/pdf/ordin

ances/ceqa/ceqa_adminsupp_text.pdf ►Initial Study Assessment Guidelines (2010):

(incorporates the General Plan goals and policies for each

topical issue). http://www.ventura.org/rma/planning/pdf/ordin

anes_regs/Initial_Study_Assessment_Guidelines2_06.pdf

http://www.ventura.org/rma/planning/pdf/ordinances/ceqa/ceqa_adminsupp_text.pdf


http://www.ventura.org/rma/planning/pdf/ordinanes_regs/Initial_Study_Assessment_Guidelines2_06.pdf













County CEQA Procedures

County Entity: Responsibilities:Agencies/Departments: CEQA compliance for projects under their authority.

Update Initial Study Assessment Guidelines (ISAG) forassigned topics.Provide technical support to other agencies/departments onassigned topics.

Planning Division: Coordinates County review of outside env. docs.Advise other agencies/departments on CEQA.Staff support to EQAC.

Environmental Quality AdvisoryCommittee (EQAC):

Recommends to Board on changes to Admin. Supplement.Approves internal procedures of ERRC and agencies.Approves changes to ISAG for unassigned topics.

Board of Supervisors: Hear appeals of ERRC determinations on type of env. doc.

Hear appeals of certification/determination of final env. doc.(EIRs, NDs).Approve changes to Admin. Supplement

Clerk of the Board: Posting of Notices of Exemption, Preparation andDetermination.



County General Plan & CEQA Nexus

Policies with no overriding considerations: 1.3.2-4 Water Resources - watersheds, recharge areas, groundwater

basins 1.4.2-8 Access to Mineral Resource - Mineral Resource Protection

Overlay Zone 1.5.2-3 Significant Wetlands - Agricultural, Open Space and Rural

designations 1.7.2-2 Scenic Resources - Scenic Resource Protection Overlay

Zone 1.10.2-1 Coastal Beaches and Sand Dunes 2.2.2-1 Earthquake Fault Hazard Zones 2.7.2-1 Landslide/Mudslide Hazard Areas

2.12.2-2 Coastal Beach Erosion 2.16.2-2 Noise 4.2.2-5 Traffic Level of Service 4.2.2-10 Impact on airports

Date post:	08-Apr-2018
Category:	Documents
Upload:	zingerz
View:	220 times
Download:	0 times

CEQA General Plan

Documents