CEQA Streamlining for Infill Projects (SB 226)
The Governor’s Office of Planning and Research is pleased to solicit your input on proposed additions to the Guidelines for Implementation of the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA Guidelines”). This proposal reflects the direction in SB 226 (Simitian, 2011) to prepare additions to the CEQA Guidelines setting forth a streamlined review process for infill projects. This proposal also contains the performance standards that will be used to determine an infill project’s eligibility for that streamlined review. The key documents in this update package include:
A Narrative Explanation of the Guidelines and Performance Standards
Proposed New Section 15183.3 (Streamlining for Infill Projects)
Proposed New Appendix M (Performance Standards)
Proposed New Appendix N (Infill Environmental Checklist Form)
The issues involved in this CEQA Guidelines update require a high degree of public input and participation. In order for this process to achieve its goal of creating an expeditious path for infill development, all affected parties must be involved in working toward that outcome. While SB 226 does not require the Office of Planning and Research to complete its draft until July 1, 2012, we are releasing this preliminary discussion draft now to allow for the public to be engaged in an open and iterative development process.
We request your written comments no later than February 24, 2012. We encourage electronic submission of your comments, which may be e-mailed to CEQA.Guidelines@ceres.ca.gov. Comments may also be mailed or hand delivered to:
CEQA Guidelines Update
c/o Christopher Calfee
1400 Tenth Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
Public workshops will be held in Sacramento, Fresno and Los Angeles during the week of February 20, 2012. For details on these workshops, read the public workshop notice (available here).
If you would like to receive electronic notice of activities in the CEQA Guidelines Update process, please sign up for our listserv at http://ceres.ca.gov/ceqa/guidelines-sb226.