8:47p Sunday

It's not necessarily a topic that you would over hear in the coffee shop, but if it were I definitely would insert myself into the conversation: The California Environmental Quality Act. CEQA as it better known is not an agency but an act created by the state of California to help protect and maintain the quality of the environment of the state. Sensitive habitat, indigenous vegetation, species and other environmental aspects of a project site are analyzed by the local planning department, the lead agency, with the CEQA in its standards provide recommendations to the project in regards to this sensitivity. It can be conceived as lengthy process, one I believe should not be taken lightly, yet if the measures are follow the stated process, the project can implement the CEQA elements rather efficiently. Is the project even required by CEQA? Immediately we can recognize that a single family residence and a barn building (agriculture - I will have to verify this information) or as a general description it would be a projects that have been determined to not have significant effect on the environment, or a structure of a smaller scale. For the purpose of this 30min exercise lets say it's 10,000 sf, per title 14, but I will not cite this exact number, and leave it the size determined in title 14.
If the project is outside of these exemptions, it would be reviewed by the lead agency or the local planning department. They can review it per title 14 chapter 3 that project is categorically exempt and lead directly to a NOE or a Notice of Exemption. If it is not exempt it would enter an initial study, list the impacts to the site, determine possible solutions, and submit for public comment: which could possibly lead to a Negative Declaration, if deemed insignificant measures are needed. However if the opposite is required; needing more significant measures are needed to the site, there can be the implementation of mitigating Measures which if completed can receive a Mitigated Negative Declaration. This would than lead to No further Action.

Here is a quick list to keep in mind when starting a project as to which agencies might be involved.
1. DSA
2. Fire Department
3. Police Department
4. Health Department
5. Planning Department
6. Local Building Department
7. OSHPD
8.Department of Transportation
9. Federal Aviation Administration
10. US Army Corps of Engineers
11. California Air Resource Board
12. California Water Resource Control Board
13. Department of Fish and Game
14. California Department of Toxic Substance Control
15. Air Quality Management District
16. Water Quality Control Board
17. Flood Control District