HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-08-12; Housing Element Advisory Committee; ; CEQA PROCESS PRIMERMeeting Date:
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HOUSING ELEMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Staff Report
August 12, 2020
Housing Element Advisory Committee Members
Don Neu, City Planner
Don Neu, City Planner
don. neu@carlsbadca.gov, 760-602-4612
CEQA Process Primer
Recommended Action
Receive information on the CEQA process of the Housing Element Update.
Executive Summa
Item No. (D
The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) is California's leading environmental law. Under CEQA, 20
environmental factors (i.e., Air quality, Biological Resources, Energy, Noise, Population & Housing) are
analyzed for potentially significant environmental effects. According to the California Department of Fish and
Wildlife, there are six primary purposes of CEQA:
• Disclose to the public the significant environmental effects of a proposed discretionary project,
through the preparation of an appropriate environmental review document;
• Prevent or minimize damage to the environment through development of project alternatives,
mitigation measures, and mitigation monitoring;
• Disclose to the public the agency decision -making process utilized to approve discretionary projects
through findings and statements of overriding consideration, as necessary;
• Enhance public participation in the environmental review process through scoping meetings, public
notice, public review, hearings, and the judicial process: and
• Improve interagency coordination through early consultations, scoping meetings, notices of
preparation, and State Clearinghouse review.
Under CEQA, lead agencies (i.e., cities and counties) are required to study the potential environmental impacts
of city-wide planning documents, such as a General Plan, as part of the adoption or update process of those
documents (Pub. Resources Code §§ 21000). In 2015, the City of Carlsbad certified a Final Environmental
Impact Report (EIR) for its General Plan, which had not been updated since the early 1990s. The type of EIR
prepared and certified by the city is known as a "program EIR," or a type of environmental study appropriate
for a large project such as the General Plan, which guides land use and its many facets (e.g., housing,
transportation, parks) for the entire community.
CEQA Guidelines section 15168(c) states that subsequent activities (i.e., the Housing Element Update or other
updates to the General Plan) under a program EIR, such as the General Plan EIR, must be examined in light of
the program EIR to determine whether an additional environmental document must be prepared. If the
Housing Element Advisory Committee Agenda Item 2
August 12, 2020
Page 2
subsequent activity would have effects not examined in the program EIR, an initial study leading to further
environmental review may be required.
For the Housing Element Update and General Plan Maintenance project (see agenda item 3 for information on
the maintenance project), the city assisted by Rincon Consultants will assess the potential impacts of the
proposed updates against the existing General Plan EIR, certified by the City of Carlsbad in 2015. It is
anticipated that a Supplement to the 2015 General Plan EIR, pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15163, will
be required to address minor additions or changes that would be necessary to make the previous EIR
adequately apply to the updated Housing Element and General Plan Maintenance components.
To accompany this staff report, Rincon Consultants will provide an overview of CEQA and the Housing Element
Update for the committee's information.
Public Notification
This item was noticed in accordance with the Ralph M. Brown Act and was available for viewing at least 72
hours prior to the meeting date.