HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 08032010 - C.45RECOMMENDATION(S):
ADOPT comprehensive update to Contra Costa County’s Guidelines for Administering the
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
FISCAL IMPACT:
None.
BACKGROUND:
The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires government agencies to
consider the environmental consequences of their actions before approving plans and
policies or committing to a course of action on a project. CEQA requires that public
agencies inform themselves about the environmental effects of proposed actions, consider
all relevant information before they act, give the public an opportunity to comment on the
environmental issues, and avoid or reduce potential harm to the environment when feasible.
To ensure their validity, an agency’s actions should comply with CEQA’s statutory
requirements as well as the state environmental (CEQA) guidelines that have been adopted
by California Secretary of Resources and incorporated into the California Code of
Regulations, title 14, section 15000.
APPROVE OTHER
RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY
ADMINISTRATOR
RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD
COMMITTEE
Action of Board On: 08/03/2010 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER
Clerks Notes:
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS
AYE:John Gioia, District I Supervisor
Gayle B. Uilkema, District II
Supervisor
Mary N. Piepho, District III Supervisor
Susan A. Bonilla, District IV
Supervisor
Federal D. Glover, District V
Supervisor
Contact: Patrick Roche, Ph#
(925) 335-1242
I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the
Board of Supervisors on the date shown.
ATTESTED: August 3, 2010
David J. Twa, County Administrator and Clerk of the Board of Supervisors
By: June McHuen, Deputy
cc:
C.45
To:Board of Supervisors
From:Catherine Kutsuris, Conservation & Development Director
Date:August 3, 2010
Contra
Costa
County
Subject:Comprehensive Update to County CEQA Guidelines
BACKGROUND: (CONT'D)
Contra Costa County last adopted a comprehensive update to the County’s Guidelines for
Administering CEQA on March 28, 2000. The County’s current adopted CEQA
Guidelines (March 28, 2000) were based on the guidelines published by the State in
2000. Since March 2000, there have been a number of significant changes to the State
CEQA Guidelines pursuant to amendments to the California Public Resources Code
enacted by the State Legislature. Specifically, there are now new requirements to
evaluate a project’s impact in relation to climate change and greenhouse gas emissions
pursuant to the enactment of Senate Bill 97. The Department of Conservation and
Development recommends the Board of Supervisors consider a comprehensive update to
the County’s CEQA Guidelines in order to be consistent with the most current State
CEQA Guidelines.
Attached for the Board‘s consideration is an updated version of the County’s CEQA
Guidelines with amended sections to be consistent with and supplement the latest State
CEQA Guidelines. The proposed comprehensive update to the County’s CEQA
Guidelines makes the following changes: (a) incorporates new requirements established
under S.B. 97 to evaluate a project’s effects on climate change and greenhouse gas
emissions; (b) makes other changes consistent with the latest State CEQA Guidelines; (c)
reflects name change for the Department of Conservation and Development; and, (d)
incorporates by reference the requirements for conducting a traffic impact analysis
related to a General Plan Amendment under the Measure J: Growth Management
Program administered by the Contra Costa Transportation Authority and adds a new
appendix to describe these procedures. These updated CEQA Guidelines would be
applicable to Contra Costa County and special districts and agencies governed by the
Board of Supervisors.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
The validity of County actions associated with its CEQA environmental review might be
called into question if they are based on dated CEQA Guidelines.
CHILDREN'S IMPACT STATEMENT:
None.
ATTACHMENTS
Resolution No. 2010/402
Proposed County CEQA Guidelines 2010