SB 958: California Environmental Quality Act: exemption: City of San Diego: Midway Rising Specific Plan.

The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires a lead agency, as defined, to prepare, or cause to be prepared, and certify the completion of an environmental impact report on a project that it proposes to carry out or approve that may have a significant effect on the environment or to adopt a negative declaration if it finds that the project will not have that effect. CEQA also requires a lead agency to prepare a mitigated negative declaration for a project that may have a significant effect on the environment if revisions in the project would avoid or mitigate that effect and there is no substantial evidence that the project, as revised, would have a significant effect on the environment.

CEQA exempts from its requirements various activities and projects.

This bill would exempt from the requirements of CEQA a project associated with the Midway Rising Specific Plan in the City of San Diego, including any activity or approval necessary for, or incidental to, development, planning, design, subdivision, financing, leasing, construction, operation, or maintenance, provided that the activity is carried out in substantial conformance with the plan and meets, or is consistent with, specified conditions, including conditions related to sustainability. Because a lead agency would be required to determine whether a project qualifies for this exemption, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the City of San Diego.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.