Phase 6: CEQA Review
County staff evaluate your project’s potential environmental impacts under CEQA.
What happens
All discretionary projects are reviewed under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Staff determine whether your activity is a “project,” whether an exemption applies, and, if not exempt, prepare an Initial Study. Based on its findings, the Case Planner determines the appropriate environmental document: a Negative Declaration (ND), Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND), or Environmental Impact Report (EIR). The document is then circulated for public review.
What you need
- Information for the Initial Study Assessment
- Agreement to any mitigation measures (required for an MND, with a monitoring program)
- Awareness of public-review periods: ND/MND minimum 20–30 days; EIR minimum 30–45 days
Who’s involved
These County departments and districts typically take part in this phase:
See the CEQA public-information brochure and the County’s Initial Study Assessment Guidelines for detail.
Next step
Phase 7: Permit Decision
The decision-maker approves, conditionally approves, or denies the discretionary planning permit.
Have a question about this phase?
The Planning Division can clarify requirements and connect you with the right reviewing department.