The purpose of this chapter is to provide for the City's implementation of the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the procedures, regulations and other provisions set forth in the State CEQA Guidelines. The basic approach of the city and this chapter is that procedures, regulations and provisions of the State CEQA Guidelines are sufficiently detailed and definite so that they can be, and should be, directly utilized by the City under the administration of the Environmental Coordinator, as the primary document and source for the City's environmental review of discretionary projects. Accordingly, the provisions of this chapter are minimal and to a large extent procedural, and are to be considered and read only in conjunction with the State CEQA Guidelines and CEQA. In the event of any conflict between the provisions of this chapter and CEQA or the State CEQA Guidelines, the provisions of CEQA and the Guidelines shall control and be utilized.
(Ord. 2629 § 1, 1987)
An applicant shall reimburse the City for any and all costs incurred in the preparation of reports, information, and other analyses required by this chapter or State law. Deposits by an applicant against estimated costs may be required. The City Council shall establish by resolution a schedule of fees which shall be charged for activities undertaken pursuant to this chapter.
(Ord. 2629 § 1, 1987)
(A) 
An appeal may be made by any person aggrieved by, or any official, department, board or agency of the City affected by, any final decision of the Environmental Coordinator or Planning Commission rendered under the provisions of this chapter.
(B) 
An appeal from a decision of the Environmental Coordinator shall be heard and determined by the Planning Commission. Any appeal from a decision by the Planning Commission shall be heard and determined by the City Council.
(C) 
Appeals shall be made by written notice of appeal signed by the person or representative of the person making the appeal, and shall contain the printed name, mailing address and telephone number of the person making the appeal. The notice shall state all grounds and facts relied upon in making the appeal. The notice shall be filed with the Secretary of the Planning Commission where the appeal is to the Planning Commission, and with the City Clerk where the appeal is to the City Council. The notice of appeal must be filed within 10 working days from the date on which the action appealed from was taken.
(D) 
The filing of an appeal which complies with this section shall stay all proceedings and toll the running of time under this chapter until a determination of the appeal is made, unless the Environmental Coordinator certifies in writing to the appellate body that a stay would cause violation of CEQA or otherwise endanger the public health, safety or welfare.
(E) 
Within 30 calendar days after receipt of the notice of appeal, the date and time shall be set for a public hearing of the appeal before the appellate body, and notice of the hearing shall be given to the appellant and Environmental Coordinator.
(Ord. 2629 § 1, 1987)
Whenever any procedure under this chapter requires a public hearing, or whenever the Planning Commission or City Council, in its discretion, determines to hold a public hearing on any environmental matter before it, such hearing shall be held within a reasonable time, and notice shall be given as provided in Section 17-04.050.
(Ord. 2629 § 1, 1987)
(A) 
Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, any notice required by this chapter shall be given in accordance with the provisions of Sections 20-50.090 and 20-56.060 and, in addition, shall be given by mail to all persons and organizations who have previously filed a written request for such notice with the department of community development.
(B) 
Notwithstanding the foregoing, any hearing held pursuant to this article in conjunction with a hearing on the project application may be noticed at the time and in the manner as, or be included within, the notice otherwise required by law for such hearing on the project application.
(Ord. 2629 § 1, 1987)
(A) 
If an EIR is required for any project, certification of the EIR shall be made no later than one year from the date of issuance of the determination of completeness, pursuant to the State CEQA Guidelines. If a negative declaration is prepared for any project, it must be ready for approval no later than 105 days from the date of issuance of the determination of completeness pursuant to the State CEQA Guidelines.
(B) 
The Director of Community Development may extend any time limit established by this chapter if he or she determines:
(1) 
That compelling circumstances justify such additional time;
(2) 
That such period of time does not exceed 90 days; and
(3) 
That the applicant has consented to such extension.
(C) 
The running of the time period established by this chapter shall be tolled by delay attributable to, or by the extension of time granted at the request of the project applicant.
(Ord. 2629 § 1, 1987)
For the purposes of this chapter, the following terms are defined as set forth below, as follows, unless the context clearly requires otherwise and except to the extent that any definition may conflict with CEQA or the State CEQA Guidelines. The definitions contained in the State CEQA Guidelines are incorporated herein by reference.
"Advisory agency"
means any officer, board, agency, department or commission required by law to consider the project, but which does not render a final decision on the project.
"CEQA"
means the California Environmental Quality Act of 1970, as amended.
"County clerk"
means the County Clerk of the County of Sonoma.
"Decision-making body"
means the official, board, commission or other body having authority to grant final City approval of a project, in the absence of an appeal, or, in the event of an appeal, the appellate body.
"Environmental coordinator"
means the Director of Community Development and such other persons within the Department as may be designated as the Environmental Coordinator by the Director. The Environmental Coordinator has the authority and responsibility for the administration of the requirements of this chapter, the State CEQA Guidelines, and CEQA.
"EIR"
means environmental impact report.
"Lead city agency"
means that department, office or agency of the City to which the City Manager has assigned principal responsibility for carrying out a project or for processing the application for a project.
"Planning commission"
means the Planning Commission of the City of Santa Rosa.
"State CEQA guidelines"
means those provisions of the California Administrative Code adopted by the state pursuant to authority granted by the Public Resources Code, Section 21083.
(Ord. 2629 § 1, 1987)