The purpose of this chapter is to provide a general framework for the city's administration of its responsibilities under the California Environmental Quality Act, California Public Resources Code Section 21000 et seq., including the orderly evaluation of projects and the preparation, review, approval, adoption and certification of environmental documents. This chapter additionally serves to expressly delegate authority to city "decision-making bodies" as herein defined to take any action or make determinations required by the city under CEQA.
(O2015-14, 12/1/15)
As used in this chapter:
"Approval"
means any decision by a decision-making body that commits the city to a definite course of action in regard to a project intended to be carried out by any person, and shall mean the same as the term is defined by CEQA Guidelines Section 15352.
"California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)"
means California Public Resources Code Section 21000 et seq.
"CEQA Guidelines"
means the "Guidelines for Implementation of the California Environmental Quality Act," prepared by the State Office of Planning and Research (California Code of Regulations Title 14, Chapter 3, Sections 15000 through 15387).
"Decision-making body"
shall mean that term as it is defined in CEQA Guidelines Section 15356, and shall include the City Council, or any person or group of people authorized by the City Council, to act in an advisory or decision-making capacity regarding matters within the subject matter jurisdiction of the city, including, but not limited to, any city board, commission or committee.
"Elected decision-making body"
shall mean that term as it is employed in California Public Resources Code Subsection 21151(c). For the purposes of this chapter, "elected decision-making body" shall be synonymous with the City Council of the City of Napa.
"Local agency"
shall mean the same as that term is defined under CEQA Guidelines Section 15368. For the purposes of this chapter, "local agency" shall be synonymous with the City of Napa.
"Project"
shall mean the same as that term is defined under CEQA Guidelines Section 15378.
(O2015-14, 12/1/15)
To the extent that the City Council has delegated authority to a decision-making body to take a final action on any project under CEQA, the City Council hereby expressly delegates concurrent authority to each decision-making body to take any actions, or to make any determinations, that are required to be taken by the local agency under CEQA. This delegation shall include, but not be limited to: the authority to certify an environmental impact report, the authority to adopt a negative declaration or mitigated negative declaration, and the authority to make determinations regarding the applicability of statutory or categorical exemptions from CEQA.
(O2015-14, 12/1/15)
The City Council shall, by resolution, adopt local procedures for administering its responsibilities as a local agency under CEQA, including objectives, criteria and procedures for the evaluation of projects and the preparation, review, approval, adoption and certification of environmental documents. The local procedures shall supplement CEQA and the CEQA Guidelines and provide the necessary administrative rules and procedures to practically implement and fulfill the city's obligations as a local agency under CEQA. Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15022(d), the City Council hereby adopts and incorporates by reference the CEQA Guidelines. Any local procedures adopted under the authority of this section shall be construed consistent with CEQA and the CEQA Guidelines, and to the extent any provision in the local procedures proves to be inconsistent with CEQA and/or the CEQA Guidelines, CEQA and/or the CEQA Guidelines shall prevail.
(O2015-14, 12/1/15)