San Francisco County Municipal Code Art. III Evaluations

Sec. 31.09. Determination of Need for Evaluation. Sec. 31.10. Initial Evaluation of Projects. Sec. 31.11. Negative Declarations or Mitigated Negative Declarations. Sec. 31.12. Determinations that Environmental Impact Reports are Required. Sec. 31.13. Draft Environmental Impact Reports. Sec. 31.14. Consultations and Comments. Sec. 31.15. Final Environmental Impact Reports. Sec. 31.16. Appeal of Certain CEQA Decisions. Sec. 31.17. Actions on Projects. Sec. 31.18. Additional Environmental Review. Sec. 31.19. Evaluation of Modified Projects.

Sec. 31.20. Multiple Actions on Projects.

Upon receiving an environmental evaluation application for a project; upon referral of a project by the board, commission or department that is to carry out or approve the project; or through such other process for rendering an exemption determination as the Environmental Review Officer shall authorize, the Environmental Review Officer shall determine whether such project is exempt from environmental review. For all projects that are not exempt from CEQA, prior to the City's decision as to whether to carry out or approve the project, the Environmental Review Officer shall conduct an initial study to establish whether a negative declaration or an environmental impact report is required. In the event it is clear at the outset that an environmental impact report is required, the Environmental Review Officer may make an immediate determination and dispense with the initial study. (Added by Ord. 40-01, File No. 001007, App. 3/16/2001; amended by Ord. 161-13, File No. 121019, App. 7/26/2013, Eff. 8/25/2013, Oper. 9/25/2013 [see note at end of Article])

When the Environmental Review Officer determines that an environmental impact report is required by CEQA, the Environmental Review Officer shall distribute a notice of preparation in the manner and containing the information required by CEQA and provide such other notice as required by CEQA. In addition, the Environmental Review Officer shall prepare a notice advising the public of the notice of preparation and of any scheduled scoping meetings and publish the notice of preparation in a newspaper of general circulation in the City, post the notice of preparation in the offices of the Planning Department and on the Planning Department website, and mail the notice of preparation to the applicant, the board(s), commission(s) or department(s) that will carry out or approve the project and to all organizations and individuals who have previously requested such notice in writing. (Added by Ord. 40-01, File No. 001007, App. 3/16/2001; amended by Ord. 161-13, File No. 121019, App. 7/26/2013, Eff. 8/25/2013, Oper. 9/25/2013 [see note at end of Article]) (Former Sec. 31.12 amended by Ord. 166-74, App. 4/11/74; repealed by Ord. 40-01, File No. 001007, App. 3/16/2001)

(a) The certification of completion and the final EIR shall be transmitted by the Environmental Review Officer to the applicant and the board, commission or department that is to carry out or approve the project, and shall be presented to the body which will decide whether to carry out or approve the project. These documents shall also be presented to any appellate body in the event of an appeal from the decision whether to carry out or approve the project. (b) Before making its decision whether to carry out or approve the project, the decision-making body or appellate body shall review and consider the information contained in the EIR and shall make findings as required by CEQA. (c) Thereafter, the decision-making body or appellate body may make its decision whether to carry out or approve the project. (d) After the City has decided to carry out or approve the project, the Environmental Review Officer may file a notice of determination with the county clerk of the county or counties in which the project is to be located and as required by CEQA. Such notice shall contain the information required by CEQA. (Added by Ord. 40-01, File No. 001007, App. 3/16/2001) (Former Sec. 31.17; added by Ord. 134-73, App. 4/11/73; repealed by Ord. 40-01, File No. 001007, App. 3/16/2001)

If the Environmental Review Officer or a decision-making body, as defined in CEQA, determine that additional environmental review is required by CEQA, or if modifications to a project require additional environmental review, such review will be conducted as provided by CEQA and in accordance with the applicable procedures set forth in this Chapter 31. (Added by Ord. 40-01, File No. 001007, App. 3/16/2001)

(a) The costs of initial evaluations, preparation of environmental impact reports, notices, hearings and other aspects of administering this Chapter 3.1 shall be borne as follows: (1) For a project to be carried out by the City: By the board, commission or department that is to carry out such project, as part of the budgeted project costs. (2) For a project to be carried out by any person other than the City: By such person. (3) For the taking of an appeal to the Planning Commission: By the appellant. (Added by Ord. 40-01, File No. 001007, App. 3/16/2001) (Former Sec. 31.21; added by Ord. 134-73, App. 4/11/73; repealed by Ord. 40-01)