Introduction
CEQA Streamlining for Land Use Projects Consistent with the SCS
SB 375 provides several CEQA reform provisions. These include
streamlined review and analysis of residential or mixed-use
projects consistent with the SCS; modified review
and analysis, through an expedited Sustainable Communities
Environmental Assessment (SCEA), for Transit Priority
Projects (TPPs) that are consistent with the SCS; and a complete
CEQA exemption for TPPs that are consistent with the SCS and
meet a specific list of other requirements. In each of these
cases, this MTP/SCS EIR will serve as a first-tier
environmental document under CEQA.
This is a summary of the CEQA benefits. Projects should review
the entire law and public resource code when utilizing the
streamlining benefits.
Three Categories of SB 375 CEQA Benefits
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Mixed-Use Residential Project
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- At least 75% of total building square footage for
residential use
- Consistent with the use designation, density,
building intensity, and applicable policies for the
project area of an SCS or APS accepted by CARB OR
- A Transit Priority Project as defined below
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- Environmental documents are not required to
reference, describe or discuss: 1) growth inducing
impacts, 2) impacts from car and light‐duty truck trips
on global warming or regional transportation network, 3)
reduced density alternative to project.
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Transit Priority Project
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- At least 50% of total building square footage for
residential use OR
- If 26‐50% of total building square footage is
nonresidential, a minimum FAR of 0.75
- Minimum net density of 20 du/acre
- Within 0.5 miles of major transit stop or
high‐quality transit corridor included in the regional
transportation plan (No parcel more than 25% further, and
less than 10% of units or no more than 100 units further
than 0.5 miles)
- Consistent with the use designation, density,
building intensity, and applicable policies of an SCS or
APS
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Benefits described above PLUS:
- Option to review under a “Sustainable Communities
Environmental Assessment”
- An Initial Study is prepared identifying significant
or potentially significant impacts.
- Where the lead agency determines that cumulative
impacts have been addressed and mitigated in SCS/APS,
they will not be “considerable.”
- Off‐site alternatives do not need to be addressed.
- Deferential review standard – the burden of proof for
legal challenge is on the petitioner/plaintiff.
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Sustainable Communities Project
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- Everything for Transit Priority Project PLUS:
- Within 0.5 miles of major transit stop or 0.25 miles
of a high‐quality transit corridor included in the
regional transportation plan
- Served by existing utilities
- Does not contain wetlands or riparian areas
- Does not have significant value as a wildlife habitat
and does not harm any protected species
- Not on the Cortese List
- Not on developed open space
- No impacts to historic resources
- No risks from hazardous substances
- No wildfire, seismic, flood, public health risk
- 15% more energy‐efficient than CA requirements and
25% more water‐efficient than average for community
- No more than 8 acres
- No more than 200 units
- No single level building greater than 75,000 square
feet
- No net loss of affordable housing
- Compatible with surrounding industrial uses
- Within ½‐mile of rail/ferry or ¼‐mile of high‐quality
bus line
- Meets minimum affordable housing requirements as
prescribed in SB 375 OR in‐lieu fee paid OR 5 acres of
open space per 1,000 residents provided
- Meets all other applicable requirements from PRC
21155-21155.4
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Exempt from CEQA
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