Final Environmental Report
Over the past two years, the City and a committee of volunteers have worked to update a housing plan for the next eight years. Under the CA Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), environmental review considering potential impacts of the plan is required.
On July 13th, the City published the Final Environmental Impact Report for the Housing Element Update. The Final EIR
The City submitted its initial draft 6th Cycle Housing Element Update (HEU) to the State Department of Housing and Community Development for review on June 30th. Certification of the Final EIR is not required as part of this initial submission, but is needed prior to 1) submission of the City’s final, adopted Housing Element prior to January 31, 2023, and 2) adoption of new zoning and objective design standards for the BART parking lots pursuant to AB 2923.
Certifying an EIR means the lead agency has found that the document meets the requirements of CEQA, in that it contains adequate and complete information about the potential Project impacts and that there has been a good-faith effort at full disclosure. Approval of a project is a separate consideration and action by the hearing body, though often certifying an EIR and approving a project at the same meeting. As discussed above, certification of the Final EIR should occur prior to the City Council’s adoption of the final Housing Element Update, which staff anticipates in late 2022, given the City’s obligations under AB 2923.
City Council has reviewed the Housing Element EIR on three separate occasions to date:
Review of the EIR was continued from September 26th to the October 11, 2022 City Council meeting.