Laserfiche WebLink
HOUSING CONSTRAINTS <br />Environmental Review <br />City staff initiates the environmental review process for all discretionary projects, <br />as required by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and <br />implementing Guidelines. The City prepares or oversees the preparation of an <br />environmental assessment for any project that is not exempt from CEQA. This <br />assessment may involve a Negative Declaration or Mitigated Negative <br />Declaration for projects that either have no effect on the environment or can be <br />conditioned to have no impact. In cases where a significant environmental impact <br />may occur, an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) is required. The general <br />timeframe is one month for a Negative Declaration, six months for a Mitigated <br />Negative Declaration, and one year for an EIR. <br />Discretionary Actions <br />Variances, zone changes, general plan amendments, conditional use permits, tract <br />and parcel maps, minor exceptions, and all other discretionary actions require a <br />public hearing before the City Zoning Administrator, Planning Commission, or <br />City Council. The Zoning Administrator has delegated authority from the <br />Planning Commission to grant variances, conditional use permits, and minor <br />exceptions. Discretionary approvals are also required for the proposal and <br />approval of Specific Development Districts. From submittal of application to the <br />City Council or approval body is three months. <br />Table B -12 provides a summary of the City's development permit processing steps <br />and the associated timeframes to process a prototypical single - family, <br />condominium, and multiple - family residential product. Permit processing times <br />vary from 2 months to 10 months, depending on the complexity of the project and <br />associated environmental clearance required. <br />Table B -12 <br />Permit Processing Timeframe for Housing Prolects <br />Permit Processing <br />Single- Family <br />Residence <br />Condominium <br />Multiple- Family <br />Residence <br />Initial Submittal <br />2 weeks <br />2 weeks <br />2 weeks <br />Site Plan Review <br />N/A <br />5 weeks -3 months <br />5 weeks -3 months <br />Discretionary Actions <br />None typically <br />3 months <br />3 months <br />Environmental Review <br />N/A <br />3 to 6 month <br />3 to 6 months <br />Total <br />2 months <br />7 to 10 months <br />7 to 10 months <br />Source: Santa Ana Municipal Code, 2013 <br />Note: Single- family projects are assumed to require minimal, if any, environmental review; condos and <br />multiple - family projects typically require subdivision maps and greater environmental review. <br />J�A <br />B -28 CITY OF SANTA ANA GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT <br />