Coachella Municipal Code Art. VI Environmental Impact Report

The city manager shall develop a procedure for the preparation of environmental impact reports. Such procedure may be in the form of a questionnaire, a matrix, or any other form, and may utilize any member of the staff as the city manager may designate and may include the hiring of outside consultant firms.

(Prior code § 28-38)

The city manager shall recommend to the city council the procedure for the preparation of environmental impact reports. The adoption or revision of such procedure shall be by motion.

(Prior code § 28-39)

The responsible official shall cause to be prepared an environmental impact report for the following after the payment of the appropriate fee:

A. Any project which may have a significant effect on the environment and which requires an environmental impact report under the Environmental Quality Act of 1970.

B. Any project which is submitted by the sponsor for an environmental impact report prior to submission of the project to the city for governmental action.

(Prior code § 28-40)

The responsible official shall prepare a supplemental environmental impact report for a project whenever the same is required by the Environmental Quality Act of 1970, whenever there is any data on the project or its proposed environment which was not previously considered in the environmental impact report, or whenever it appears necessary to revise the original environmental impact report.

(Prior code § 28-41)

The responsible official may require the sponsor of a project to provide all or a part of the base data on the project and its proposed environment necessary for an environmental impact report or a supplemental environmental impact report on the project.

(Prior code § 28-42)

The responsible official shall make a recommendation in the environmental impact report and any supplemental environmental impact report as to the governmental action to be taken on the project, based on the effect of the project on the environment.

(Prior code § 28-43)

Before any governmental action may be taken on a project which may have a significant effect on the environment, a public hearing shall be held on the environmental impact report for the project and on any supplemental environmental impact report for the project which differs significantly from the original environmental impact report. If the first governmental action for such a project is to be taken at the administrative level, the responsible official shall hold the hearing. Otherwise, the first agency to take governmental action on the project shall hold the hearing. Notice of the time and place of the hearing shall be published at least once in a newspaper published and circulated in the city, the publication of which shall be at least seven days prior to the time set for the hearing. Any environmental impact report to be considered shall be available in the planning department for public inspection from the time of publication until the time of the hearing. At the time and place set for the hearing, evidence on the potential effect of the project on its proposed environment shall be received. The hearing may be continued from time to time. No decision on the environmental impact of the project or on the proposed governmental actions is necessary at such a hearing.

(Prior code § 28-44)

Each decisionmaker for a project shall make a finding on the sufficiency of the environmental impact report and any supplemental environmental impact report for the project and shall record his or her finding in writing. If a decisionmaker finds that the environmental impact report or any supplemental environmental impact report is not sufficient, he or she shall transmit the project to the responsible official for a supplemental environmental impact report.

(Prior code § 28-45)

Every decisionmaker for a project shall consider all environmental impact reports for the project prior to approving or disapproving the project. The environmental data supplied by these reports and by any other source shall be considered by the decisionmaker and used as follows:

A. Authorization of a project may be denied if, in the opinion of the responsible official and the decisionmaker:

1. Its adverse environmental effect outweighs its beneficial environmental effect; or

2. A feasible alternative exists having a lesser adverse environmental effect.

B. A project may be authorized subject to conditions reasonably calculated to:

1. Minimize the adverse environmental effect of the project; or

2. Maximize the beneficial environmental effect of the project.

(Prior code § 28-46)