Chapter 20

§ 20-3. DEFINITIONS. [Ord. 340, S3]

Firebaugh Planning Code · 2026-07 edition · ingested 2026-07-07 · Firebaugh

As used in this section:

  • a. APPLICANT – shall mean the person applying for a lease, permit, approval, authorization, or other entitlement from the city, or the city office, department or division proposing to initiate any project.

  • b. APPROVAL – shall mean the decision by a responsible city agency which commits the agency to a definite course of action in regard to a public project. Approval occurs in connection with private projects upon the earliest commitment to issue or the issuance by the responsible city agency of a discretionary contract, grant, subsidy, loans, lease, permit, license, certificate or entitlement for use.

  • c. CEQA – shall mean the California Environmental Quality Act of 1970, as published in the State Public Resources Code beginning at Section 21000 or as hereafter amended.

  • d. COMMISSION – shall mean the planning commission of the city.

  • e. DECISION MAKING AUTHORITY – shall mean the person or body which is empowered to approve or disapprove a public or private project.

  • f. DIRECTOR – shall mean the city manager or such person as he may designate to perform the duties reposed in the director by this chapter.

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City of Firebaugh, CA § 20-3

FIREBAUGH CODE

§ 20-3

  • g. EMERGENCY – shall mean a sudden or catastrophic calamity caused by an occurrence or combination of occurrences of statewide or local impact, such as fire, flood, earthquake or other natural disaster, riot, war, accident or sabotage.

  • h. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT (EIR) – shall mean a detailed statement setting forth the environmental effects and considerations pertaining to a project as specified in Section 21100 of the CEQA.

    1. DRAFT EIR – shall mean an EIR containing the information specified in Section 15141, 15142 and 15143 of the Guidelines.

    2. FINAL EIR – shall mean an EIR containing the information specified in Sections 15141, 15142 and 15143 of the Guidelines, a section for comments received in the consultation process, and the response of the responsible city agency to the comments received.

  • i. GUIDELINES – shall mean the Guidelines for Implementation of the CEQA, as published in Division 6, Title 14 of the California Administrative Code or as hereafter amended.

  • j. NEGATIVE DECLARATION – shall mean a statement by the responsible city agency that a project, although not categorically exempt, would not have a significant effect on the environment and therefore does not require an EIR.

  • k. NOTICE OF COMPLETION – shall mean a brief report filed with the secretary for resources as soon as the responsible city agency has completed a draft EIR and is prepared to send out copies for review. The contents of this notice are explained in Section 15085 (c) of the Guidelines.

  • l. NOTICE OF DETERMINATION – shall mean a brief notice to be filed by the decision making authority when it approves or determines to carry out a project which is subject to the requirements of CEQA. The contents of this report are explained in Section 15085 (g) of the Guidelines.

  • m. PROJECT – shall mean the whole of an action, resulting in physical impact on the environment, directly or ultimately, that is any of the following:

    1. An activity directly undertaken by any public agency including but not limited to public works construction and related activities, clearing or grading of land, improvement to existing public structures, enactment and amendment of zoning ordinances, and the adoption of General Plans or elements thereof.

    2. An activity undertaken by a person which is supported in whole or in part through public agency contracts, grants, subsidies, loans, or other forms of assistance from one or more public agencies.

    3. An activity involving the issuance to a person of a lease, permit, license, certificate, or other entitlement for use by one or more public agencies.

  • n. RESPONSIBLE CITY AGENCY – shall mean the city department division or office which proposes to undertake a public project or which is vested by ordinance, resolution or law with the authority to issue or approve any contract, grant, subsidy, loan, lease, permit, license, certificate, or other entitlement pertaining to a private project. Where more than one city department, division or office is so involved with the same project, the responsible city agency shall be the agency which has the principal responsibility for undertaking a public project or approving a private project. Where more than one responsible city agency satisfies this criteria equally, the agency which is to act first on the project shall be the lead city agency. In the event the designation of a responsible city agency is in

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City of Firebaugh, CA § 20-3

ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY

§ 20-5

dispute or is uncertain, the mayor of the city shall designate the responsible city agency based on consideration of the above stated priorities and the capacity of the respective agencies to adequately fulfill the requirements of the CEQA, the Guidelines, and this chapter.

  • o. SIGNIFICANT EFFECT – shall mean a substantial adverse physical impact on the environment determined in accordance with Sections 15081 and 15012 of the Guidelines.