§128.0210 When a National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Document or Joint Document… — San Diego Zoning Code

(a) NEPA applies to projects that are carried out, financed, or approved in whole or in part by federal agencies. If a project will require compliance with both CEQA and NEPA, the Planning Director should use the NEPA document rather than preparing a separate CEQA document if the following two conditions exist:
- (1) The NEPA document would be prepared before the CEQA document would otherwise be completed for the project; and
- (2) The NEPA document complies with the provisions of CEQA and the CEQA Guidelines. Because NEPA does not require separate discussion of mitigation measures or growth including impacts, these points of analysis would need to be added, supplemented, or identified before an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) could be used as an EIR.
(b) If the NEPA document would not be prepared by the federal agency by the time the City of San Diego would need to consider an environmental document consistent with this article, the Planning Director should try to prepare a joint NEPA/CEQA document. Preparation of this joint environmental document shall involve the federal agency to avoid the need for the federal agency to prepare a separate document for the same project.

(Added 12-9-1997 by O-18451 N.S.; amended 12-6-1999 by O-18728 N.S.; effective 1-1-2000.)

(Amended 2-12-2014 by O-20348 N.S.; effective 3-14-2014.)

Ch. Art. Div. 12 8 2 5

San Diego Municipal Code (2-2025)

Chapter 12: Land Development Reviews