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Chapter 31 — CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT PROCEDURES›Article I

SEC. 31.02. POLICIES AND OBJECTIVES.

San Francisco County Planning Code · 2026-07 edition · updated 2026-07-25 · San Francisco County

The basic purposes of CEQA and this Chapter 31 are to:

(a) Provide decision makers and the public with meaningful information regarding the environmental consequences of proposed activities.

  • (b) Identify ways that environmental damage can be avoided or significantly reduced.

  • (c) Provide for public input in the environmental review process.

(d) Bring environmental considerations to bear at an early stage of the planning process, and to avoid unnecessary delays or undue complexity of review. Simplicity and directness are to be emphasized, with the type of review related to the depth and variety of environmental issues raised by a project, so that government and public concern may be focused upon environmental effects of true significance.

  • (e) Provide procedural direction on implementation of CEQA by the City.

(f) Prevent significant avoidable damage to the environment by requiring changes in projects through the use of alternatives or mitigation measures when the government agency finds the changes to be feasible.

(g) Disclose to the public the reasons why a governmental agency approved the project in the manner the agency chose if significant environmental effects are involved

(Added by Ord. 40-01, File No. 001007, App. 3/16/2001)

(Former Sec. 31.02 amended by Ord. 92-77, App. 3/18/77; repealed by Ord. 40-01, File No. 001007, App. 3/16/2001)

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▸ Contents — San Francisco County Planning Code
San Francisco County Planning Code
  1. Chapter 10E — PLANNING MONITORING
  2. Chapter 10E — PLANNING MONITORING
  3. Chapter 24 — REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY
  4. Chapter 24 — REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY
  5. Chapter 29A — APPROVAL OF POWER PLANT; PLANNING CODE SEC. 303
  6. Chapter 29A — APPROVAL OF POWER PLANT; PLANNING CODE SEC. 303
  7. Chapter 31 — CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT PROCEDURES
  8. ▸ Chapter 31 — CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT PROCEDURES
    Overview
    1. ▸ Article I
      Overview
      1. SEC. 31.01. AUTHORITY AND MANDATE.
      2. SEC. 31.02. POLICIES AND OBJECTIVES.
      3. SEC. 31.03. SCOPE OF REQUIREMENTS.
      4. SEC. 31.04. RESPONSIBILITY AND DEFINITIONS.
      5. SEC. 31.05. OFFICE OF ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW.
    2. Article II
    3. Article III
    4. Article IV
    5. Article V
  9. Chapter 44 — ADULT DAY HEALTH CARE PLANNING COUNCIL
  10. Chapter 44 — ADULT DAY HEALTH CARE PLANNING COUNCIL
  11. Chapter 56 — DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS
  12. Chapter 56 — DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS
  13. Chapter 61 — WATERFRONT LAND USE
  14. Chapter 61 — WATERFRONT LAND USE
  15. Chapter 2 — ENVIRONMENTALLY PREFERABLE PURCHASING ORDINANCE
  16. Chapter 2 — ENVIRONMENTALLY PREFERABLE PURCHASING ORDINANCE
  17. Chapter 4 — EMERGENCY PLANNING AND PREPAREDNESS.
  18. Chapter 4 — EMERGENCY PLANNING AND PREPAREDNESS.
  19. Division I
  20. Division II
  21. Division III
  22. Division IV
  23. Division V
  24. Division VI
  25. Division VII
  26. Division VIII
  27. Division IX
  28. Division X
  29. Division XI
  30. Division 1 — SUBDIVISION CODE
  31. Division 11 — LIMITED EQUITY HOUSING COOPERATIVE CONVERSIONS
  32. Division 2 — MISSION BAY SUBDIVISION CODE
  33. Division 2 — MISSION BAY SUBDIVISION CODE
  34. Division 3 — CANDLESTICK POINT/HUNTERS POINT SHIPYARD SUBDIVI
  35. Division 3 — CANDLESTICK POINT/HUNTERS POINT SHIPYARD SUBDIVI
  36. Division 4 — TREASURE ISLAND AND YERBA BUENA ISLAND SUBDIVISI

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