Chapter 14.03.020 ADMINISTRATION AND GENERAL PROVISIONS (§

This division is known as the Environmental Review Ordinance of the City of Vacaville.

The provisions of this division shall be administered by the Director of Community Development in accordance with the following guidelines and with the provisions of the California Public Resources Code and the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines.

The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the CEQA Guidelines mandate an environmental regulatory process to ensure the orderly evaluation of projects, the preparation of environmental documentation, and the opportunity for the public to review and comment on projects. Public agencies are required to implement CEQA by adopting objectives, criteria, and specific procedures consistent with State environmental regulations. To this end, this division is established for the following purposes:

To implement the environmental goals and policies of the General Plan of the City;

B.

To supplement the CEQA Guidelines by specifying environmental review procedures for the City in compliance with CEQA;

C.

To implement project review procedures to achieve and maintain a healthy, balanced social, economic, and natural environment;

D.

To conserve and enhance the resources of the Vacaville planning area, including its air and water quality, urban and agricultural lands, work and recreation areas, watercourses, watersheds, and wetlands, floodplains, hillsides, wildlife habitats, and other areas with scenic, physical features of intrinsic value to the community.

The CEQA Statutes and Guidelines are incorporated by reference into this division.

A.

Where this division establishes more restrictive objectives and procedures that are unique to Vacaville and are consistent with the CEQA Statutes and Guidelines, the more restrictive procedures shall apply. B.

Any revision to the CEQA Statutes or Guidelines shall automatically be incorporated by reference into this division provided that the revisions are not less restrictive than those required by the City.

The words used in this division in reference to environmental actions or policy, unless otherwise defined, shall have the meanings assigned to them in the CEQA Guidelines. Other general terminology shall have

the definitions assigned to them in Division 14.02, Definitions, of this Title. Defined below are the terms used most frequently throughout this division: