California Environmental Quality Act: exemption: public access: nonmotorized recreation.

The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires a lead agency, as defined, to prepare, or cause to be prepared, and certify the completion of an environmental impact report on a project that it proposes to carry out or approve that may have a significant effect on the environment or to adopt a negative declaration if it finds that the project will not have that effect. This bill would exempt from CEQA a change in use approved by a lead agency that is a park district or the Great Redwood Trail Agency to allow public access to preexisting paved and natural surface roads, preexisting trails, preexisting pathways, preexisting disturbed areas for vehicle parking, as specified, and rail lines converted by the Great Redwood Trail Agency into trails known as the Great Redwood Trail, in areas used exclusively for nonmotorized recreation, if certain conditions are met. The bill would require the lead agency to post notice of, and hold, a public meeting to consider and solicit public input on the change in use under consideration before making a determination to approve or carry out the change in use, as specified. The bill would require the lead agency, if the lead agency determines that a change in use is not subject to CEQA pursuant to this provision and determines to approve or carry out the activity, to file a notice with the State Clearinghouse in the Office of Planning and Research and with the county clerk of the county in which the land is located, as provided. By imposing duties on public agencies related to the exemption, this bill would create a state-mandated local program. The bill would repeal these provisions on January 1, 2030. This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the Great Redwood Trail Agency. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.