California Environmental Quality Act: exemption: residential or mixed-use housing projects.

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. Existing law, until January 1, 2025, exempts from CEQA residential or mixed-use housing projects, as defined, located in unincorporated areas of a county meeting certain requirements, except for residential or mixed-use housing projects if certain conditions exist, as specified. Existing law requires a lead agency, if the lead agency determines that a residential or mixed-use housing project qualifies for this exemption from CEQA and determines to approve or carry out the project, to file a notice of exemption with the Office of Planning and Research and the county clerk in the county in which the project is located. This bill would extend the operation of that exemption until January 1, 2032. By extending the requirement on a lead agency to determine the applicability of the exemption and to file a notice of exemption with the office and the county clerk, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would also make this exemption inapplicable to a residential or mixed-use housing project that may cause substantial adverse impact to tribal cultural resources, as defined. 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.