15.30.020 Definitions.
Whenever the following words are used in this chapter, they shall have the meaning given them in this section, unless otherwise defined.
A. “Administrative appeal” means review, as provided by law, rule, regulation, or ordinance, of an approval or denial of an application for a development project either by a body within the city or by an agency at another level of government.
B. “Applicant” means a person or his authorized representative who requests in writing the approval of a lease, permit, license, certificate or other entitlement for use from one or more public agencies which may be required for a development project proposed by that person.
C. “Application” means the form and information submitted by an applicant where such form and information is to be used to determine whether to approve or deny permits or other entitlement for use.
D. “Approval” means the issuing or commitment to issue by a public agency of a lease, permit, license, certificate or other entitlement for use for a development project for which an application was accepted as complete. “Approval” includes all actions required by all public agency departments and organizational units which must act upon the permit in order for it to be validly issued, but does not include administrative appeals.
E. “California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)” means California Public Resources Code Sections 21000, et seq.
F. “Joint environmental document” means an environmental document prepared cooperatively by the state lead agency under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the federal lead agency under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to comply with both the California Environmental Quality Act and the National Environmental Policy Act.
G. “Development” means the:
1. Placement or erection of any solid material or structure on land, in water or under water;
2. Discharge or disposal of solid, liquid, gaseous or thermal waste or any dredged material;
3. Grading, removing, dredging, mining or extraction of any materials;
4. Change in density or intensity of use of land including subdivisions pursuant to Subdivision Map Act commencing with Section 66410 of the Government Code or other division of land, except land divisions produced by public agency acquisition of land for public recreation uses, and except the approval or disapproval of final subdivision maps;
5. Change in intensity of use of water or altered access to water;
6. Construction, reconstruction, demolition or alteration of any structure;
7. Removal or harvesting of major vegetation, except for agricultural operation, kelp harvesting or timber operations which comply with an approved timber harvest plan submitted pursuant to the Z'Berg-Nejedly Forest Practices Act of 1973 (Chapter 8, commencing with Section 4511, or Part 2 Division 4 of the California Public Resources Code).
As used in this section, “structure” includes, but is not limited to, any building, road pipe, flume, conduit, siphon, aqueduct, telephone line, and electrical power transmission and distribution line.
“Development” does not mean a “change of organization,” as defined in Section 56028, a “change of organization of a city,” as defined in Section 35027, a “reorganization,” as defined in Section 56068, or a “municipal reorganization,” as defined in Section 35042 of the Government Code.
H. “Development project” means any project undertaken for the purpose of development. “Development project” includes a project involving the issuance of a discretionary permit for construction or reconstruction. “Development project” does not include: (1) the issuance of a permit to operate after approval of construction or reconstruction, (2) any ministerial projects proposed to be carried out or approved by public agencies.
I. “Environmental documents” means initial studies, notices of preparation, negative declaration, draft and final environmental impact reports (EIRs), notices of completion and notices of determination as defined in the state EIR Guidelines contained in Chapter 3, Division 6, of Title 14 of the California Administrative Code.
J. “Lead agency” means the public agency which has the principal responsibilities for carrying out or approving a project. “Lead agency” means the same lead agency as determined pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act.
K. “Local agency” means any public agency other than a state or federal agency, board or commission. Local agency includes but is not limited to cities, counties, charter cities, a city and county, districts, school districts, special districts, redevelopment agencies, and any board, commission, or organizational subdivision of such local agencies. Such boards, commission or organizational subdivision of a local agency are normally considered part of one local agency and are not separate local agencies.
L. “Permit Streamlining Act” means Chapter 4.5 of Division 1 of Title 7 of the Government Code commencing with Section 65920 (added by Chapter 1200).
M. “Project” means an activity involving the issuance to a person of a lease, permit, license, certificate, or other entitlement for use by one or more public agencies. “Project” includes but is not limited to activities requiring the following entitlements for use:
1. A tentative map or parcel map under the Subdivision Map Act (Government Code Sections 66410, et seq.);
2. A use permit or conditional use permit;
3. A variance;
4. Review under a discretionary ordinance, such as a design review ordinance;
5. (Optional:) Other applicable discretionary approvals.
“Project” does include the following activities of a public agency:
1. Issuing a contract, grant, subsidy, loan, or other form of financial assistance;
2. Taking a legislative or quasi-legislative action, such as issuing rules or regulation;
3. Proposing development to be carried out by that public agency;
4. Adopting or amending a local agency's general plan pursuant to Government Code Sections 65350, et seq.;
5. Adopting or amending specific plans pursuant to Government Code Sections 6550, et seq.;
6. Reviewing, extending or assigning an entitlement for use, provided that no new development is proposed either by the applicant, or by the agency as a condition of approval;
7. Approving or denying activities those ministerial permits as defined pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act which can include but are not limited to, building permits, final subdivision maps, occupancy permits, permits to operate and inspection permits.
N. “Responsible agency” means a public agency, other than the lead agency, which has responsibility for carrying out or approving a project, It includes all public agencies other than the lead agency from which a lease, permit, license, certificate or other entitlement for use is required for the development project.
O. “Shall” is mandatory, “should” is advisory, and “may” is permissive.
P. “State agency” means any agency, board or commission of state government. For all purposes of this chapter the term “state agency” shall include an air pollution control district. (Ord. 94-1 § 2, 1994)