GUIDELINES FOR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

Ì  Input to the General Plan Update

When a general plan is written or amended, state law requires that the planning agency provide opportunities for involvement of public agencies, public utility companies, community groups and the general public through hearings or other appropriate methods (Government Code §65351).

State law requires at least two public hearings before a jurisdiction can adopt or amend a general plan; one by the planning commission and the other by the legislative body (in this case, the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors).

Because of the enormity of the issues involved with the General Plan Update, the County has proposed breaking up the document into groups of chapters for initial review by the Planning Commission.  Once the Planning Commission has reviewed all chapters (which will include the 7 mandatory elements and 4 optional elements), the draft document will return to the Planning Commission for final review and recommendation to the Board of Supervisors, who will then conduct additional public hearings prior to their adoption. 

Ì  Environmental Impact Report (EIR)

State law requires that all state and local government agencies consider the environmental consequences of programs and projects over which they exercise discretionary authority before taking action on them.  The public, along with local, regional, state and federal agencies, are invited to review the Draft EIR and to provide comments.

The preparation of the Draft General Plan requires review of environmental impacts under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).  CEQA provides information on several types of environmental analysis that can be used to analyze a project, and one of these is a Program EIR.

The purposes of this EIR are to inform agencies and the public of significant environmental effects associated with the proposed program, identify ways to minimize significant effects of the program, and describe reasonable alternatives to the program that would avoid or reduce the program’s significant effects (State CEQA Guidelines §15121[a]).

The Draft EIR, comments and responses will all be presented to the County Board of Supervisors for consideration as they review the proposed General Plan.  Prior to approval of this or any version of the General Plan, the Board of Supervisors must certify that an EIR (complete with comments and responses) adequately addresses the General Plan's potential environmental impacts in compliance with CEQA.

?  Click here to view the EIR Table of Contents

Ì  Opportunities for comment

There will be numerous opportunities for public comment on the General Plan hearing drafts, the EIR and the implementing Ordinances.  The County is committed to providing draft hearing documents in a timely manner so that all interested parties have time to review and comment prior to the Planning Commission Workshops and Hearings.  

Following is a list of links to keep you informed of the most up to date information and meeting dates:

Meetings and Hearings

v CLICK HERE for Schedule of community meetings and public hearings (Being updated.  Check back later for schedule)

Mandatory consultations with responsible agencies

v CLICK HERE for an outline of the state required notice and review of hearing documents and EIR

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