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Notice: Effective January 1, 2023, applicants who have projects on private property that require review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) must directly contract with a consultant on the List of City-Approved Environmental Consultants. Read Director Chris Burton's letter to the development community to learn more about this decision. 

Purpose

The environmental review process seeks to identify any environmental impacts associated with a proposed project and to provide this information to the public and decision-makers for their consideration and comment. The most common areas of environmental impact include wildlife, vegetation, water quality, archaeological resources, and traffic circulation.

If significant impacts are identified, these must be reduced or mitigated as possible. A number of City policies and procedures provide a basis for determining impacts and a means for insuring that such impacts are mitigated.

The City's Role in Environmental Review

The City's Environmental Clearance Ordinance (San José Municipal Code Title 21) specifies how environmental review is carried out. Typically City staff prepare the appropriate environmental document — either an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) or Negative Declaration (ND).

Enviromental Review Process

Applications

• Environmental Evaluation is included in the Development/Use Permit Application. City staff make an initial assessment on whether a project will clearly have no significant effect on the environment (i.e. an exemption) or require that the project to go through a full environmental review process based on the information disclosed by the property owner or designated representative.

Please consult the Planning Fee Schedule for the current filing fees.

Processing

For a full environmental review process, Planning staff review the initial study prepared for a project. Based on the significance of the environmental impacts, staff determine whether a negative declaration can be issued on the project or if an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) is required. One of these documents must be completed before the project can be approved. Environmental Target City Review Times can be found here.

Scoping Review

Consultants must work with City staff in preparing a scope of work early in the development review process if it has been determined that project will clearly have a significant effect on the environment. Final scope of work must be provided to the City and affirmatively approved prior to the execution of the contract. An application fee based on per hour review must be paid in full within 14 calendar days of the completed scoping review.

Review Process

You can see the City's environmental review process in this flowchart.

See the Environmental Review Process Improvements and New Procedures memo for further information.

Greenhouse Gas Reduction Strategy

The Greenhouse Gas Reduction Strategy was developed to ensure the Envision San Jose 2040 General Plan aligns with implementation requirements of Assembly Bill 32 (AB32) – the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006.

Vehicle Miles Traveled Metric

Learn how the City is changing its Transportation Impact policy by replacing the Level of Service metric with the Vehicles Miles Traveled Metric.

Contact

David Keyon, Principal Planner, (408) 535-7898
David oversees the Environmental Review team and the Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (MMRP).

Tina Garg, Supervising Environmental Planner, (408) 535-7895
Tina oversees the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) clearances for the entitlement process,  Santa Clara Valley Habitat Plan Coordination, Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (MMRP) Compliance, and geotesting clearance.

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