AgdaPkt 2010-02-01 clsd and regular

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7A Page 2 A peer review team led by Hart Howerton and consisting of expert sub-consultants reviewed the Tier One Topics and has submitted summary reports. The Tier One Summary Reports have been provided as attachments to this report and are posted to the City's website as of January 26, 2010. In addition, a process was established to keep policy makers, the public and the applicant informed about the initial application review process using a dedicated website and email communication. The conclusion stated in all three of the Tier One Summary Reports is that the Saltworks application does not contain fundamental insurmountable issues that would prevent the continuation of processing the application. If such an insurmountable issue were found to exist, then further processing of the application and initiation of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) process would be inadvisable. Because no insurmountable issues have been identified, City staff is now ready to continue processing the application and initiate the CEQA process, unless Council directs otherwise. Each Summary Report identifies specific challenges and obstacles to the implementation of the project, as well as approvals and potential policy decisions that must be made by the City and/or federal, state, regional and local agencies. Final determinations on the implementation, entitlements, permits and policies identified in the Tier One Summary Reports cannot be made by the City, or by any other State or local agency, until after the City has certified an Environmental Impact Report (EIR). Therefore, consistent with previous direction provided by the City Council, staff will continue to process the Saltworks development proposal by initiating the CEQA process. Additionally, the application submitted to the City includes the request for a General Plan Amendment, Zoning Amendment and Environmental Assessment. The aforementioned items are legislative acts. as such, they are not subject to the Permit Streamlining Act; therefore, the City is not required to deem the application "complete" as a precursor to the CEQA process. Furthermore, given the scope, scale and complexity of the development proposal, as well as the absence of fundamentally insurmountable issues, the CEQA process would provide a framework for the detailed analysis of the development proposal. The CEQA process would also serve to identify the significant effects on the environment, identify alternatives, provide meaningful public disclosure and comment periods, and provide a means for other responsible agencies to comment on the development proposal. Initiating the CEQA process at this time would be consistent with the direction provided by the City Council at the August 10, 2009 meeting when the determination was made to evaluate the request for a General Plan Amendment. Next Steps in Processing the Saltworks Application As a first step, the City will prepare and distribute a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) in search of a lead environmental consulting firm to prepare the Environmental Impact Report (EIR). Upon receipt of qualifications from consulting firms, the City will establish a review and selection process to develop a short list of qualified consulting firms with relevant planning and environmental expertise. Once the short list has been established, the City will proceed to an interview and selection process.