Agency Review and Public Input

California has an important law protecting the environment: CEQA (the California Environmental Quality Act).  Under CEQA, all development projects have an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) prepared by third party consultants, with that information then reviewed by local, State and Federal agencies and made available to the general public. 

The Preservation Ranch project is no exception: 

• Sonoma County's Permit and Resource Management Department (PRMD) will act as the Lead Agency in Preservation Ranch's application and review process.  PRMD has commissioned an EIR on the project and has retained a third-party consultant to prepare the report.
• This EIR will be very thorough, taking an estimated 10-12 months to assess in detail the project's potential impacts, mitigations and project alternatives, including a "no project" alternative.
• After the EIR is completed, the project will be reviewed first by the Sonoma County Planning Commission and then by the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors who will vote to approve or deny the applications.
• Throughout, the public will have the opportunity to participate by attending hearings and meetings and by submitting comments on the project to local, State and Federal agencies.

Below is a list of local, State and Federal agencies that will be consulted on Preservation Ranch's application, with the permits that the project may require from each:

Sonoma County, CEQA Lead Agency

• Rezoning
• Conditional Use Permit or Development Agreement
• Parcel merger
• VESCO Erosion Control Plan/Grading Permit
• Well Permits (farm labor housing)
• Public Works permits (various)
• Septic Permits (farm labor housing)
• Surface Mining Permits (gravel for surfacing roads)

California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection

• Timber Conversion Permit
• Timber Harvest Plan (CEQA Certified State Regulatory Program)

California Department of Fish and Game

• Lake and Streambed Alteration Permits
• Endangered Species Act Permit

California State Water Resources Control Board

• U.S. Clean Water Act Storm Water Pollution Prevention Permits (SWPPPs)

California North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board

• Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act Waste Discharge Requirements (WDRs)
• U.S. Clean Water Act Section 401 Water Quality Certification

Division of Dam Safety

• Reservoirs should be exempt if <50 af and/or <25 ft in height.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

• U.S. Clean Water Act Section 404 Permit
  • NEPA compliance
  • NHPA Section 106
  • ESA Section 7
  • CWA Section 401 certification (see RWQCB)

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

• Federal Endangered Species Act, Section 7/10 Consultation/Permit (See USACE)

NOAA Fisheries

• Federal Endangered Species Act, Section 7/10 Consultation/Permit (See USACE)