California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) – Planning and Land Use

This section in a scoping checklist addresses the potential land use and planning impacts associated with a project. It deals with the physical impacts that a project can cause, such as the creation of barriers that would divide an established community.

It also deals with the compliance of a project with the various land use plans, policies and regulations adopted in order to avoid or mitigate an environmental effect. And it asks that a specific question be answered when preparing an initial CEQA study.

Would the project physically divide an established community?

It deals with the physical impacts that a project can cause, such as the creation of barriers that would divide an established community.

It also deals with the compliance of a project with the various land use plans, policies and regulations adopted in order to avoid or mitigate an environmental effect.

1. Determining the scope of the question

Factors that could physically divide a community include, but are not limited to:

– Construction of highways or major roads;
– Construction of storm channels;
– Closure of bridges or highways; and
– Construction of transmission lines for public services.

The key factor regarding this question is creating physical barriers that change connectivity between areas of a community to the extent that people are separated from other areas of the community. Connectivity is typically provided by roads, footpaths, and bike paths.

The question uses the term “community,” which can have a broad definition, such as region, city, or neighborhood.

The Initial Survey Checklist preparer should determine a suitable geographic area for analysis and consider how a project would physically divide the geographic area.

For example, does the area contain houses, a school, a park, a shopping center that would constitute a community?

How would the project affect roads, footpaths, or bike lanes that connect these areas?

Land use and planning is one of many important areas to consider when preparing a CEQA document. Appendix G of the CEQA Guidelines covers 18 environmental topics and asks 89 questions.