Correct. CEQA does not stop development. CEQA works to make development projects environmentally responsible and democratic, so that people have a say in what happens in their community. But big development has been working hard to strip CEQA from us, which is why 99% of projects are now exempted from review under CEQA and real estate investors can now clear cut a treed lot next to your single family home in LA and build 8 rental units there without any consideration or review of the potential adverse impacts to you or your neighbors.
CEQA is California’s bedrock environmental law to protect the environment from development but not anymore because building projects are now categorically exempted from CEQA 99% of the time, thanks to corrupt politicians that prioritize the interests of big real estate over the environment.
A slight clarification. CEQA is often blamed for stopping development, but that is not its intent. The intent of the law is to identify significant impacts and to mitigate those impacts to the extent feasible. If an impact cannot be mitigated, City Council may still approve the project, but it must issue a finding of over-riding consideration. Basically, they must admit that a significant impact exists, they must state that project benefit exceeds the unavoidable impact, and they must take responsibility for their action. Thus, CEQA does not directly stop the project. When a project is killed by City Council, it's often the unwillingness of City Council to rule against the people and suffer the potential political fallout. The categorical exemption from CEQA is used by City Planning to protect a gutless City Council who refuses to take responsibility for their actions as mandated by CEQA.
Correct. CEQA does not stop development. CEQA works to make development projects environmentally responsible and democratic, so that people have a say in what happens in their community. But big development has been working hard to strip CEQA from us, which is why 99% of projects are now exempted from review under CEQA and real estate investors can now clear cut a treed lot next to your single family home in LA and build 8 rental units there without any consideration or review of the potential adverse impacts to you or your neighbors.
CEQA is California’s bedrock environmental law to protect the environment from development but not anymore because building projects are now categorically exempted from CEQA 99% of the time, thanks to corrupt politicians that prioritize the interests of big real estate over the environment.
A slight clarification. CEQA is often blamed for stopping development, but that is not its intent. The intent of the law is to identify significant impacts and to mitigate those impacts to the extent feasible. If an impact cannot be mitigated, City Council may still approve the project, but it must issue a finding of over-riding consideration. Basically, they must admit that a significant impact exists, they must state that project benefit exceeds the unavoidable impact, and they must take responsibility for their action. Thus, CEQA does not directly stop the project. When a project is killed by City Council, it's often the unwillingness of City Council to rule against the people and suffer the potential political fallout. The categorical exemption from CEQA is used by City Planning to protect a gutless City Council who refuses to take responsibility for their actions as mandated by CEQA.