(Mathis R) California Environmental Quality Act: aesthetic impacts.

Current Text: Amended: 3/7/2023 

Status: 7/27/2023-Approved by the Governor. Chaptered by Secretary of State – Chapter 116, Statutes of 2023.
4/17/2023-From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (April 10).

Summary: The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires a lead agency, as defined, to prepare, or cause to be prepared, and certify the completion of an environmental impact report on a project that it proposes to carry out or approve that may have a significant effect on the environment or to adopt a negative declaration if it finds that the project will not have that effect. CEQA also requires a lead agency to prepare a mitigated negative declaration for a project that may have a significant effect on the environment if revisions in the project would avoid or mitigate that effect and there is no substantial evidence that the project, as revised, would have a significant effect on the environment. Existing law, until January 1, 2024, specifies that, except as provided, a lead agency is not required to evaluate the aesthetic effects of a project and aesthetic effects are not considered significant effects on the environment if the project involves the refurbishment, conversion, repurposing, or replacement of an existing building that meets certain requirements.

This bill would extend the operation of the above provision indefinitely. This bill contains other existing laws.