San Francisco Planning Department

Program Overview

General CEQA Projects

SFPUC CEQA Projects

RFQs and RFPs
Consultant Resources

MEA - OVERVIEW

The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires public agencies to identify environmental impacts of proposed actions, identify ways to avoid or reduce environmental damage, and enhance public participation in the planning process. The Major Environmental Analysis (MEA) Division of the San Francisco Planning Department is responsible for administering Chapter 31 of the San Francisco Administrative Code, which provides guidelines for implementing the CEQA process.

The City may not issue permits until the environmental review process is complete. Categorical exemptions from CEQA review are generally issued for smaller-scale projects. The San Francisco Planning Commission has adopted a list of categorical exemptions.

Categorical exemption may be issued via an exemption stamp at the Planning Information Center (PIC) Counter (1660 Mission Street, First Floor). 

The project sponsor may be asked to submit an Environmental Evaluation Application. As of September 1, 2008, this application is used for both environmental exemption and environmental evaluation.

Additional environmental applications that may need to be submitted to MEA before a project can be determined exempt from environmental review are the Supplemental Information Form for Historical Resource Evaluation and the Tree Disclosure Statement. San Francisco Preservation Bulletin No. 16 provides direction and guidance for the environmental review of historical resources.

Once MEA determines that a project is exempt from environmental review, it issues a Certificate of Determination of Exemption from CEQA Review, and the environmental review process is complete. If MEA determines that the project is not exempt from CEQA review, an Initial Study will be required. Some projects may also require a Transportation Study or a Shadow Study. Based on the analysis of the Initial Study, MEA will determine that either (1) the project will be issued a negative declaration stating that the project would not have a significant effect on the environment, or (2) an environmental impact report is required to determine the project's significance on the environment.