DATE: 05/07/2025
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Planning and Development Department
2025-185
REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION
SUBJECT:
RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE 2025 LOCAL GUIDELINES FOR IMPLEMENTING THE
CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
This staff report asks the City Council to adopt the 2025 Local Guidelines for Implementing the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) for the City of Corona to reflect recent changes in the law.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
That the City Council adopt Resolution No. 2025-035 approving the 2025 Local Guidelines for Implementing the California Environmental Quality Act for the City of Corona.
BACKGROUND & HISTORY:
CEQA is California’s comprehensive environmental law codified in Public Resources Code Section 21000, et seq. CEQA is used by public agencies to evaluate the environmental effects of its actions before they are taken. Actions normally involving decisions on new developments, capital improvement projects, public works projects, transportation projects, and certain regulatory agreements require an evaluation according to CEQA.
CEQA aims to prevent significant environmental effects from occurring because of actions from a public agency by requiring the agency to avoid or reduce, when feasible, the significant environmental impacts of its decisions. To this end, CEQA requires public agencies to adopt specific objectives, criteria, and procedures for evaluating public and private projects that are undertaken or approved by the public agency.
ANALYSIS:
The City of Corona has prepared an updated set of Local CEQA Guidelines for 2025 in compliance with CEQA’s requirements. These Guidelines reflect recent changes to CEQA and provide instructions and forms for preparing all environmental documents required under CEQA.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
No financial impact is associated with amending the City’s Local CEQA Guidelines.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS:
The City’s adoption of the Resolution approving the Local CEQA Guidelines is not a project under State CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(5) because it involves an administrative activity and would not result in any environmental impacts.
PREPARED BY: JOANNE COLETTA, PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR ATTACHMENTS:
1. Exhibit 1 – Resolution No. 2025-035
2. Exhibit 2 – 2025 Local CEQA Guidelines (redline comparison)