§ 22.60.040. Application Preparation and Filing.

A.

Pre-application conference. The applicant or their representative is encouraged to request a pre-application conference with the Department of Planning and Building as early in the process as possible (i.e., prior to any substantial investment such as land acquisition and site engineering and construction plans), subject to the applicable fee. During the conference, Department representatives, and where applicable, representatives from other County departments, should discuss applicable policies, plans, standards, and requirements as they apply to the proposed project, review the appropriate procedures for processing the application and examine possible alternatives or modifications relating to the proposed project. Land use, land division and lot line adjustment applications are subject to a public hearing and are discretionary. Action on an application by the Review Authority may differ from the opinion given by staff during the pre-application conference. [Added 1994, Ord. 2696] [22.02.021]

B.

Application contents. Land use permit applications shall be filed with the Department of Planning and Building using the forms provided by the Department, and shall include all other information and materials required by the Department. It is the responsibility of the applicant to provide information in support of any findings required by this Article or Article 7 for the approval of the permit or other entitlement being requested. [22.02.030a]

C.

Fees required. Permit applications filed in compliance with this Title shall include the required filing fee at the time of submittal. The required filing fee is determined by the County Fee Ordinance. [22.01.034]

D.

Additional information required. Site Plan Review, Minor Use Permit, and Conditional Use Permit applications shall include the following information in addition to the other application content requirements of this Article, prior to acceptance of the application as complete. Some or all of these requirements may be waived by the Director in compliance with Subsection E. Where the applicant volunteers to complete an environmental impact report (EIR) in compliance with the requirements of CEQA, the additional information required by this Subsection may be fulfilled as part of the EIR completed for the project.

1.

Agricultural buffers. Where there is an existing agricultural use taking place on adjacent parcels and the applicant proposes an agricultural buffer, the buffer shall be shown on site plan, and incorporated into the site design or the lot configuration of the proposed land division.

2.

Archeological report. The applicant shall provide an archeological surface search, prepared by a qualified individual approved by the Director.

3.

Botanical report. The applicant shall provide a botanical report, prepared by a qualified individual approved by the Director.

4.

Biological report. The applicant shall provide a biological report, prepared by a qualified individual approved by the Director.

5.

Building site envelopes. Any proposed building sites that minimize grading, tree removal and other potential adverse impacts, or any areas proposed for exclusion from construction activities, shall be shown on the site plan for existing or proposed parcels larger than 10,000 square feet to demonstrate how the future development of the site(s) relates to the other information required by this Section.

6.

Noise study. Where required by the Noise Element or where the project adjoins a potential noise generator, a noise study shall be required to be prepared by a qualified individual approved by the Director.

7.

Tree inventory plan. The applicant shall provide a tree inventory plan that locates all trees, on a site plan, their size and species and any proposed for removal. The plan shall also include proposals for replacement of trees to be removed. In areas where no trees are proposed for removal, the limits of the wooded area may be designated by the outline of the canopy.

8.

Visual analysis. For applications that propose development along significant visual corridors, as identified in the Open Space Element or the Land Use Element, a visual analysis shall be required to be prepared by a qualified individual approved by the Director.

9.

Other information. To be based on the list(s) maintained by the Department of Planning and Building, as allowed by Government Code Section 65940, as required for specific cases to allow adequate review of the proposal, and determine consistency with the General Plan and other applicable ordinances.

[Added 1992, Ord. 2553] [22.02.035]

E.

Waivers of content. Some or all of these requirements may be waived by the Director upon receipt of a written request stating the specific conditions on the site that negate the need for the additional information, the unusual characteristics of a project site or the nature of a project make it infeasible or unnecessary for the applicant to submit all of the information for a permit application required by this Title, or that the information is available in the Department of Planning and Building and this makes the provision of the additional information unnecessary. If the Director finds any of the above circumstances, the Director may waive or reduce the requirements if it is also found that the absence of the documentation will not reduce the ability of the Director to evaluate the compliance of the proposed project with the standards of this Title.

[Amended 1986, Ord. 2250] [22.02.024]