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Local Guidelines for Implementing the <br />California Environmental Quality Act (2023) ACTIVITIES EXEMPT FROM CEQA <br /> <br /> <br />2023 City of Santa Ana Local Guidelines 3-17 ©Best Best & Krieger LLP <br />3.17 EXEMPTION FOR INFILL PROJECTS IN TRANSIT PRIORITY AREAS <br />A residential or mixed-use project, or a project with a floor area ratio of at least 0.75 on <br />commercially-zoned property, including any required subdivision or zoning approvals, is exempt <br />from CEQA if the project satisfies the following criteria: <br /> The project is located within a transit priority area as defined in Section 11.74 below; <br /> The project is consistent with an applicable specific plan for which an environmental <br />impact report was certified; and <br /> The project is consistent with the general use designation, density, building intensity, <br />and applicable policies specified for the project area in either a sustainable communities <br />strategy or an alternative planning strategy for which the State Air Resources Board <br />has accepted the determination that the sustainable communities strategy or the <br />alternative planning strategy would achieve the applicable greenhouse gas emissions <br />reduction targets. <br />Further environmental review shall be required for a project meeting the above criteria only if one <br />of the events specified in Section 8.04 below occurs. <br />(Reference: State CEQA Guidelines, § 15182(b).) <br />3.18 EXEMPTION FOR RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS UNDERTAKEN PURSUANT TO A SPECIFIC PLAN <br />Where a public agency has prepared an EIR for a specific plan after January 1, 1980, a residential <br />project undertaken pursuant to and in conformity with that specific plan is generally exempt from <br />CEQA. Residential projects covered by this section include, but are not limited to, land <br />subdivisions, zoning changes, and residential planned unit developments. <br />Further environmental review shall be required for a project meeting the above criteria only if, <br />after the adoption of the specific plan, one of the events specified in Section 8.04 below occurs. <br />In that circumstance, this exemption shall not apply until the city or county which adopted the <br />specific plan completes a subsequent EIR or a supplement to an EIR on the specific plan. The <br />exemption provided by this section shall again be available to residential projects after the Lead <br />Agency has filed a Notice of Determination on the specific plan as reconsidered by the subsequent <br />EIR or supplement to the EIR. <br />(Reference: State CEQA Guidelines, § 15182(c).) <br />3.19 TRANSFER OF LAND FOR THE PRESERVATION OF NATURAL CONDITIONS <br />CEQA does not apply to the acquisition, sale, or other transfer of interest in land by the <br />City for the purpose of fulfilling any of the following purposes: (1) preservation of natural <br />conditions existing at the time of transfer, including plant and animal habitats, (2) restoration of <br />natural conditions, including plant and animal habitats, (3) continuing agricultural use of the land; <br />(4) prevention of encroachment of development into flood plains; (5) preservation of historical