b. If not exempt the lead agency performs an initial study to determine if the project will have any significant negative impacts on environmental quality. If no the lead agency will issue a negative declaration. The lead agency may also issue a negative declaration with mitigation measures.

c. If the initial study indicates potential negative environmental impacts the lead agency will order an environmental impact report. This report will study the impacts in more detail and suggest mitigating measures if any to reduce the effects.

Exemptions or Negative Declarations allow the project to move forward. Negative Declarations with Mitigation Measures requires changes to the project, but it moves forward. EIR requires significant project delay and potentially renders the project infeasible, significantly changes the project, or kills it entirely.

For an essential services building such as this sheriff’s station the DSA-SS would review structural, mechanical, electrical and plumbing provisions. The DSA-AC and the State Fire Marshall, would also have jurisdiction. As a coastal site, this project would be subject to the California Coastal Act and fall under the jurisdiction of the California Coastal Commission. The project would most likely be subject to CEQA with the lead agency being the California Coastal Commission or local planning department. This project would require a geotechnical engineer, a structural engineer, mechanical electrical and plumbing engineers, telecomm, security, and potentially a traffic consultant. The additional work involved in an essential services building including periodic written reports to the enforcement agency would need to be factored into the fee to account for the extra time involved.

For a state-owned hospital the authorities having jurisdiction would include the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development’s Facility Development Division which would be the lead agency in the CEQA process. In addition, the State Fire Marshall, the DSA-AC would have jurisdiction as well as the Regional Water Quality Control Board, Department of Fish and Game and potentially the Environmental Protection Agency, as well as the Army Corps of Engineers may have jurisdiction, if it is a navigable water way. This project would require consultation with a licensed structural engineer, mechanical electrical and plumbing engineers, accessibility and barrier-free design consultant, geotechnical engineer and potentially a land-use attorney, cost-estimator, av consultant, wayfinding consultant and food service consultant, among others.