General Plan - Moreno Valley

CHAPTER 8 – HOUSING8.6.7 Permit ProcessingThe following is a summary of the approvalprocess for a typical multiple-family housingproject:1. Prepare and submit application. Theapplicant prepares plans, maps andother materials necessary to review theproject and submits the application tothe Planning Division.2. Receive application. The PlanningDivision reviews the materials submittedas part of the application. If the submittalis complete, it is taken in and assignedto a planner.3. Process application. The PlanningDepartment processes the application incoordination with other departments andagencies as necessary. Processingnormally includes:a. The planner distributes copies of theproposed plans to affected agenciesand departments and schedules thecase for review at a meeting of theProject Review Staff Committee(PRSC). The PRSC consists ofrepresentatives from various citydepartments.b. The planner reviews the proposedplans to determine if they meet thecurrent rules, regulations andpolicies. The planner alsoprepares an environmental initialstudy pursuant to the CaliforniaEnvironmental Quality Act (CEQA).Depending upon the location andpotential impacts of the project,additional environmental studiesmay be required. The informationprovided in the environmentalstudies may be necessary for theCity to make the appropriateenvironmental determination: ACategorical Exemption, NegativeDeclaration, Mitigated NegativeMORENO VALLEY GENERAL PLANDeclaration, or determine that anEnvironmental Impact Report mustbe prepared.c. PRSC meets to determine if thereare issues that need to be discussedwith the applicant. If not, PRSCcomments are mailed to theapplicant. If there are issues to bediscussed, the applicant is invited tomeet with the PRSC. Some of thematters that are typically discussedat the PRSC meeting are requiredrevisions to the proposed plans andthe need for additional information orstudies.d. The applicant prepares the studies,if required, revises the proposedplans in accordance with the PRSCcomments and submits to the Cityfor review. If the studies and plansare acceptable, each departmentsubmits its proposed conditions ofapproval to the planner.e. The planner schedules the case forhearing before the PlanningCommission. A notice of thePlanning Commission hearing andthe proposed environmentaldetermination is then published inthe local newspaper. The notice ispublished a minimum of 20 days inadvance of the hearing for a typicalmulti-family project. Thiscorresponds to the minimum publicreview period for a NegativeDeclaration as required by CEQA.The planner then mails notice of thehearing to property owners within300 feet of the project and alsoposts a public notice sign on theproject site.f. The planner prepares a PlanningCommission Staff Report describingthe staff recommendation andproposed conditions of approval.The report is sent to the PlanningPage 8-55 July 11, 2006