CEQA Streamlining Templates

FCS prepared a Program Environmental Impact Report (Program EIR) to analyze the City of South San Francisco’s General Plan Update and also prepared a Program EIR to evaluate the City of Pleasanton’s 2023–2031 (6th Cycle) Housing Element Update.  Following the certification of each Program EIR, FCS prepared a series of CEQA streamlining templates for each City to facilitate the environmental review of projects consistent with the certified Final EIR.

Each city anticipated an influx of development applications and knew it would face challenges in efficiently processing these projects while maintaining consistency and compliance. Having prepared the underlying EIR for each City, FCS was uniquely positioned to assist, offering both technical expertise and familiarity with the City’s planning framework.

To address each City’s needs, FCS created a series of streamlining checklists that summarized the analysis and conclusions from the Final EIR across all CEQA topical sections. The templates were customized to reflect CEQA Sections 15183, 15168, and 15332 to provide a standardized format for documenting environmental review, enabling City staff and external consultants to process applications more efficiently.

FCS has undertaken these efforts as part of a broader strategy to promote CEQA streamlining as a scalable solution for local governments, with FCS actively presenting its approach at professional conferences and engaging clients to broaden adoption. The greatest value of these templates lies in their ability to accelerate project review, ensure consistency across consultants, and leverage existing EIR analyses to reduce redundancy. For cities aiming to meet ambitious housing goals, FCS’s CEQA streamlining templates offer a practical and effective path forward.