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The Sixth Appellate District, in Willow Glen Trestle Conservancy v. San Jose (2020) 49 Cal.App.5th 127, held that seeking a new Streambed Alteration Agreement (“SAA”) from the California Department of Fish & Wildlife (“CDFW”) for a previously approved project does not constitute a “further discretionary approval” within the meaning of CEQA Guidelines section 15162 and therefore does not require supplemental review.

In 2014, the City of San Jose approved a project to demolish the Willow Glen Railroad Trestle, a railroad bridge over Los Gatos Creek, and replace it with a new steel truss pedestrian bridge. The City approved the project with a Mitigated Negative Declaration (“MND”). The original SAA approved in conjunction with the MND expired. Subsequently, the City applied for, and was granted, an SAA from CDFW to divert the creek during demolition and construction of the new bridge. The Willow Glen Trestle Conservancy challenged the City’s approval of the SAA, arguing that the SAA required subsequent CEQA review. The trial court determined the 2018 SAA did not involve further discretionary approval and petitioners appealed.

Petitioners challenged the 2018 SAA arguing that the new application amounted to a “discretionary approval,” triggering mandatory supplemental review under Public Resources Code section 21166.  Section 21166 and its counterpart CEQA Guideline 15162 compel subsequent review in limited circumstances when, after the original approval of a project, a “further discretionary approval on that project” is required. The petitioners argued that the City’s act of seeking and accepting the SAA was a discretionary approval by the City. The court held that while CDFW’s issuance of the final SAA was a CDFW approval, that action did not amount to a City approval. However, the petitioners had failed to challenge CDFW’s approval of the SAA.

Relying on the subsequent review principles articulated by the California Supreme Court in Friends of College of San Mateo Gardens v. San Mateo Community College District (2016) 1 Cal.5th 937, the court emphasized that Section 21166 and CEQA Guidelines section 15162 are intended to limit the circumstances under which subsequent review is required by stating that information appearing after an approval does not require reopening of that approval. These limitations are meant to “balance CEQA’s central purpose of promoting consideration of the environmental consequences of public decisions with interests in finality and efficiency.” (Friends of College of San Mateo Gardens v. San Mateo Community College District (2016) 1 Cal.5th 937, italics added.) If every action taken to implement an approved project was considered another approval of the project, the City’s final consideration of the project would be subject to endless reopening.

The court concluded that the City’s 2018 SAA application was a step in implementing the already approved project, not a further discretionary approval, because obtaining a SAA was contemplated in the MND. Consequently, the City was not required to conduct supplemental review for the 2018 SAA.