(a) By December 31, 2020, the commission, in consultation with the Department of Fish and Wildlife, any other state agency relevant to coastal permitting, and stakeholders, shall develop guidance for applicants for coastal development permits for shellfish, seaweed, and other low-trophic mariculture production and restoration.
(b) Guidance developed pursuant to this section has the following purposes:
(1) To reduce duplicative or overlapping information requirements during permit application filing.
(2) To increase state and federal agency coordination.
(3) To increase regulatory certainty.
(4) To reduce the time and cost associated with securing a coastal development permit, to the extent possible.
(c) Guidance developed pursuant to this section shall include, but is not limited to, all of the following:
(1) A list of elements required in a project description.
(2) Projected permit approval timelines.
(3) A description of how permits can provide the flexibility to allow growers to adapt to new methods.
(4) Examples of operational changes that could qualify for expedited review, for example, a de minimis waiver or an immaterial permit amendment.
(5) A description of growing methods and techniques that have been approved by the commission and the contexts associated with those approvals.
(6) A process for incorporating data from comparable growing areas.
(d) This section shall remain in effect only until July 1, 2021, and as of that date is repealed.
(Added by Stats. 2019, Ch. 472, Sec. 31. (SB 262) Effective January 1, 2020. Repealed as of July 1, 2021, by its own provisions.)