Policy and Procedure

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to define the circumstances in which the County of Sonoma refers projects and applications to the Dry Creek Valley Citizens Advisory Council (DCVCAC) for comment.

General 

All applications for General Plan Amendments, Rezonings, and Use Permits within the Dry Creek Valley watershed as shown on the attached Exhibit A shall be referred to the DCVCAC for review and comment.

Authority

The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors created the DCVCAC by Resolution #12-0410 to serve as an advisory body on applications for use permits, rezoning and General Plan amendments within the Dry Creek Valley watershed.

Procedure

1. Following a determination that a proposal is subject to DCVCAC review, the County of Sonoma Planning staff shall deliver or have delivered a copy of the project application, and any available supporting materials to the Chairperson of the DCVCAC.
2. The chairperson will determine, with the DCVCAC’s Secretary, whether to place the project on the next available agenda of the DCVCAC for comment.
3. If the item is brought to the DCVCAC for comment, it shall be the responsibility of the DCVAC to prepare and deliver written minutes of the action to the County of Sonoma planning staff in a timely manner so that they may be forwarded to the hearing body at the time of project review.
4. The hearing body shall consider the comments of the DCVCAC in the course of its review of the project, but the comments shall not be considered binding and the hearing body shall act on the project application as it deems fit.
5. Project applicants must attend DCVCAC meetings when their project is being heard by the DCVCAC.
6. Projects referred to the DCVCAC for comment shall be reviewed by the DCVCAC within 45 days after the referral. The failure of the DCVCAC to make an advisory recommendation within 45days after the referral shall be deemed to mean that the DCVCAC has no recommendation on the project.
7. This policy does not preclude the County of Sonoma or planning staff from referring issues to the DCVCAC for advice and comment that may not be subject to environmental review as defined by this policy.

Responsibilities and Review

1. The County of Sonoma is responsible for reviewing this policy no less than every ten years to determine whether it is still representative of the Dry Creek Valley and still an effective review board for the County. Changes may be made by a majority vote of the Board of Supervisors.
2. The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors will review this policy from time to time, as it deems necessary.