California Department of Transportation
Caltrans Transportation Planning Planning Offices Office of Community Planning Local Development-Intergovernmental Review (LD-IGR)

Local Development-Intergovernmental Review (LD-IGR)

DESCRIPTION:  Local Development-Intergovernmental Review (LD-IGR) is a mandated ongoing statewide effort focused primarily on avoiding, eliminating, or reducing to insignificance, potential adverse impacts of local development on the transportation system.  Caltrans is proud to share our expertise with other jurisdictions and assist them throughout their land use planning and decision-making processes, consistent with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), Streets and Highways Code, and numerous planning and zoning laws that affect our stewardship of the State Highway System. This Program is directed to use ‘best practices’ analysis methodologies that focus on:  improving person-capacity of our multi-modal transportation system; efficiently moving goods and services; and accurately describing transportation tradeoffs with other community values.  These values include: a sound business economy with housing near employment; a healthy ‘climate change sensitive’ environment, and equally safe access for both motorized and non-vehicular transportation users.

STATUS:  Californians have long insisted that their governments at all levels provide a high level of protection for the natural and built environment, while accommodating growth, as directed by the laws mentioned above, local agency mandates, and Presidential and Gubernatorial Executive Orders.  Caltrans began a formal IGR/CEQA program to respond to these challenges in 1983.  Deputy Directive 25-R1 elaborates on LD-IGR Program goals, objectives and collaborative responsibilities of each Caltrans functional Division. Currently the 12 districts annually review about 18,000 documents, and provide technical recommendations to development approval authorities in response to 6,000 of them. Since the passage of SB 45 in 1997, earlier and broader coordination, prior to formal CEQA consultations with our local partners, has increasingly been needed to insure that the development community contributes a fair share to infrastructure insufficiencies. Now, with the advent of recent climate change legislation, the role of the LD-IGR Program is expected to expand due to the increased emphasis on regional transportation plans, with traffic mitigation programs, that implement smart growth blueprints of sustainable community strategies.

KEY PARTNERS:  Stakeholders include mostly federal, state and local NEPA/CEQA lead agencies, such as 480 cities, 58 counties, 44 regional transportation planning agencies, and various commissions, as well as federally recognized tribal governments.  However, the legislature, members of the public, and developers also directly seek and appreciate our special assistance.

GUIDANCE PUBLICATIONS WE PROVIDE:


The following links provide access to various websites applicable to the LD-IGR Program:

Caltrans Deputy Directive (DD-25-R1) on Local Development - Intergovernmental Review (LD-IGR)
Caltrans internal policy on Local Development - Intergovernmental Review

Caltrans CEQA-Lead Agency Process Flow Chart
A simplified illustration of the CEQA Process Flow Chart to reflect the Caltrans-Lead Agency opportunities to consult about project planning.

CEQA Process Flow Chart
Presented as Appendix A to the CEQA Guidelines (regulations) merely to illustrate the EIR process contemplated by the Guidelines.

Encroachment Permits
Link to Caltrans Encroachment Permits office and Standard Encroachment Permit Application (to request ingress to the State Highway System right of way).

Transportation Permits
Link to Caltrans Transportation Permits Branch and Transportation Permit Application (to request movement of vehicles/loads exceeding statutory limitations on the size, weight, and loading of vehicles on the State Highway System).

Guide for the Preparation of Traffic Impact Studies (TISG)
Published in December 2002, the Guide was developed jointly by local and regional agency representatives and Caltrans District and Headquarters staff. Describes how and why mitigation expectations are proportionally allocated.

Guidelines for Submitting Transportation Information from a Reporting or Monitoring Program to the California Department of Transportation
California Public Resources Code (PRC) Section 21081.7 directs CEQA lead agencies to submit transportation reporting or monitoring information to the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) for a project of statewide, regional, or areawide significance. Further, it required that Caltrans adopt guidelines for the submittal of those reporting or monitoring programs. 

Tribal Development Projects Procedures (July 2008)
Statewide LD-IGR Program Guide. Introduction to how the sovereign status of federally recognized Tribal Governments (Tribes) affects the Caltrans intergovernmental review process. Contains federal planning and programming requirements levied upon states regarding Tribes.

CEQA Section 21092.4, Consult with Transportation Planning Agency
Excerpt of California Public Resources Code that requires lead agencies to consult with transportation planning agencies and public agencies which have transportation facilities within their jurisdictions which could be affected by a project of statewide, regional, or areawide significance.

CEQA Guidelines Section 15206(b), Projects of Statewide, Regional or Areawide Significance
California Code of Regulations that defines projects of statewide, regional or areawide significance.

Subdivision Map Act, Review of Tentative Map by Caltrans
Excerpt of California Government Code, Section 66455 that requires, under certain circumstances, a local agency to transmit to Caltrans a copy of a proposed tentative map of a proposed subdivision located within one mile on either or both sides of any state highway adopted by the California Transportation Commission, if a territorial map has been filed by Caltrans with the local agency.

Surface Mining and Reclamation Act of 1975, Lead Agency Must Notify Caltrans
Excerpt of California Public Resources Code, Section 2770.5 that requires a lead agency to notify Caltrans of receipt of an application for issuance or renewal of a surface mining permit within one mile, upstream or downstream, of any state highway bridge in the 100-year flood plain for any stream, as shown in Zone A of Flood Insurance Rate Maps issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR)
Provides legislative and policy research support for the Governor’s office. OPR also assists the Governor and the Administration in land-use planning. Encompasses four main units: The State Clearinghouse; the Legislative Unit; the Policy and Research Unit; and the Office of Small Business Advocate.

State Clearinghouse Memorandum to All CEQA Lead Agencies: Legislative Requirements for Notices of Preparation (AB 1807), January 2, 2001
Notice from State Clearinghouse that any public agency acting as a “lead agency” under CEQA is required to provide a copy of all Notices of Preparation (NOPs) to the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR), effective January 1, 2001.

CEQAnet
The State Clearinghouse (SCH) maintains a searchable database of all environmental documents that it receives from public agencies. The database allows the public to view brief descriptions of these documents, and allows public agencies to electronically submit environmental notices to the SCH. 

Addressing Climate Change and Greenhouse Gases (GHG)
List of some environmental documents addressing climate change and GHG. The list is updated monthly and provided for information purposes only and does not imply any recommended method of analyzing climate change or greenhouse gas emissions in CEQA or NEPA.

To download selected documents from the list in electronic form at no charge, go to www.ceqamap.com. This website is maintained by CEQAdocs.com, not Caltrans. Questions and comments on this website should be sent to CEQAdocs.com. Contact information for CEQAdocs.com can be found at http://www.ceqamap.com/contact_us.php.

California Environmental Resources Evaluation System (CERES)
Link to California Resources Agency’s CEQA and CEQA Guidelines (regulations).

California Land Use Planning Information Network (LUPIN)
Portal to city, county, and regional land use planning information.

California Streets and Highways Code
Link to the complete statute.

California Code
Link to all 29 of California’s statutes.

California Code of Regulations
Link to all California Code of Regulations (CCR).

Office of Administrative Law (OAL)
The OAL ensures that agency regulations are clear, necessary, legally valid, and available to the public. Oversees the publication and distribution of the California Code of Regulations and the California Regulatory Notice Register.

Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ)
Portal to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), NEPA Regulations and related information.