The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires that projects be evaluated for any potential effects on the environment. This includes both projects the City undertakes directly, such as a capital works project, and those where the City approves an application for a private entity. This evaluation process is documented in environmental documents such as Notices of Exemption, Initial Studies, Environmental Impact Reports and Mitigated Negative Declarations.

• CEQA Exemptions are projects that have no significant impact on the environment and are categorically exempt from CEQA.
• Initial Studies assess a project’s potential significant impacts on the environment.
• A Negative Declaration is prepared after an Initial Study determines, based on substantial evidence, that a project may not have a significant impact on the environment and does not require the preparation of an Environmental Impact Report.
• A Mitigated Negative Declaration is prepared when the Initial Study has identified potentially significant effects on the environment but revisions or mitigation is agreed upon by the Applicant prior to document release that would avoid or substantially lessen the effects of the project to the point where clearly no significant effect on the environment would occur.
• An Environmental Impact Report informs the City’s decision makers and the public of any significant environmental effects of a project and ways to minimize or avoid those negative effects and provides reasonable alternatives for the City to consider. 
  • A Draft EIR (DEIR) is the first review document released as part of the EIR process.
  • A Final EIR (FEIR) contains the information of the DEIR, plus any comments received during the DEIR’s public review process, and the evaluation and response to those comments.

Environmental Documents that are currently in the public review process and have recently concluded the public review process are listed below. Public Notices for Environmental Documents that are in the public review process are posted below in compliance with State Law (Public Resources Code, § 21082.1(d), 21092(b)(3), and 21092.3).

Environmental Documents currently under public review

SV 21-03, Knolls Zone Water Facilities Project

Notice of Intent (NOI)

Initial Study - Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS-MND)

Environmental Documents with concluded public review periods

ANX-0077, GPA-0073, Z-S-0613, PD-S-1054, TT-5658-A, ANX-2024-0001, and Z-S-2024-0005:  Availability for review of the Preliminary Final Environmental Impact Report (Draft EIR with Minor Revisions to the Draft EIR and Response to Comments on the Drat EIR). The project evaluated is comprised of two components:  1)  the North Canyon Ranch residential subdivision and 2) a series of Required County Island Annexations to the City.  North Canyon Ranch: The project consists of a General Plan Amendment (GPA-0073) to reconfigure the existing General Plan Land Use designations of Medium Density Residential, Moderate Density Residential, and Open Space; a Zone Change (Z-S-0613) to establish zones upon annexation of the site to Residential Medium Density (RM), Residential Moderate Density (RMod), and Open Space (OS); a Tentative Map and Planned Development Permit (TT 5658-A and PD-S-1054) to subdivide a develop the approximately 160.32-acre site with 157 single-family residences, 50 multi-family units, and open space; and an Annexation (ANX-0077) to Annex the project site into the City of Simi Valley.  The North Canyon Ranch project site is located in the northwestern portion of Simi Valley, north of the 118 Freeway and west of Erringer Road (APN 615-0-500-075).  The project would also complete the planned extension of Falcon Street through the project site to connect to the current northerly terminus of First Street.  Required Island Annexations: Island Annexation areas 2-9 encompass 326.06 acres of land and include 444 parcels, comprised of 425 developed single-family parcels, 5 undeveloped single-family parcels, and 14 other parcels (e.g. open space lots, easements, and/or portions of residentially zoned lots).  Only annexation and City zoning comparable to existing County zoning is proposed for these areas.  No other changes are proposed at this time in the County Islands, and no foreseeable projects are proposed. The Ventura County Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCo) has required these annexations to occur with the next City annexation, in this case, the North Canyon Ranch Project Annexation.  The public review period for the Draft EIR was April 15, 2024 to May 30, 2024.  The Planning Commission Public Hearing to consider a recommendation to the City Council for the project is scheduled for April 9, 2025.

Draft EIR April 2024

Final Draft EIR December 2024

Notice of Preparation

Notices of Determination/Notices of Exemption

CUP-S-2023-0004 (Notice of Determination)

CUP-S-2023-0011 (Notice of Exemption)

CUP-S-2024-0007 (Notice of Exemption)

PD-S-2023-0004 (Notice of Exemption)