1.40.520   Early Consultation.
   A.   Notice of Preparation.
      1.   Immediately after determining that an EIR will be required for a project, the director shall send a notice of preparation by certified mail or other method of transmittal which provides a record of receipt to:
         a.   Responsible and trustee agencies responsible for resources affected by the project;
         b.   The State Clearinghouse;
         c.   Any federal agency involved in approving or funding the project;
         d.   The Butte County Clerk.
      2.   Alternatively, the director may send ten (10) copies of the notice of preparation to the State Clearinghouse for distribution to responsible and trustee agencies.
      3.   Additionally, the director shall send a notice of preparation to:
         a.   Responsible City departments.
         b.   Property owners, and where practicable occupants, within three hundred (300) feet of the subject property as shown on the latest equalized assessment roll. Alternatively, if more than one hundred (100) households or business addresses exist within three hundred (300) feet of the property, then the notice of preparation may be published in a newspaper of general circulation within the City.
         c.   Decision-making bodies.
         d.   Recommending bodies.
         e.   All organizations and individuals who have previously requested such notice.
   B.   Scoping Session.
      1.   Where an EIR is required for a large scale, complex, or controversial project, the director may determine that a scoping session be held as necessary to solicit comments from the public concerning the scope of the issues to be addressed in the preparation of the EIR. Responsible agencies, trustee agencies, or the project applicant may also request scoping meetings, which are to be held within thirty (30) days of such request.
      2.   Notice of the public scoping sessions shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation within the City and shall be sent to all parties receiving the notice of preparation.
      3.   Notice of the scoping sessions may be made concurrently with the notice of preparation.
      4.   Scoping sessions shall be convened by appropriate City staff unless the recommending body and/or decision-making body requests to run the meeting.
(Ord. 2067, Ord. 2364 §45)