After a notice of determination (positive declaration) is issued, the lead agency shall coordinate the scoping process, which shall ensure that all interested and involved agencies (including the City Council where it is interested or involved), the applicant, the OEC, community and borough boards, borough presidents and the public are able to participate. The scoping process shall include a public scoping meeting and take place in accordance with the following procedure:
(a) Draft Scope. Within fifteen days after a notice of determination (positive declaration) is issued, the lead agency shall issue a draft scope, which may be prepared by the applicant but must be approved by the lead agency. The lead agency may consult with the OEC and other agencies prior to issuance of the draft scope.
(b) Public Notice and Comment. Upon issuance of the draft scope and not less than thirty nor more than forty-five days prior to the holding of the public scoping meeting, the lead agency shall publish in the City Record a notice indicating that a draft environmental impact statement will be prepared for the proposed action and requesting public comment with respect to the identification of issues to be addressed in the draft environmental impact statement. Such notice shall be in a format provided by the OEC and shall state that the draft scope and the environmental assessment statement may be obtained by any member of the public from the lead agency and/or the OEC. Such notice shall also contain the date, time and place of the public scoping meeting, shall provide that written comments will be accepted by the lead agency through the tenth day following such meeting, and shall set forth guidelines for public participation in such meeting.
(c) Agency Notice and Comment. Upon issuance of the draft scope and not less than thirty nor more than forty-five days prior to the holding of the public scoping meeting, the lead agency shall transmit the draft scope and the environmental assessment statement to all interested and involved agencies (including the City Council where it is interested or involved), to the applicant, to the OEC and to agencies entitled to send representatives to the public scoping meeting pursuant to Section 197-c(d) or Section 668(a)(7) of the Charter. Together with the draft scope and the environmental assessment statement, a letter shall be transmitted indicating the date, time and place of the public scoping meeting, and stating that comments will be accepted by the lead agency through the tenth day following such meeting. The lead agency may consult with other agencies regarding their comments, and shall forward any written comments received pursuant to this subdivision to the OEC.
(d) Public Scoping Meeting. The lead agency shall chair the public scoping meeting. In addition to the lead agency, all other interested and involved agencies that choose to send representatives (including the City Council where it is interested or involved), the applicant, the OEC, and agencies entitled to send representatives pursuant to Section 197-c(d) or Section 668(a)(7) of the Charter may participate. The meeting shall include an opportunity for the public to observe discussion among interested and involved agencies, agencies entitled to send representatives, the applicant and the OEC. Reasonable time shall be provided for the public to comment with respect to the identification of issues to be addressed in the draft environmental impact statement. The OEC shall assist the lead agency in ensuring that the public scoping meeting is conducted in an effective manner.
(e) Final Scope. Within thirty days after the public scoping meeting, the lead agency shall issue a final scope, which may be prepared by the applicant and approved by the lead agency. The lead agency may consult further with the OEC and other agencies prior to issuance of the final scope. Where a lead agency receives substantial new information after issuance of a final scope, it may amend the final scope to reflect such information.
(f) Scoping of City Agency Actions. For actions which do not involve private applications, nothing contained in these rules shall be construed to prevent a lead agency, where deemed necessary for complex actions, from extending the time frames for scoping set forth in this section, or from adding additional elements to the scoping process.
(Amended City Record 3/21/2018, eff. 4/20/2018)