California Environmental Quality Act: environmental leadership development projects: streamlining.

Senator Padilla's waterfront development legislation creates a new framework for expedited environmental review of large-scale projects in San Diego's Central Embarcadero district. The bill establishes "Waterfront Environmental Leadership Development Projects" (WELDPs) - mixed-use developments that exceed one million square feet, enhance public waterfront access, and occupy more than 50 acres within the district.

The California Coastal Commission would operate under modified timelines when reviewing WELDPs, with 60 days to provide comments on technical documents and 180 days to make final determinations on project approvals after application submission. Lead agencies or project applicants must file required materials with the Commission within 30 days of certifying environmental impact reports. The Commission retains authority to deny projects or impose conditions, but only upon finding specific inconsistencies with the Coastal Act or certified port master plans, or demonstrable risks to public health and safety.

To support implementation, the bill authorizes the Coastal Commission to charge applicants fees covering reasonable costs of document review and application processing, with rates established through written agreements. Local agencies can utilize existing service charges and assessment authority to fund any new administrative requirements without state reimbursement. The provisions apply to projects certified by the Governor under the state's environmental leadership program, which currently extends through January 2032.