From: "Miller, Scott" To: Kent Lewandowski Cc: NAC Ex Comm ; dboxer@gmail.com; sandi.galvez@acgov.org; blake.huntsman@seiu1021.org; Michael Colbruno ; Vince Gibbs ; Vien Truong ; Madeleine Zayas-Mart ; "Ranelletti, Darin" ; "Angstadt, Eric" Sent: Fri, December 10, 2010 9:37:10 AM Subject: RE: Oakland Zoo Master Plan 2009 Revisions - Sierra Club letter Dear Kent, This is a follow-up summary of our meeting this past Tuesday (12/7) regarding your letter dated November 27, 2010 (attached). As we stated in the meeting, the City is conducting an environmental analysis of the proposed revisions to the Zoo Master Plan in accordance with CEQA and local requirements. As we discussed, there is no provision in CEQA that requires a completely new study on the grounds that ten (10) years have passed since the adoption of a previous environmental document. Generally, under CEQA no additional environmental review is required for the project unless there are new significant environmental impacts, or substantial increases in previously identified significant impacts, due to project changes, changes in circumstances surrounding the project, or new information is learned since the 1998 Mitigated Negative Declaration was adopted. The result of the current analyses will be published in a new CEQA document. At this point in time, the City has not determined what specific type of CEQA document will be published. The type of document to be published will depend upon the outcome of the analyses. We estimate that a draft of the CEQA document will be published for public review in late January 2011, at the earliest. The public review period of the draft CEQA document will be 30 days, unless a Draft EIR is published, in which case the review period will be 45 days. We have carefully considered your request to extend the public review period. Standard City practice is to follow the time periods prescribed in CEQA, unless directed otherwise by the Planning Commission. In the past the Planning Commission has been reluctant to extend the review period unless there were errors in the public notice process or the review period occurred over a lengthy holiday period. We intend to follow our standard review period practice for this project so as not to deviate from CEQA and City of Oakland protocol. Sincerely, Scott Miller Zoning Manager P.S. Please note that I also included all of the current Planning Commissioners in this response, as your original email was not updated with current Commissioners.