County of Monterey Planning Support & Staff Augmentation Services

Harris has provided planning support services/staff augmentation to the County of Monterey since late 2021. In this role, Harris staff have served as an extension of County staff relative to the processing of Discretionary Permits required to allow the permitting of various project types throughout Monterey County.

Harris is responsible for application review, compliance determination with applicable general plan, zoning code, and individual land use and area plans. Harris is also responsible for CEQA compliance determination (exemptions and initial studies) and preparing staff reports; resolutions with findings and evidence; development of conditions of approval; review of inter-departmental review/referral and comments; public hearing notices; receipt, review, and coordination of pre-hearing public comments; and post-hearing document finalization including CEQA Notices of Determination (NODs), condition changes/amendments, and resolution amendments. Harris staff tracks individual projects through all appeal periods.

Harris is also contracted to prepare project-specific CEQA documents (Initial Studies/Negative Declaration/Mitigated Negative Declaration) for several projects, as assigned or requested by the County HCD management. The preparation of the CEQA documents includes review of the project files, peer review of supplied technical reports, and preparation of all CEQA-related circulation documents, including the Notice of Intent (NOI), Notice of Completion (NOC), and Notice of Determination (NOD), as well as filing (upon request) of documents and payment of CEQA-related fees.

Harris staff has completed all assigned projects and CEQA documents on time and within the anticipated budget(s) for specific projects. Harris staff has built the trust and respect of the County’s internal staff, decision makers, and members of the public by providing timely review, maintaining a superior level of review, and providing clear and concise information distribution. Harris has been informed additional funding for Fiscal Year 2023-2024 is anticipated to allow continued services into the third year of the three-year contract.