ORANGE : Environment Policy for Developers OK’d

The City Council last week gave final approval to an ordinance that requires developers to control damage to the environment.

The Mitigation Monitoring Program was created with the input of local developers and comes with a manual of regulations outlining program requirements. The manual will be distributed to developers.

Any project that “has potential for resulting in a physical change in the environment, directly or indirectly” including construction projects, grading, land clearing and improvements made to existing structures, should comply with the monitoring program.

Those who fail to comply with the program’s requirements risk losing building permits and could be ordered to stop work on the project. Failure to comply with a stop-work order may be charged with a misdemeanor.

Violators of the ordinance would be required to pay the city for costs associated with administering the program, including any additional staff costs required to ensure compliance.