Local Development Review

The Caltrans Local Development Review (LDR) program is a legislatively mandated, ongoing statewide effort focused on avoiding or reducing significant impacts to the State Highway System (SHS) from land use proposals, including general plans and any other local, state, and federal government actions that may adversely impact the transportation system.

A land use project that includes project work within Caltrans Right-of-Way (ROW) or may have impacts on the State Transportation Network (STN) is required to either obtain a Caltrans-issued encroachment permit or oversight by a Caltrans Project Manager.

LDR is a Caltrans planning unit that reviews land use development projects and facilitates early coordination meetings with local agencies during the pre-encroachment permit period, since the Office of Encroachment Permits only accepts projects with 100% completed design.

District LDR has the following key functions:

Facilitate project coordination
Review and comment on environmental documents for land use projects

Project Early Coordination

LDR welcomes coordination opportunities with external agencies. We facilitate project coordination meetings and assist with general/project-specific inquires. We prefer to coordinate with the lead agency. If a project applicant/consultant directly reaches out to us, please also include your lead agency point of contact.

Project submittal during early involvement should include
- Project description
- Location map
- Site plans
- Transportation Impact Study (if available)

Depending on the request, we may also need to review other topic-specific reports (such as hydrology report, geotechnical report, biology report, etc.)

Project Early Coordination Review Process
- Lead agency sends project materials to LDR-D4@dot.ca.gov and a LDR coordinator will be assigned to handle the project.
- LDR coordinator reviews the submittal and may ask for additional information.
- LDR coordinator circulates the project to relevant functional units within Caltrans.
- It typically takes 3-4 weeks to complete the review and circulation process. When completed, LDR coordinator will provide feedback to the lead agency.

Environmental Document Review

LDR is responsible for reviewing and commenting on environmental documents for land use projects that may potentially impact the STN. Our branch closely monitors projects posted on CEQAnet . The review of projects posted on CEQAnet is time sensitive as CEQA establishes the required length of comment period for different types of environmental documents.

LDR Environmental Document Review Process
- LDR coordinator identifies a new project on CEQAnet, or lead Agency sends LDR environmental documents.
- LDR coordinator reviews the project’s environmental documents and determines if any actions are needed on the project.
- If needed, LDR coordinator circulates the project to relevant functional units within Caltrans.
- LDR provides feedback to the lead agency: