Coastal Hills Rural Preservation v. Cnty. of Sonoma

*1238 This action was brought under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) 1 to challenge the proposed expansion of a Buddhist retreat center approved by defendant County of Sonoma (County). The County adopted a mitigated negative declaration (MND) in lieu of a formal environmental impact report (EIR) in approving the third in a series of master use permits (MUPs) for real parties in interest Jack Petranker and the Head Lama of the Tibetan Nyingma Meditation Center (TNMC). Plaintiff Coastal Hills Rural Preservation (CHRP) is a citizens' group that contends the County violated CEQA by approving the master use permit without an EIR. CHRP petitioned the trial court for a writ of mandate, maintaining that an EIR was required because the proposed project greatly expands an existing printing press operation that is housed on the subject property, which is located in a rural area. CHRP also asserted the approval was made in violation of the County's general plan and related zoning provisions. The trial court denied the petition. We affirm.

FACTUAL BACKGROUND AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY

I. Background

In 1975, TNMC purchased a property on Tin Barn Road in Cazadero, which it uses as…