Unless the context otherwise requires, the definitions in this article govern the construction of this chapter.

“Air pollution control district” means any district created or continued in existence pursuant to the provisions of Part 3 (commencing with Section 40000) of Division 26 of the Health and Safety Code.

“Development” means, on land, in or under water, the placement or erection of any solid material or structure; discharge or disposal of any dredged material or of any gaseous, liquid, solid, or thermal waste; grading, removing, dredging, mining, or extraction of any materials; change in the density or intensity of use of land, including, but not limited to, subdivision pursuant to the Subdivision Map Act (commencing with Section 66410 of the Government Code), and any other division of land except where the land division is brought about in connection with the purchase of such land by a public agency for public recreational use; change in the intensity of use of water, or of access thereto; construction, reconstruction, demolition, or alteration of the size of any structure, including any facility of any private, public, or municipal utility; and the removal or harvesting of major vegetation other than for agricultural purposes, kelp harvesting, and timber operations which are in accordance with a timber harvesting plan submitted pursuant to the provisions of the Z'berg-Nejedly Forest Practice Act of 1973 (commencing with Section 4511 of the Public Resources Code).

As used in this section, “structure” includes, but is not limited to, any building, road, pipe, flume, conduit, siphon, aqueduct, telephone line, and electrical power transmission and distribution line.

Nothing in this section shall be construed to subject the approval or disapproval of final subdivision maps to the provisions of this chapter.

“Development” does not mean a “change of organization”, as defined in Section 56021 or a “reorganization”, as defined in Section 56073.

(B) Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), “development project” includes a housing development project, as that term is defined in paragraph (3) of subdivision (b) of Section 65905.5, that requires an entitlement from a local agency, regardless of whether the process for permitting that entitlement is discretionary or ministerial.

“Geothermal field development project” means a development project as defined in Section 65928 which is composed of geothermal wells, resource transportation lines, production equipment, roads, and other facilities which are necessary to supply geothermal energy to any particular heat utilization equipment for its productive life, all within an area delineated by the applicant.

“Lead agency” means the public agency which has the principal responsibility for carrying out or approving a project.

“Local agency” means any public agency other than a state agency. For purposes of this chapter, a redevelopment agency is a local agency and is not a state agency.

“Project” means any activity involving the issuance to a person of a lease, permit, license, certificate, or other entitlement for use by one or more public agencies.

“Public agency” means any state agency, any county, city and county, city, regional agency, public district, redevelopment agency, or other political subdivision.

“Responsible agency” means a public agency, other than the lead agency, which has responsibility for carrying out or approving a project.

“State agency” means any agency, board, or commission of state government. For all purposes of this chapter, the term “state agency” shall include an air pollution control district.