To the extent possible, verifiable, normally accepted standards of practice should be used for reviewing and checking technical data and the use of subjective standards or judgment avoided. The applicant s representatives should familiarize themselves with local criteria, recognizing each entity s prerogative and need to adopt criteria suitable to its own situation. Outside expertise may be helpful in the development of policies and administrative procedures depending on the expertise, availability, and time of in-house staff. Modifications over time to the policies and administrative procedures of a reviewing agency are both realistic and appropriate. D. Qualifications of a reviewer 1.
Reviews are often a combination of technical and administrative matters.
Having qualified reviewers is important. Qualified can mean trained in the technical fields, trained through experience, or a combination of both. In some situations, supplementing in-house expertise with outside consultants may be helpful. A public entity may want to have a policy that allows the public entity to hire a consultant early in the review process, at the applicant s expense, and that establishes a process for how and when this cost is paid. The practice of engineering and land surveying requires a significant amount of training, experience and expertise.