(a) (1) Prior to the adoption or any amendment of a city or county’s general plan, proposed on or after March 1, 2005, the city or county shall conduct consultations with California Native American tribes that are on the contact list maintained by the Native American Heritage Commission for the purpose of preserving or mitigating impacts to places, features, and objects described in Sections 5097.9 and 5097.993 of the Public Resources Code that are located within the city or county’s jurisdiction.
(2) From the date on which a California Native American tribe is contacted by a city or county pursuant to this subdivision, the tribe has 90 days in which to request a consultation, unless a shorter timeframe has been agreed to by that tribe.
(b) Consistent with the guidelines developed and adopted by the Office of Planning and Research pursuant to Section 65040.2, the city or county shall protect the confidentiality of information concerning the specific identity, location, character, and use of those places, features, and objects.