Hina Gupta

Photo of Hina Gupta

Hina Gupta draws from her environmental planning background to help clients navigate through regulatory, land use entitlements, and environmental issues.

Hina advises clients on a wide variety of land use and environmental matters, including compliance with local planning and zoning laws, environmental review under NEPA and CEQA, the California Coastal Act, local municipal and election laws, and brownfield redevelopment. (Read more…)

Subscribe to all posts by Hina Gupta

New NEPA Rule Restores Demanding Environmental Review Practices for Major Federal Projects

By Hina Gupta and Megan V. Unger on Posted in CEQA Guidelines, CEQA Legislation
On April 19, 2022, the Biden administration finalized a new rule (“Final Rule”) rolling back the Trump administration’s 2020 changes limiting the scope of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The Final Rule re-establishes the prior broader scope of NEPA review, restores key provisions of NEPA that existed prior to 2020, and requires a more … Continue Reading

California Enacts More Than Two Dozen Laws This Year to Combat Housing Crisis

By Kathryn L. Oehlschlager, Hina Gupta and Megan V. Unger on Posted in Legislation
This legislative year, Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law thirty-one pieces of legislation designed to combat California’s ongoing housing crisis by providing tools to expand housing production, streamline housing permitting, and increase allowable density across the state.  Key housing-related bills, which take effect on January 1, 2022, unless otherwise noted, are discussed below. SB 7, … Continue Reading

Are Reductions in Parking a CEQA Impact – Second District Finds Context is Key

By Breana M. Inoshita, Christian L. Marsh and Hina Gupta on Posted in CEQA Guidelines, Environmental Impact Report (EIR), Impact Analysis, Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND), Negative Declaration
On August 19, 2021, in Save Our Access – San Gabriel Mountains vs. Watershed Conservation Authority, the Second District Court of Appeal, in reversing the lower court’s judgement, upheld an Environmental Impact Report’s (EIR’s) finding of less than significant impact under CEQA for an intentional reduction in parking meant to protect and restore the environment. … Continue Reading

Governor Newsom’s New Executive Order Establishes End Dates For Pandemic-Related Suspensions for CEQA Filing, Posting, Notice, and Tribal Consultation Requirements and Brown Act Meeting Requirements

By Hina Gupta and Christian L. Marsh on Posted in Legislation
On June 11, 2021, Governor Newsom signed Executive Order N-08-21 (the “Order”) that establishes September 30, 2021, as the end date for COVID-19 pandemic-related suspensions for (1) deadlines for filing, noticing, and posting of CEQA documents with county clerk offices; (2) tribal consultation deadlines under CEQA; and (3) open meeting requirements. This end date for pandemic-related relief … Continue Reading

COVID-19 Alert: Judicial Council Amends Emergency Rule 9 for CEQA and Planning Cases

By Christian L. Marsh and Hina Gupta on Posted in COVID-19, Legislation
On May 29, 2020, the Judicial Council of California issued a Circulating Order to amend its earlier-issued Emergency Rule 9 in order to shorten the time for tolling statutes of limitations for all civil causes and provide a fixed date, including for causes of action arising under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and State … Continue Reading

Third Appellate District Voids City Council Vote Based on Legislative Member’s Bias

By Christian L. Marsh and Hina Gupta on Posted in General
On May 8, 2020, the Third Appellate District, certified for publication its earlier decision in Petrovich Development Co. LLC v. City of Sacramento (C087283), where the Court, in a rare decision, voided a city council’s denial of a  conditional use permit (CUP) upon finding that one of the councilmembers was impermissibly biased against the project; … Continue Reading

COVID-19 Alert: Judicial Council Issues Sweeping Emergency Rules; Local Agencies Issue Regional Changes

By Kathryn L. Oehlschlager, Hina Gupta and Brenda C. Bass on Posted in COVID-19, Legislation
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the state and several local jurisdictions have issued orders/rules in the last few weeks that affect not only the timing of processing land use and planning entitlements, but also the filing of California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and other claims challenging land use projects and approvals in California courts. … Continue Reading

Fourth District Upholds San Diego’s Addendum for Balboa Park Revitalization Project, Validates the CEQA Addendum Process

By Kathryn L. Oehlschlager and Hina Gupta on Posted in CEQA Guidelines, Impact Analysis
On October 24, 2018, the Fourth Appellate District upheld the trial court’s decision in Save Our Heritage Organization v. City of San Diego (D073064), finding that the use of an addendum as outlined in section 15164 of the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) Guideline for approval of project modifications is valid under CEQA and does … Continue Reading
CEQA Chronicles
LexBlog