Petitioner petitioned for a writ of mandate, claiming the County of El Dorado (County) violated CEQA, the Planning and Zoning Law, and traffic safety regulations when it approved a gas station. County responded with a demurrer to the petition, claiming that the Petitioner lacked the capacity to sue since the Petitioner’s corporate status was suspended…

The Santa Cruz Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) approved an agreement between the University of California at Santa Cruz (UCSC) and the City of Santa Cruz (City), which stated that the City would extend water and sewer services to UCSC’s north campus, an area just outside the city’s jurisdictional boundaries. The Community Water Coalition (CWC)…

After the Sunnyvale City Council (City) approved the expansion of the Palo Alto Medical Foundation’s medical campus and certified the project’s EIR, Petitioner filed a challenge arguing (1) The project was inconsistent with the City’s general plan; (2) The EIR failed to use a proper baseline for traffic analysis; and (3) The EIR improperly analyzed…

Petitioner claimed the County of Madera’s (County) approval of a development project failed to comply with CEQA, Planning and Zoning Law, and the California Water Code. The Superior Court found for the Petitioner, holding that the EIR’s discussion of the water supply was inadequate. The Petitioner appealed to the Fifth District Court of Appeal claiming…

The Malibu Bay Company (MBC) proposed amendments to the City of Malibu’s local coastal program to facilitate development of beach front property it owned. Specifically, MBC requested a reduction of the minimum lot size. The City Council approved the amendments in a mitigated negative declaration. After the city approved the amendment, the Coastal Commission did…

The County of Sonoma (County) approved a development project for a warehouse and beverage distribution center. Prior to approving the project, the County conducted an initial study and issued a mitigated negative declaration (MND). The trial court held that the County had failed to send necessary notice to the Bay Area AQMD (BAAQMD) prior to…

In a land use and municipal law related case (not involving a CEQA challenge), Petitioner challenged the City of Los Angeles’s (City) decision to grant a synagogue a conditional use permit and parking variance. Petitioner petitioned for a writ of administrative mandamus, which was denied by the Superior Court. Petitioner appealed to the Second District…

A nonprofit organization (Association) and neighbor challenged the County of San Luis Obispo’s (County) approval of a church project, arguing that it failed to comply with CEQA. The church abandoned the project and the County rescinded its approval. The Association and neighbor then filed a motion for attorneys’ fees. The Superior Court denied the neighbor’s…