by William Fulton

Court sides with developer in 48-year-old case from Tiburon but judge goes off on CEQA. Meanwhile, Marin County negotiates with developer to purchase the property for open space.

The City Councilmembers appointed themselves the final arbiter of whether a project met SB 35 requirements. Then they overruled their own staff. But in the end, it was really just about vagueness and inconsistency between the general plan and the zoning ordinance.

AIDS Heathcare Foundation and Redondo Beach get nowhere in their argument that city councils can't override local ballot measures.

AHF attempted to increase affordable housing in a neighboring project by invoking the repealed redevelopment law.

Manhattan Beach tried to retrofit an old ordinance to cover short-term rentals without Coastal Commission approval. It didn't work.

An appellate court says yes -- if funding sources are available, even if it's unlikely that the landowner is willing to sell.

Bonta's warning letters on violations of state housing law increased dramatically in March.

Plus: SB 743 strikes again in Pleasanton Costco case.

Central Valley and Inland Empire population growth is still exceeding the national average. And births continue to exceed deaths in most parts of California -- even the coast. But the flow of coastal Californians out of state has become a tidal wave.

Having punched a big hole in CEQA to solve the Berkeley enrollment problem, will the Legislature be tempted to punch more holes in the future?

Auditor calls for clarification of methodology on vacancy rates and household formation -- the two factors that have been most controversial in pushing up the housing targets.

EIR didn't give enough detail on wildfire evacuation in latest chapter of 40-year development saga.

The new law UC Berkeley breathing space from the recent court ruling limiting admissions. But it would also change the nature of analysis on campus Long-Range Development Plans. And it's unlikely to slop over into General Plans.

Appellate ruling may make it more difficult for CEQA practitioners to reconcile GHG analysis with state targets.