by William Fulton

The two laws provide developers with different paths for developing housing on commercial land where local zoning doesn't permit residential units.

AB 2097 was celebrated as a pro-housing victory. But debate over the bill highlighted the growing gap between those who believe the market can solve the housing problem and those who don't.

Legal Briefs, Sept 2022

Pismo Beach tried to charge a self-storage facility $1.1 million in water fees. The company wanted to pay $62,000. Guess who won in court?

The Santee City Council rescinded the project's approvals, took a referendum off the ballot, and reapproved the project under an urgency ordinance not subject to referendum.

A tiny CSD in the Delta tried to put a measure on the ballot to dissolve itself. But the CSD didn't go through the LAFCO process and got its hand slapped by an appellate court.

But new legal case challenges clearance from BCDC.

Residential building permits statewide are up 15% from last year and 35% from 2019.

Federal agency pre-empts actual licensing of hydroelectric system, but CEQA still applies to some state actions.

Visalia put an ag mitigation program in its general plan -- then abandoned it. Does the city have to study the impact of that policy choice? A judge in Tulare County says yes.

Agency official says HCD has more open complaints about San Francisco than any other city in the state.

Property owners can't be require to pay full cost of Broad Beach improvements, court rules.

If upheld on appeal, L.A. judge's ruling could completely upend the way cities interpret the consistence between general plans and zoning.

Although Superior Court judge found "nothing new" and ruled for UC, an appellate panel has stayed the decision to move forward with the housing project.