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California Land Use & Development Law Report

California Land Use & Development Law Report offers insights into legal issues relating to development and use of land and federal, state and local permitting and approval processes.

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July 11, 2019

Plaintiffs Cannot Bring Inverse Condemnation Claims Before a Public Agency Makes a Final Determination on Allowable Development

An inverse condemnation challenge to a permit denial is not ripe until the government makes a final determination regarding the scope of allowable development on a plaintiff's property, the California Court of Appeal held in

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June 25, 2019

U.S. Supreme Court’s Knick Cemetery Decision Buries Williamson - Takings Claimants May Go Directly to Federal Courts

The United States Supreme Court overturned a 34-year-old precedent established by Williamson Planning Comm'n v. Hamilton Bank, holding that landowners pursuing takings claims need not seek redress in state courts before pursuing a federal claim. Knick v. Township of Scott, No. 17–647 (U.S. S.Ct. Jun.

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April 24, 2019

California Supreme Court Upholds Validity of Local Aesthetic Regulation of Telecommunications Infrastructure

Local governments may require a permit conditioned on compatibility with aesthetic standards to install and maintain wireless communications infrastructure in the public right-of-way, the California Supreme Court held in

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April 22, 2019

Court of Appeal Denies Project Opponents a Chance to Relitigate CEQA Claims

The court of appeal held that a challenge to a partially recirculated EIR of the County of Amador was barred by the doctrine of res judicata, which precludes relitigation by the same parties of issues previously adjudicated on the merits.

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March 20, 2019

A Resolution to Dissolve a Fire District is Not Subject to Referendum

The court of appeal held that a fire district's resolution to dissolve the district was not a legislative act subject to voter referendum. Southcott v.

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March 17, 2019

Ordinance Prohibiting Short-Term Rentals Did Not Conflict with Federal Policies Promoting Development of the Internet

The Ninth Circuit held that a local ordinance prohibiting short-term vacation rentals (such as those available on Airbnb and other websites) did not conflict with Congressional policies fostering development of the Internet or

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March 15, 2019

Coastal Development Permit Cannot Be Challenged in Court Until After Coastal Commission Decides an Appeal

A court challenge to a local agency's decision to grant a coastal development permit becomes moot when the Coastal Commission accepts an appeal of the decision, the California court of appeal ruled in Fudge v.

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March 12, 2019

Court of Appeal Holds CEQA Review Is Not Required for Project That Is Only Subject to Design Review

The court of appeal held that the City of St. Helena did not violate CEQA by approving a demolition permit and design review for a multi-family residential project without preparing an environmental impact report. McCorkle Eastside Neighborhood Group v. City of St.

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March 11, 2019

Court Upholds Class 1 Exemption for Improvements to Amusement Park in City of San Diego

The court of appeal found that an amended and restated lease requiring upgrades and improvements to an existing amusement park was exempt from the requirements of CEQA under the Class 1 exemption. San Diegans for Open Government v.

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February 28, 2019

State Minimum Wage Law Applies to Charter Cities

The Second District Court of Appeal has held that California's minimum wage law is a matter of statewide concern and hence applies to charter cities as well as general law cities. Marquez v.

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February 26, 2019

Public Agency Could Validly Accept Dedication After Twenty Years By Physically Occupying the Property

Twenty years was a reasonable period of time for a public agency to accept a right-of-way dedication offer by physically occupying the property. Prout v. Department of Transportation, 31 Cal. App. 5th 200 (2019). Prout developed a 165-acre residential subdivision that fronted State Highway 12 in Calaveras County.

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January 28, 2019

29th Annual Briefing on Land Use and Development Law — Materials Available

Perkins Coie attorneys, including regular contributors to this report, recently presented the 29th Annual Land Use & Development Law Briefing in San Francisco, Palo Alto and Walnut Creek.

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January 28, 2019

Court Upholds Los Angeles’s Venice Sign-Off Procedure Against Due Process and Coastal Act Challenges

An appellate court held that the City of Los Angeles's procedure for approval or denial of development projects in Venice did not violate residents' due process rights because the procedure was ministerial.

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January 10, 2019 CEQA

CEQA YEAR IN REVIEW -- 2018

A Summary of Published Appellate Opinions Under the California Environmental Quality Act The California Supreme Court issued its only CEQA opinion of 2018 at the end of the year.

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January 10, 2019

Court of Appeal Holds that Petition Challenging Wal-Mart Project is Barred by Earlier Lawsuit Raising the Same Issues

The court of appeal held that the plaintiff's challenge to the City of Rohnert Park's reapproval of a Wal-Mart grocery store was barred by the doctrine of res judicata because a prior proceeding had raised the same issues. Atwell v. City of Rohnert Park (Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.), 27 Cal. App.