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California Land Use & Development Law Report

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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.

Housing
October 13, 2025 Initiatives and Referenda

Court of Appeal Clarifies When Development Agreements Are Subject to Referendum in California

The First District Court of Appeal’s recent decision in Move Eden Housing v. City of Livermore, ___ Cal. App. 5th ___, 2025 WL 2837353 (Oct.

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Supreme Court Outside
April 19, 2024 Exactions and Assessments Takings

Supreme Court Rules Legislatively Adopted Exactions Not Exempt From Nollan/Dolan Scrutiny 

In a dispute over a traffic impact fee imposed on a residential building permit by El Dorado County, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously rejected the long-standing position of California and other state courts that the Takings Clause of the U.S. Constitution applies differently when permit conditions are imposed legislatively rather than administratively. View blog post
Microphone Meeting
April 17, 2024 Initiatives and Referenda

Council Resolution Approving an Amendment to a Disposition and Development Agreement Was Subject to Referendum

The court of appeal held that a City Council resolution approving a development agreement that included policy decisions regarding development of a public park was a legislative act subject to referendum. View blog post
Buildings Stores
June 26, 2023 Exactions and Assessments

Agreement Purporting to Prevent City from Imposing New Impact Fees on Project Infringed Police Powers

 

The Court of Appeal held that a city-developer agreement that ostensibly precluded the City of Oakland from imposing any new impact fees on the project constituted an impermissible infringement of the City's police power. Discovery Builders Inc v City of Oakland, 92 Cal. App. 5th 799 (2023).

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view above looking down at forrest
March 24, 2023 Exactions and Assessments

Court Orders Refund of All Unexpended Fees in Landmark Mitigation Fee Act Case

A recent case involving developer Charles Keenan and the City of Palo Alto highlights the importance of strict compliance with Mitigation Fee Act's requirement that findings be made every five years concerning unexpended fees.

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bell on front desk at hotel
February 1, 2023 Takings

Subway Construction Work Did Not Inversely Condemn Hotel Property

A hotel owner brought a lawsuit against a county transportation authority and a general contractor for nuisance and inverse condemnation alleging that the construction of an underground subway line disrupted the operation of the hotel and caused various problems, such as noise and dust, which interfered with the use and enjoyment of the property and resulted in monetary damages.

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Land Construction
October 24, 2022 Takings

Traffic Mitigation Fee Did Not Violate the Unconstitutional Conditions Doctrine Under Nolan and Dolan

A traffic mitigation fee required for construction of a single-family home did not amount to an "unconstitutional condition" in violation of the takings clause of the Fifth Amendment, and the County complied with the Mitigation Fee Act in assessing the fee. Sheetz v. County of El Dorado, No. C093682 (4th Dist., Oct 19, 2022).

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Housing Real Estate
April 28, 2022 Exactions and Assessments

Suit Challenging City’s Interpretation of 20-Year-Old Affordable Housing Agreement Was Timely

The Court of Appeal ruled that a suit concerning an affordable housing fee that plaintiff had agreed to pay two decades earlier was still timely because the 90-day limitations period under the Subdivision Map Act did not begin to run until a dispute arose over the interpretation of provisions in the affordable housing agreement. Schmeir v. City of Berkeley, 76 Cal. App.

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Blue Hour, United States Supreme Court Building, Washington DC, America
July 23, 2021 Takings

Pursuit of State Administrative Remedies Not Necessary to Obtain Final Decision for Federal Takings Claim

The U.S. Supreme Court held that property owners do not have to comply with state administrative processes to obtain a final decision before bringing a takings claim under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 when the government's position is clear. Pakdel v.

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May 14, 2021 Takings

Requirement That Proposed Development Mitigate Cumulative Traffic Impacts Violated Nollan/Dolan Standard

An initiative measure that required new development to mitigate not only its individual traffic impacts but also cumulative impacts of other projects on traffic levels of service violated the rough-proportionality standard of Nollan and Dolan and was therefore unconstitutional.

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documents with pen
May 3, 2021 Takings California Coastal Act Environmental and Land Use Litigation

Plaintiff Not Required to Submit Multiple Development Applications Before Bringing Takings Claim

Multiple applications for a development project are not required where the first permit denial makes clear that no development of the property would be allowed under any circumstance. Felkay v. City of Santa Barbara, No.

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judicial hearing empty stand with a microphone
March 16, 2021 Initiatives and Referenda

Another Court Rules That Special Taxes Proposed By A Citizen-Sponsored Initiative May Be Enacted With A Simple Majority Vote

Another court of appeal has held that local special taxes adopted by a citizen-sponsored initiative do not require two-thirds voter approval.  Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association v.

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January 6, 2021 Takings

Condemnee Need Not Entirely Vacate Premises to Recover Damages After Condemnation is Abandoned

Complete physical dispossession of a property is not a prerequisite to an award of damages after a condemnation proceeding is abandoned—moving from the property in reliance on the order granting the agency possession is sufficient. San Joaquin Regional Transit District v. Superior Court, No. C084755 (3rd Dist., Dec.

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Pillars of a courthouse
January 5, 2021 Initiatives and Referenda

Fifth Appellate District Agrees that Special Taxes Enacted by Initiative Do Not Require Two-Thirds Supermajority Vote.

Another court of appeal has held that local special taxes adopted by a citizen-sponsored initiative do not require two-thirds voter approval.  City of Fresno v. Fresno Building Healthy Communities, No. F080264. (5th Dist., Dec. 17, 2020).

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people in line to vote
January 4, 2021 Initiatives and Referenda

Special Taxes Enacted by Initiative Do Not Require Two-Thirds Supermajority Vote

A court of appeal ruled that provisions of the California Constitution requiring a supermajority vote for special taxes imposed by local government do not apply to a special tax enacted by local initiative.  City and County of San Francisco v. All Persons Interested in the Matter of Proposition C, 51 Cal. App.

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