Blogs

CEQA Developments

Miller Starr Regalia has been at the forefront of recent developments in cutting edge fields such as air quality and climate change-related laws, and its attorneys are established experts in environmental impact review of projects under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Miller Starr Regalia’s first blog, CEQA Developments, was created to highlight the firm’s expertise in the area of CEQA law.

visit blog

Land Use Developments

Miller Starr Regalia’s Land Use Practice Group has broad and deep experience obtaining and defending approvals required to successfully develop real property throughout California. The firm’s Land Use Developments blog was created to provide practical information, judicial, legislative, and regulatory updates, tips, and guidelines on cutting edge issues to those in the land use industry, including property owners, developers, public agencies, and technical consultants.

visit blog
Land Use Developments
April 6, 2020

California Cities Seek Relief From Project Processing, Public Records Act, and Other Key Statutory Timelines During State of Emergency Resulting From COVID-19

By: Bryan W. Wenter, AICP

Seeking to piggyback on the State of Emergency Governor Gavin Newsom declared on March 4, 2020 as part of the state’s response to address the global COVID-19 pandemic, California cities filed a letter with the Governor asking him to “pause” various important statutory timelines that apply to twelve parts of state law, including several that ... Read More...

read more
CEQA Developments
April 1, 2020

Once More Into the “Brambled Thicket”: Fourth District Reverses Ruling Sustaining Demurrer to Action Challenging Caltrans’ Claim of Statutory CEQA Exemption For Freeway Interchange Project, Holds Streets and Highways Code § 103’s Coastal Commission Exemption Does Not Apply And That Petition Adequately Pleaded Estoppel Against Caltrans to Assert 35-Day Statute of Limitations Based on NOE Filing

By: Arthur F. Coon

In a published opinion filed March 24, 2020, the Fourth District Court of Appeal (Division One) reversed a judgment of dismissal with prejudice, entered by the San Diego County Superior Court after sustaining a demurrer without leave on statute of limitations grounds to a group’s action challenging the CEQA review for Caltrans’ Interstate 5 (I-5)/State ... Read More...

read more
CEQA Developments
March 27, 2020

Second District Affirms Judgment Invalidating City of Agoura Hills’ Mixed-Use Project Approvals and Related MND Based On CEQA and Local Oak Tree Ordinance Violations

By: Arthur F. Coon

In a 74-page opinion filed February 24, and later ordered published on March 17, 2020, the Second District Court of Appeal (Division 7) affirmed judgments (granting the writ petition and awarding fees) in coordinated appeals stemming from a CEQA action successfully challenging the City of Agoura Hills’ (City) project approvals and mitigated negative declaration (MND) ... Read More...

read more
CEQA Developments
March 23, 2020

Spring CEQA Roundup – 2020

By: Arthur F. Coon

Time for some “spring cleaning” updates on several notable CEQA-related matters.

Rehearing Denied and Opinion Modified In Kern County
Ministerial Oil And Gas Well Permitting Ordinance EIR Case

On March 20, 2020, the Fifth District Court of Appeal filed an Order modifying its Opinion and denying the requests for rehearing of respondents (Kern County) and ... Read More...

read more
Land Use Developments
March 12, 2020

Court Rejects Coastal Act Preemption Challenge to San Diego’s Approval of Conditional Use Permit for Transitional Housing Facility

By: Bryan W. Wenter, AICP

On February 18, 2020, in Citizens for South Bay Coastal Access v. City of San Diego, __ Cal.App.5th __ (2020) (Case No. D075387), the Fourth District Court of Appeal rejected a project opposition group’s challenge, under the California Coastal Act, to San Diego’s approval of a conditional use permit to allow the City to ... Read More...

read more