Environmental and Natural Resources

First District Court of Appeal Finds CalTrans’ EIR Deficient For Failure To Properly Evaluate Impacts to Redwood Trees Adjacent to Highway 101

by Rick McNeil and Colin Higgins In Lotus, the California Department of Transportation (CalTrans) proposed to adjust and upgrade the roadway alignment of a one-mile stretch of Route 101 that passes through Richardson Grove State Park, home to 300 feet tall and thousands of years old redwood trees. The purpose of the project was to […]

| 5 min read | Tagged: ,
RM
Former Partner
CH

Fifth District Court of Appeal Dismisses Citizen Group Challenge to Annexation Based on Procedural Irregularities

by Rick McNeil and Colin Higgins Protect Agricultural Land involved a CEQA and a “reverse validation” challenge to the approval by the Stanislaus County Local Agency Formation Commission (“LAFCO”) of the proposed annexation by the City of Ceres of approximately 960 acres of land described in the West Landing Specific Plan (and also the modification […]

| 9 min read | Tagged: , , , ,
RM
Former Partner
CH

Fourth District Court of Appeal Rejects Citizen Group Spot Zoning Challenge to Orange County Senior Housing Project

by Rick McNeil and Colin Higgins The Foothill Communities case involved a “spot zoning” challenge to a senior residential housing project to be developed by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange. In this case, the trial court granted Foothill’s petition for a writ of mandate based on the contention that the “spot zoning” was impermissible. […]

| 7 min read | Tagged: , ,
RM
Former Partner
CH