Environmental and Natural Resources

Governor of California Is Not a “Public Agency” Under CEQA

By Sean M. Sherlock and Brian A. Daluiso The North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians (“North Fork Tribe”) is a federally recognized Indian tribe that wants to develop a casino near the City of Madera, approximately 40 miles from the tribe’s existing Rancheria. To do this, the North Fork Tribe needs the U.S. Secretary of […]

| 4 min read | Tagged: , , , ,
SS
BD
Former Associate

First District Court of Appeal Finds Citizen Group’s CEQA Challenge To College of San Mateo Upgrades Time Barred

by Rick McNeil and Colin Higgins In Citizens For A Green San Mateo, plaintiff (environment group) challenged the removal of more than 200 trees as part of upgrades to the College of San Mateo campus (“CSM”). Plaintiff filed a petition for writ of mandate, alleging that the tree removal was outside the scope of an […]

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

“CEQA-in-Reverse” Case Headed for the California Supreme Court

Real estate developers, public agencies and private businesses involved in land development or redevelopment may soon have to contend with a new far-reaching interpretation of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Rick McNeil, Jon Frank and Connie Bak discuss how the California Supreme Court’s decision in California Building Industry Association v. Bay Area Air Quality […]

| 1 min read | Tagged: ,
RM
Former Partner
JF
CB
Former Associate

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