Sonoma County claimed its new groundwater regulations weren't subject to CEQA. But 95% of its wells would be ministerially approved., and an appellate court disagreed.

We are reviving the CP&DR podcast! Bill Fulton and Josh Stephens discuss the latest planning news, including the statewide battle over transfer taxes (including Los Angeles Measure ULA), the uneven implementation of Senate Bill 79, and the November ballot measure that could upend the California Environmental Quality Act.

The county approved the project and drew a CEQA lawsuit from the Sierra Club. Then it imposed a moratorium and drew another lawsuit from the developer.

Cal Supremes say test for Class 1 (minor) exemption is the nature of the change, not the risk of environmental harm

Many housing and land use bills made it out of the house of origin last week and are moving forward.

At a time when the controversial law is under attack, a state employees' union and a prominent CEQA attorney are seeking to expand it.

Postentitlement shot clocks are moving forward. So far, allowing overlays in housing elements is not.

Probably not. CEQA will exist, but if the Chamber of Commerce initiative passes, it will become nothing more than a checklist against existing law.

The project qualifies as residential and the Density Bonus Law can be used to set aside the height limit. Voters have eliminated the height limit twice only to be stymied by CEQA lawsuits.

Some cities want the tax revenue. Others are using the same strategy for shutting down data centers that they are using on warehouses.

Beyond that, where you stand depends on where you sit: Where is the "streetfront" in a suburban shopping center?

The city is proposing a specific plan that would destroy part of the historic project. But the court ruled that it was not required to consider an alternative plan put forth by advocates.