Newsletters

09.11.13

CEQA "Modernization"—Urgent End-of-Session Alert

We recently reported in our August 20, 2013, news alert that Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg’s August 6 amendments to SB 731, The CEQA Modernization Act of 2013, continued to stray further from meaningful CEQA reform.


09.09.13

Properly Structured Sales and Marketing Programs for Condo Hotel Developers Imperative Under Salameh

Late last month the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals issued an important opinion, in a case in which Manatt filed an influential amicus brief on behalf of the real estate industry, that could establish a safe harbor to protect condominium hotels from being characterized as securities under federal ...


08.20.13

CEQA “Modernization”: Taking the Reform Out of CEQA Reform

Earlier this year, we reported on Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg's CEQA modernization bill, SB 731. 


08.08.13

Supreme Court Allows Future Conditions to be Used as the Baseline Under Limited Circumstances

What is the baseline against which environmental impacts are measured? 


07.25.13

Now in Effect! New Energy Use Disclosures for Nonresidential Buildings

Effective September 1 of this year, owners of nonresidential buildings that contain a total gross floor area of more than 50,000 square feet are required to contend with new energy use disclosure requirements in accordance with California Public Resources Code Section 25402.10.


07.01.13

Action Required! New Commercial Lease Disclosure Concerning Disability Access Legal Requirements

This year, July 1 marks more than just the halfway point of the year. Effective July 1, commercial and nonresidential property owners in California have additional disclosure requirements to contend with courtesy of California Civil Code Section 1938.


06.26.13

Supreme Court Limits Land Development Permit Conditions

Today, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its opinion in Koontz v. St. Johns River Water Management Agency.


05.23.13

CEQA Reform? What's In and What's Out with SB 731 (And What's Next...)

Lauded as the CEQA Modernization Act of 2013, Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg’s SB 731 includes a number of amendments to CEQA that appear intended to appeal to a wide variety of interest groups.


12.13.12

Court Second-Guesses City, Finding Incorrect Description of Project Objective and Purpose

As the year comes to an end, the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) is facing a heightened level of focus from legislators and the general public as CEQA reform efforts for 2013 begin to take shape across the state.


11.02.12

CEQA Remedies Clarified

Preserve Wild Santee v. City of Santee Finds That CEQA Allows Courts to Issue Limited Fix-It Tickets for CEQA Deficiencies in EIRs Rather Than Decertifying the Entire EIR and Invalidating All Related Project Approvals.