A coastal development permit denial from the California Coastal Commission can stop a project before it starts. A permit that comes with burdensome conditions can make a project economically unworkable or change its character entirely. Either way, the Commission’s decision carries significant consequences for coastal property owners, developers, and businesses. The Coastal Commission is one… Read more »
California cities and counties have long used growth control measures to limit the pace of residential and commercial development. Some impose annual caps on building permits. Others establish urban growth boundaries beyond which development is restricted or prohibited. A few use voter-approved moratoriums that freeze approvals for defined periods. Taken together, these measures can significantly… Read more »
Zoning law governs how land can be used, and most California property owners eventually run into its limits. A project that does not conform to applicable zoning standards generally requires one of two things: a variance from the zoning code, or a use permit authorizing a use that the code does not allow as of… Read more »
Housing projects across California face a familiar problem. Local agencies change zoning rules mid-project. Design standards multiply with each review. Hearings get continued indefinitely. A project that once looked straightforward can quickly become a moving target. SB 330, the Housing Crisis Act of 2019, was designed to stop that cycle. The law limits many of… Read more »
Property owners rebuilding after a fire in Malibu or the Pacific Palisades face a coastal permitting system unlike anywhere else in California. The California Coastal Act generally requires a coastal development permit before any construction in the coastal zone. However, a specific exemption allows many fire victims to rebuild without that permit, provided the replacement… Read more »
California needs far more housing than it builds each year. The state falls short by an estimated 180,000 homes annually, creating ongoing pressure on housing affordability and supply. To address that shortage, the Legislature passed Assembly Bill 2011, the Affordable Housing and High Road Jobs Act of 2022. AB 2011 allows affordable and mixed-income housing… Read more »
SB 684 requires California cities to ministerially approve small residential subdivisions of ten units or fewer on qualifying urban lots. Signed on October 11, 2023, and effective July 1, 2024, the law removes discretionary review, public hearings, and CEQA analysis for projects that meet its objective criteria. Senate Bill 1123, effective July 1, 2025, expanded… Read more »
AB 2097 bars most California public agencies from imposing minimum parking requirements on development within a half mile of a major transit stop. Codified at Government Code Section 65863.2, the statute took effect January 1, 2023, and it overrides local zoning ordinances, including those adopted by charter cities. However, the law’s practical application involves far… Read more »
The Core Permitting Crossroads: Choice vs. Compliance For real estate developers, commercial builders, and residential property owners in California, project timelines and budgets hinge on a single legal question: Is your project application discretionary or ministerial? This distinction dictates whether your development follows a direct, checklist-style approval or faces months to years of public hearings,… Read more »
If you own farmland or ranch land in California, you have probably heard of the Williamson Act. It is the program that lets agricultural landowners cut their property tax bill in exchange for keeping their land in farming or open space. The trade can save a lot of money, but it also limits what you… Read more »
