A zoning violation notice may arise after a complaint, property inspection, permit review, or other interaction with a local agency. For property owners, these enforcement actions can affect how they use, develop, finance, or transfer their property. California cities and counties have broad authority to regulate land use and enforce zoning requirements. However, that authority… Read more »
Development impact fees are charges that California local agencies impose on new development to fund public infrastructure. A developer submitting a building permit application may encounter fees for roads, parks, schools, water and sewer connections, and fire stations. These fees can add significant cost per unit to a project. California law allows local agencies to… Read more »
A building permit application that stalls in plan check can cost a property owner thousands of dollars in carrying costs, lost income, and escalating construction prices. In California, permit delays are a widespread source of frustration for homeowners, small developers, and commercial property owners alike. Some delays reflect genuine complexity in the application. Others reflect… Read more »
Getting a housing project entitled in California is often only the first hurdle. After securing land use approvals, a developer must still obtain building permits, plan check approvals, and grading permits before construction can begin. Local agencies have historically processed these ministerial permits on their own timelines, sometimes delaying projects for months or even years…. 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 »
California’s Density Bonus Law allows qualifying residential projects to exceed local zoning limits on density, height, and parking. It is one of the most significant development tools available under state law. Developers who meet the statutory requirements can use these benefits to increase a project’s development potential. The law limits local zoning restrictions in specific… 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 »
