Recent Housing Legislation and the Initiative Power: What You Need to Know
The State Legislature’s burst of new housing legislation has significant implications for use of the initiative power. Find out more about SB10’s explicit shift of power to local legislatures and other ways in which the new laws may complicate planning and zoning initiatives.
Certification of Half Moon Bay’s 2020 Local Coastal Land Use Plan Update
The firm advised the City of Half Moon Bay on its 2020 Local Coastal Land Use Plan Update, which was unanimously certified by the California Coastal Commission in April 2021.
Successful Short-Term Rental Regulations: It is Possible!
Short-term home rentals have become increasingly popular in recent years, and have continued to thrive even during the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, many local communities report an increase in short-term rentals in the last six months, presumably as people seek safe vacation options close to home and take advantage of the ability to work from […]
SMW Defends Sign Ordinance
The Ninth Circuit rejects a billboard developer’s challenge to Alameda County’s sign ordinance and upholds a rare award of attorneys’ fees to a prevailing defendant on the grounds that the lawsuit was frivolous. (Citizens for Free Speech, LLC v. County of Alameda, 953 F.3d 655 (9th Cir. 2020).)
Shute, Mihaly & Weinberger Announces New Partners Sara Clark and Sarah Sigman
San Francisco – Shute, Mihaly & Weinberger LLP is proud to announce the addition of two new partners, Sara A. Clark and Sarah H. Sigman. Both attorneys were associates of the firm before joining the partnership. “We are excited to have Sara Clark and Sarah Sigman join our team of partners,” said Richard S. Taylor, […]
SMW Drafts and Defends Ballot Measure to Protect San Jose’s General Plan
In 2018, on behalf of the City of San Jose, the firm drafts and defends a first-of-its kind charter amendment to prevent a developer-sponsored initiative from gutting the City’s General Plan.
Appellate Court Strikes Down Development Agreement Initiative
The firm and Earthjustice prevail in challenging an initiative that purported to approve a development agreement for the World Logistics Center, a massive warehouse project near low-income communities in Riverside County. The court of appeal holds that local initiatives may not be used to adopt development agreements. (Center for Community Action and Environmental Justice v. […]
Historic Post Office Saved
The firm successfully defends the City of Berkeley’s Civic Center Historic District and protects the historic Berkeley Main Post Office from conversion to a commercial use. (U.S. Postal Service v. City of Berkeley (2018).)
SMW Victory in the Ninth Circuit
Photo Credit: Tim Evanson, Flickr, CC BY 2.0 The Court rejected a billboard developer’s challenge to Alameda County’s sign ordinance, and upheld a rare award of attorneys’ fees to a prevailing defendant, on the grounds the lawsuit was frivolous. Read the court’s opinion at https://www.smwlaw.com/files/Citizens_Free_Speech_v._County_of_Alameda.pdf
SMW Enforces Fairfield’s Urban Growth Boundary
On behalf of the Solano County Orderly Growth Committee, the firm successfully challenges Solano County’s approval of a large subdivision development proposed on lands serving as an important buffer between urban development and working farms and natural open space. The Project would have required water and sewer services from the City of Fairfield in contravention […]