SMW Halts Subdivision Near Base of Mount Whitney
The firm wins a landmark case challenging Inyo County’s approval of a sprawl luxury home development project along Whitney Portal Road in the shadow of Mount Whitney. The court of appeal orders the County to consider an alternative location for the project, which still remains unbuilt. (Save Round Valley Alliance v. County of Inyo, 157 […]
Sale of Point Molate Requires CEQA Review
The firm wins a case challenging the City of Richmond’s proposed sale of over 200 acres of waterfront property for the development of a large casino and resort hotel. (East Bay Regional Park District v. City of Richmond (2007).) The firm continues to work with the East Bay Regional Park District to successfully prevent the […]
Dangerous Herbicide Use Restricted
The firm wins a CEQA case challenging programs of three Central Valley irrigation districts that would have applied dangerous herbicides to irrigation canals that provide important natural habitat. (DeltaKeeper v. Merced Irrigation Dist., South San Joaquin Irrigation Dist., and Oakdale Irrigation Dist. (2006).)
California Supreme Court Upholds Local Logging Regulations
The firm successfully defends Santa Cruz County in the California Supreme Court against a lumber company’s claim that state law preempted the County’s authority to regulate logging through zoning. (Big Creek Lumber Co. v. County of Santa Cruz, 38 Cal.4th 1139 (2006).)
SMW Defends City’s Mobile Home Rent Review Board Decision
The firm obtains a court order dismissing a court challenges to the City of Concord’s implementation of its mobile home rent control ordinance. (Concord Communities, L.P. v. City of Concord (2006).)
SMW Defends Regulation of Oil Refinery Emissions
The court of appeal upholds the South Coast Air Quality Management District’s rule requiring refineries to reduce emissions of ammonia and particulate matter from fluidized catalytic cracking units. (Western States Petroleum Assn. v. SCAQMD, 136 Cal. App. 4th 1012 (2006).)
Settlement Protects Gateway to Lake Tahoe
On behalf of a coalition of environmental groups, the firm successfully challenges the approval by Placer County of the Martis Valley Community Plan. The Plan would have allowed massive urban development at a key gateway to Lake Tahoe. (Sierra Watch et al. v. Placer County.) Following the challenge, the firm negotiates a series of innovative […]
SMW Litigation Leads to Agricultural Mitigation Fee Ordinance
As a result of litigation filed by the firm challenging the expansion of the City of Stockton’s sphere of influence, the City agrees to require developers to pay one of the highest-ever per-acre agricultural mitigation fees. (Sierra Club v. San Joaquin County LAFCO (2006).)
California Supreme Court Upholds Goleta’s Denial of Subdivision Map
The firm serves as part of the legal team that obtains a ruling from the California Supreme Court upholding the discretion of a newly-formed city to deny a final subdivision map where the county had earlier granted a vesting tentative map. (City of Goleta v. Superior Court, 40 Cal.4th 270 (2006).)
SMW Litigation Stops Controversial Sports Complex Proposed in Rural Area
Photo Credit: Nancy LaScola In response to litigation by the firm on behalf of a local community group and Green Foothills, the City of San Jose rescinds its approval of a massive sports complex in the South Almaden Valley, a rural area that lacks public services to support the project. The complex is never built. […]