Updates and Articles
Defending Agricultural Land Against Sprawl
The firm wins a victory in the court of appeal under the Subdivision Map Act. The court invalidates the approval of the Hoskings Ranch project, a luxury development disguised as an agricultural project in rural San Diego County. (Cleveland National Forest Foundation v. County of San Diego, 37 Cal.App.5th 1021 (2019).)
Read MoreSMW Becomes General Counsel to RecycleSmart
In 2019, the firm is selected to serve as the General Counsel to the Central Contra Costa Solid Waste Authority (RecycleSmart), administering franchise agreements for recycling, compost, and solid waste diversion and disposal for five cities and a portion of the County.
Read MorePublic On-Demand Shuttle Service Fills Transit Gaps in Cupertino
The firm assists the City of Cupertino in launching an on-demand shuttle service in 2019 to provide transportation anywhere in Cupertino and to nearby mass transit, thereby reducing the use of single-occupancy automobiles.
Read MoreAll-Electric Reach Code Reduces New Construction’s Carbon Footprint in Cupertino
In 2019 the firm drafts, and advises the City of Cupertino in adopting, one of the first all-electric reach codes, dramatically reducing the carbon footprint of new construction that might otherwise be served by natural gas.
Read MoreSMW Serves as City Attorney for Cupertino
The firm begins serving as the City Attorney's Office for the City of Cupertino in February 2019 with Heather Minner serving as the City Attorney.
Read MoreState Approves Shoreline Park, Rejects Hotel, in Burlingame
In 2019 the firm represents the SPHERE Institute in defeating a waterfront hotel proposal on state public trust land and wins state approval for Burlingame Shoreline Park in its place.
Read MoreSF Homeless Navigation Center Defended
The firm assists the Office of the San Francisco City Attorney in successfully defending the San Francisco Port's 2019 approval of the Embarcadero SAFE Navigation Center, a high-service shelter for adults experiencing homelessness. (Safe Embarcadero for All v. State of California (2019).)
Read MoreSMW Helps Launch Affordable Senior Housing Project in Redwood City
The firm assists Midpen Housing Corporation in 2019 to secure land exchange agreements between the state, Redwood City, and private owners necessary to develop the Arroyo Green project, bringing 117 affordable senior housing units to downtown Redwood City.
Read MoreTruckee Workforce Housing Support
The firm assists the Martis Fund in an innovative 2019 grant supporting development of 77 units of affordable housing in Truckee.
Read MoreSMW Authors National Best Practice Guide for Renewable Energy Interconnection
The firm prepares major updates to the Interstate Renewable Energy Council's Model Interconnection Procedures in 2019. States across the country now look to this publication when seeking to improve the ability of distributed energy resources to access the grid.
Read MoreCalifornia Improves Ability to Host New Renewable Energy Resources
Thanks in large part to the firm's advocacy on behalf of the Interstate Renewable Energy Council, in 2019 California radically increases transparency regarding the ability of the distribution system to host new renewable energy resources.
Read MoreHalf Moon Bay Adopts Minimum Wage Ordinance
With the firm's assistance, the City of Half Moon Bay in 2019 becomes the 50th city in the nation to adopt a local minimum wage ordinance.
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