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Addressing Environmental Issues in Real Estate Development
On June 30, 2025, Governor Newsom signed Assembly Bill 130 (AB 130) and Senate Bill 131 (SB 131), two budget trailer bills that significantly modify the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), effective immediately. The...more
AB 2243 (Wicks) amended AB 2011 effective January 1, 2025. As explained in our prior legal alert, AB 2011 provides for “by right” streamlined ministerial (i.e., no CEQA) approval of qualifying mixed-income and affordable...more
2024 has been a year with a continued focus on the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Planning (‘NSIP’) planning regime by both the predecessor and current government. Reforms to make the regime faster and more effective...more
In April 2021, a developer applied to the City of King City, California (City), for a proposed 18,000-square-foot Grocery Outlet store (Project). The Project site was a former 1.6-acre car sales lot adjacent to Highway 101...more
In People ex rel. Bonta v. County of Lake (2024) 105 Cal.App.5th 1222, the First District Court of Appeal held that the Final EIR (“FEIR”) and associated errata for a proposed mixed-use development project, located in a rural...more
In an important opinion filed October 21, and later ordered published on November 18, 2024 (at the request of the California State Association of Counties and the Rural County Representatives of California), the Sixth...more
On September 19, 2024, Governor Gavin Newsom approved Assembly Bill (AB) 2243 (Wicks), which amends AB 2011 (Affordable Housing and High Road Jobs Act of 2022), effective January 1, 2025. As explained in our prior legal...more
In a decision with far-reaching implications, the UK Supreme Court has determined that a grant of planning permission for oil production was unlawful for failing to take into account downstream greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions...more
On 26 October 2023 the Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill received Royal Assent and became an Act of Parliament (“the Act” or “LURA”). The Act introduces wide-ranging reforms in a number of areas, including planning,...more
The UK government has long wanted to do away with the European-based system of environmental impact assessments, replacing it with a new, improved, domestic regime of environmental assessment and protection. The Levelling-up...more
The proposed demolition of Marks and Spencer’s flagship Oxford Street store has received widespread attention, and not for the reasons high profile developments often grab the headlines. In this instance, it is not the design...more
This year’s Queen’s Speech takes forward the Government’s planning reform agenda. In this BCLP Insight we take a look at which new Bills have implications for planning and what this means for those in the planning and...more
In the midst of a news cycle the government will otherwise want to forget, the Court of Appeal handed down its long anticipated decision in the challenge to the changes to the Use Classes Order (“UCO”) and the Permitted...more
With the end of the first quarter of 2021 approaching, we thought it timely to issue an update on selected recent developments and proposed changes in law and policy touching environmental, land use, and natural resource...more
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) has authorized a three-year $27.5 million environmental and engineering study to investigate the replacement of existing High-Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes...more
Several prior blog posts discussed standing requirements under the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) and the timeliness of challenging a SEQRA determination. A decision from the Appellate Division, Third...more
The Ludovico Sculpture Trail (Trail) is located near the Women’s Rights National Historic Park in Seneca Falls, NY. it’s website can be found at cnyhiking.com/LudovicoTrail.htm. The Trail recently became a centerpiece of a...more
• Sacramentans for Fair Planning v. City of Sacramento is a case of first impression holding that cities and counties may continue to rely on the streamlined environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act...more
Fairway Manor, a senior rental housing complex for ages 55 and older, located on the border of Blue Point and Bayport, was created in 1991 when the Town Board of the Town of Islip approved a change of zone application on a 70...more
A global leader in offshore wind power capacity, the UK has seen rapid expansion in the sector. Government policy and strong investor interest have resulted in robust growth in the development of offshore wind farms in the...more
Climate change is an increasingly important concern for lawmakers and decision makers around the world. For companies and institutions looking to promote hydrocarbon projects in the future, climate change considerations may...more
In 2015 the Village of East Hampton enacted five local laws reducing the maximum allowable gross floor area for residences, reducing the maximum permitted coverage for all structures, reducing the maximum allowable gross...more
In November 2018, British Columbia passed legislation designed to “revitalize” its Environmental Assessment Act as well as "to ensure the legal rights of First Nations are respected, and the public's expectation of a strong...more
In SEQRA parlance, a “Negative Declaration of Environmental Significance”, or “Neg. Dec.”, is a lead agency’s finding that the proposed Type I or Unlisted Action under review will not result in any significant adverse...more
In 2012, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) proposed sweeping changes to its State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) regulations. ...more