Religious Use Law in South Florida
Real Estate Developer Rights When Cities Demand Too Much
[WEBINAR] Planning in the Coastal Zone
The California Fish and Game Commission (Commission) took final action to approve the Western Joshua Tree Conservation Plan (Conservation Plan) at its August 13, 2025, meeting. As detailed in our previous alert, the...more
On July 16, 2025, the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors amended its zoning ordinance to create a new framework for regulating solar energy facilities and battery energy storage systems. The ordinance is designed to...more
A Court of Appeal held that a provision in the County of Amador’s checklist for an encroachment permit requiring "[o]ther information as may be required" violated the Permit Streamlining Act. Old Golden Oaks LLC v. County of...more
El Dorado County Traffic Development Fee Survives Scrutiny on Remand - Following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Sheetz v. County of El Dorado, 144 S.Ct. 893 (2024), which held that the Takings Clause applies to...more
King County is in the final stretch of updating its Critical Areas Ordinance (CAO), with adoption expected by December 2025. The CAO governs protections for environmentally sensitive areas—like wetlands, streams, aquifers,...more
The landscape of renewable energy development on federal lands is undergoing significant changes with the passage of the One Big Beautiful Act (“OBBA”). This legislation marks a notable departure from the prior discretionary...more
On June 20, 2025, Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed Texas Senate Bill 17 (SB 17) into law, reshaping the landscape for global investment in Texas real estate. When the new statute takes effect on September 1, 2025, it will...more
In a recent unpublished decision, the North Carolina Court of Appeals provided further insight into how restrictive covenants interact with the state’s Marketable Title Act....more
The Trump Administration has issued a Presidential Memorandum, "Updating Permitting Technology for the 21st Century," aimed at modernizing and streamlining the federal environmental review and permitting processes through...more
In a significant policy shift, the U.S. Department of the Interior announced a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) policy update designed to expedite the oil and gas leasing process on public lands. Through a newly issued...more
On April 17, 2025, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) issued a proposed rule to rescind the regulatory definition of “harm” under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). This...more
On 7 January 2025, an Inspector confirmed the London Borough of Southwark (Elephant and Castle Town Centre) Compulsory Purchase Order (No.2) 2023 (the "CPO")....more
For the first time since 2009, the Virginia General Assembly has not extended the validity periods for all approved site plans, special permits and special exceptions. Under Code of Virginia Section 15.2-2209.1:1, all valid...more
In an effort to streamline development approvals, the City of Miami has introduced a new Administrative Site Plan Review (ASPR) procedure to address projects that meet zoning requirements without requiring special permits....more
KEY FACTS OF REAL ESTATE ACQUISITIONS UNDER INDIAN LAW - INVESTMENT AND CONVEYANCE OF REAL ESTATE IN INDIA - 1. INTRODUCTION TO REAL ESTATE IN INDIA - Since the liberalization of Indian economy, the real estate...more
On December 17, 2024, President Biden signed into law the bipartisan Good Samaritan Remediation of Abandoned Hardrock Mines Act of 2024 (Public Law No. 118-155) (the “Act”). The Act is a response to ongoing environmental...more
Traditionally, “down-zoning” referred to changes in zoning that reduced the intensity of land use – such as a switch from commercial to residential zoning. As with any general district zoning effort, historically in North...more
KEY FACTS OF REAL ESTATE ACQUISITIONS UNDER COSTA RICAN LAW - General - Real estate law in Costa Rica is governed by the principles established in the Costa Rican Civil Code for acquiring, selling, and disposing of...more
In a surprise decision likely to add further fuel to the fires calling for permitting reform and uncertainty to the environmental review process for federal funding and approval, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of...more
The Michigan Court of Appeals recently provided clarification related to a municipality’s grant or denial of special land use permit applications. The case highlights the care municipal bodies must take to document their...more
On November 20, 2024, Governor Healey signed An Act Relative to Strengthening Massachusetts’ Economic Leadership, the “Mass Leads Act,” into law. The legislation includes a two-year Permit Extension Act along with several...more
Zoning and Permitting Changes and a New Soccer Stadium on the Horizon - On November 20, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey signed The Mass Leads Act promoting a clean energy grid, advancing equity, and protecting...more
A split panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit landed an unexpected blow on the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) on November 12, ruling that CEQ lacked authority to promulgate its umbrella...more
In some good news for the development community, the Massachusetts legislature has finalized language that would extend the validity of most municipal and state permits related to land development or the environment for a...more
Co-Author Abigail Lindsey The United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit addressed in an October 16th Opinion whether an alleged taking by a city was ripe for judicial review. See Fane Lozman v. City of Riviera...more