The Second District Court of Appeal held that a Board of Supervisors decision on the appeal of a conditional use permit from the Planning Commission was untimely under the County Code and hence that the Planning Commission’s decision was deemed affirmed. Tran v. County of Los Angeles, No. B309226 (2nd Dist., Jan. 21, 2022).
Conditional Use Permit
Project Denial Invalidated Where Councilmember’s Actions Crossed the Line Into Advocacy Against the Project
The Court of Appeal held that where a city councilmember’s actions evinced bias toward the project, the applicant did not receive a fair hearing and the City Council’s denial of a conditional use permit would be set aside. Petrovich Development Co. v. City of Sacramento, No. C087283 (3rd Dist., May 8, 2020).
Petrovich applied…
Award of Attorney’s Fees Warranted Where Plaintiff Lost on Most Claims But Achieved Primary Litigation Objective
A plaintiff challenging a city council’s interpretation of a local ballot measure was entitled to recover costs and attorney fees when successful on only one cause of action because the primary relief sought was granted. Friends of Spring Street v. Nevada City, 33 Cal.App.5th 1092 (2019).
In 1991, the Kendalls received a Conditional Use Permit…
Court Defers to City’s Interpretation of the Building Code
A city’s interpretation of the building code is entitled to significant deference in light of the city’s expertise regarding land-use determinations. Harrington v. City of Davis, 16 Cal. App. 5th 420 (2017).
The City of Davis approved a conditional use permit for a property owner to use a home in a residential neighborhood as professional…
Action to Invalidate Building Permit Barred by Failure to File Timely Challenge to Underlying Site Development Permit
In Citizens for Beach Rights v. City of San Diego, 10 Cal.App.5th 1301 (2017), the court of appeal held that a challenge to issuance of a building permit necessarily included a challenge to the validity of the underlying site development permit, which was barred by the 90-day statute of limitations in Government Code section…