On October 21-22, 2024, the NYC Council Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises held two hearings to discuss the third of three City of Yes zoning initiatives, the "City of Yes for Housing Opportunity” proposal, aimed at...more
On October 15, 2024, the New York City Planning Commission (CPC) certified the city-led Atlantic Avenue Mixed Use Plan (AAMUP, pronounced aim up) into public review. AAMUP seeks to rezone a low-density industrial stretch of...more
After an 18-month study process, the Boston Planning Department has released an Action Plan proposing strategies to modernize Boston’s development review process. The Planning Department is accepting comments on the plan...more
A key Chicago city council committee advanced an ordinance at its meeting today directing city departments to study the environmental and energy impacts of data centers within Chicago....more
A Court of Appeal held that a municipal regulation concerning enforcement of zoning laws did not provide a legal basis to challenge a city planning department’s past zoning decisions. San Pablo Ave. Golden Gate Improvement...more
In an opinion filed on July 24, and later ordered published on August 19, 2024, the Second District Court of Appeal (Div. 4) affirmed the trial court’s judgment denying a writ petition challenging actions taken by the Los...more
City of Los Angeles - Increase to Planning Applications and Affordable Housing Linkage Fees - On July 1, 2024, the fee for planning and land use applications increased by 3.5% based on the Consumer Price Index for All Urban...more
The Supreme Court of New Hampshire (“Supreme Court”) in an April 9th, 2024 Opinion addressed an issue arising out of a proposal to install a solar panel array. See Mojalaki Holdings v. City of Franklin, 2024 N.H. 17 (2024)....more
On June 24, 2024, the Adams administration, through the NYC Department of City Planning (DCP), unveiled Draft Strategies, including a zoning proposal, that could lead to the development of more than 14,000 homes, more...more
The New York City Council voted to approve a modified version of the City of Yes for Economic Opportunity (“COYEO”) text amendment, the second in a trio of City of Yes initiatives which aim to: (1) promote sustainability (the...more
On June 6, 2024, the New York City Council approved, with modifications, the NYC Department of City Planning’s Zoning for Economic Opportunity, the second of Mayor Eric Adams’ City of Yes initiatives. The new zoning, which...more
Mayor Eric Adams’ “Green Fast Track for Housing” initiative went into effect June 3, 2024, with the aim of shortening the lengthy environmental review process for certain residential developments reviewed by the City Planning...more
The City of Bellevue has released a long-awaited draft of its Comprehensive Plan that will impact development opportunities in the city for the coming decades. Members of the public have additional opportunities to comment on...more
The New York State FY 2025 budget legislation enacted on April 20th included an important and long-awaited housing reform for New York City: elimination of the “12 FAR” cap for residential buildings. City officials and...more
On April 11, 2024, the NYC Department of City Planning unveiled the details of the proposed City of Yes for Housing Opportunity (CYHO), which is the third part of the most ambitious and comprehensive overhaul of New York...more
Following a recent planning study, Fairfax County has seated a task force to begin re-writing the comprehensive plan for Centreville, Virginia. The updated comprehensive plan will guide any necessary or desired zoning and...more
Fauquier County and Fairfax County are tightening zoning regulations for data center developments. In March, the Fauquier County Board of Supervisors approved zoning changes for the Vint Hill area's Planned Commercial...more
On April 11, 2024, the Department of City Planning (DCP) released the proposed City of Yes for Housing Opportunity zoning text changes. The proposed text was released in advance of the formal public review process (ULURP),...more
The Adams’ administration recently unveiled its third and final proposal as part of New York City’s “City of Yes” initiative to aid small businesses, create jobs, expand affordable housing opportunities, and promote...more
On March 19, 2024, Assemblymember Buffy Wicks introduced new amendments to pending Assembly Bill (AB) 2243, which would amend AB 2011 (operative as of July 1, 2023). As explained in our prior legal alert, AB 2011 provides for...more
The City Planning Commission voted to advance a zoning text amendment known as the "City of Yes for Economic Opportunity." The proposed changes include 18 changes to current rules, designed to make it easier for small...more
We would not blame you if you said that dealing with attorneys is not your favorite part of being a municipal official. However, in our defense, people use attorneys because they need help with complicated legal processes and...more
Amid much fanfare, in 2022, the City of Palo Alto, California, home to Stanford University, amended its building code to require that every new building within its borders be all electric. This followed the lead of the City...more
The County of San Diego planning staff found a project qualified for a CEQA exemption under Guideline 15183, which applies to projects consistent with a general plan for which an EIR had been prepared. On appeal, the Board...more
On January 31, the Portland City Council passed its Housing Regulatory Relief package. This package, which had been approved by the City Planning Commission on a 7-1 vote in November, follows years of lobbying from the...more