Real Estate Developer Rights When Cities Demand Too Much
How To Be A Project Advocate By Diffusing Adjacent Neighbor Tensions
In part two of the Housing New Laws series, Best Best & Krieger LLP (BBK) attorneys provide key analyses of new housing legislation in 2025 addressing governing urban lot splits and two unit projects, accessory dwelling units...more
North Carolina Senate Bill 166 (Session Law 2024-49), the majority of which became effective on September 11, 2024, amended various N.C. state building codes, regulations for contractors and design professionals, and...more
Following the announcement of a loosening of the rules on developing in the Green Belt, the UK Government published on 27 February guidance on the meaning of "Grey Belt" land and how this should be applied in...more
Following the devastating fires in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties, California Governor Gavin Newsom issued Executive Order N-4-25 to expedite recovery and rebuilding efforts. Released on January 12, 2025, the Order suspends...more
In response to the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties, Governor Gavin Newsom issued Executive Order N-4-25 on January 12, 2025 to expedite the recovery process in affected communities. The following...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
In recent years, courts in Ontario have struggled with the answer to this question, and we direct you to our earlier blog, Requisitioning the Closure of Open Building Permits, on the subject that considered the 2022 case Chan...more
As in previous years, California saw a significant volume of new housing legislation emerge from Sacramento in 2024. (See Holland & Knight's previous annual recaps of California Housing Laws in the final section below.) This...more
Osceola County, City of St. Cloud, and City of Mt. Dora are all set to vote on proposed increases to impact fees that, if approved, will substantially increase the cost of development in these jurisdictions. Below is...more
On April 12, 2024, the United States Supreme Court issued an opinion that may significantly affect how development impact fees are assessed in California. In Sheetz v. County of El Dorado, the Court unanimously held that...more
The Florida Legislature on Feb. 28, 2024, passed Senate Bill 328, which amends the Live Local Act (Amended Act). It becomes effective upon becoming law (except as otherwise provided). While most of the 2023 Live Local Act...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
San Francisco’s state-mandated plan to raise building height limits to encourage housing production along transit corridors from the Sunset to the Richmond to the Marina came under criticism at the Planning Commission’s...more
Can a multi-phase development, consented in outline, be changed from that which was originally contemplated? This recent case, R (Dennis) v London Borough of Southwark, was decided on 17 January and involved...more
Welcome to the Third Issue of Sullivan’s Zoning and Development Newsletter- This newsletter is a collaboration between members of our Permitting & Land Use Practice Group and the Litigation Department, in order to provide...more
We’ve been closely watching the Sheetz v. County of El Dorado case, which has worked its way up through the California trial and appellate courts all the way to the US Supreme Court. For a quick refresher, the case concerns...more
Recently in BMG Monroe I, LLC v. Village of Monroe Zoning Board of Appeals, the Second Department reinforced strict compliance with all State Environmental Quality Review Act (“SEQRA”) visual impact findings and mitigation...more
San Francisco - Can Free Rent Jump-Start a Downtown San Francisco Revival? Pop-Up Retailers Say Maybe (SF Standard): Nearly halfway into the three-month program, called Vacant to Vibrant, stakeholders say it has breathed...more
Florida was hit by Hurricane Ian in September 2022 and Hurricane Nicole in November 2022, both of which caused severe damage to various parts of the state. In response to these disasters, the Florida Legislature enacted...more
A court rejected a developer’s attempt to take advantage of provisions in the Housing Accountability Act that prohibit a City from requiring a rezoning when zoning is inconsistent with the General Plan. It upheld Los...more
The Sixth District Court of Appeal, in Santa Rita Union School District v. City of Salinas (2023), 94 Cal.App.5th 298, reversed the lower court, finding that the City of Salinas’ (“City”) final programmatic environmental...more
The Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 was given Royal Assent on 26 October 2023. It introduces some wide-ranging reforms to the planning system which we summarise in this Insight. However, most of the changes will not...more
House Bill 14 (by Harris (R), House District 8, Palestine, Anderson County, Texas) - Effective September 1, 2023 - THIRD-PARTY REVIEW OF PLATS, PLANS, PERMITS AND INSPECTIONS - HB 14 adds a new Chapter 247 to the...more
In response to Mayor London Breed’s recent Executive Directive, titled “Housing For All,” on May 4, 2023, the San Francisco Planning Commission voted to recommend that the Board of Supervisors approve a package of Planning...more
On April 28, 2023, the Planning Commission received an informational presentation from Planning Department staff regarding its work to implement the City’s recently adopted Housing Element Update. (See earlier posts regarding...more