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Land Use Planning

Schlecht, Shevlin & Shoenberger—a top-rated California Land Use and Planning Law firm

Real estate law firm earns statewide recognition for their California land use law expertise

California’s land use laws are among the toughest in the nation. It is essential for those planning to develop property in California to hire an experienced land use and planning law firm to guide them through the local and state land use planning process. Schlecht, Shevlin & Shoenberger is the California land use and planning law firm of choice in Riverside County. They practice in jurisdictions throughout the state to assist their clients in obtaining the permits and approvals they need to develop their properties.

The complexity of California land use and planning laws

Land use laws in California are multi-layered and complicated. California delegates the power to make land use decisions to local governments. The state requires each jurisdiction to adopt a comprehensive land use plan, but local governments write and oversee their own land use plans.

There are over 500 incorporated cities and counties in California that adopt and administer their own land use plans, zoning regulations, and subdivision regulations. Schlecht, Shevlin & Shoenberger, a law corporation, has successfully represented clients in many of these jurisdictions.

The layers of California land use laws.

To understand the relationship among the various layers of California land use laws, think of the general land use plan as a road map and zoning and subdivision regulations as the highways on the map. Development within a jurisdiction must be consistent with the land use plan, zoning, and subdivision regulations.

An additional layer in California land use law is the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) codified at California Resources Code Section 21000. Projects that exceed certain thresholds must go through a CEQA review to determine the potential environmental impacts of the project. The CEQA review is administered at the local level.

The role of administrative review boards.

Administrative review boards add an additional layer to land use laws. Most local governments have created additional commissions and boards to help with decision-making. For example, a zoning board of adjustment hears variances, conditional use permits, special uses, etc. Another example is an architectural review board that reviews and enforces design standards.

The importance of hiring an experienced California land use and planning law attorney.

Because each jurisdiction’s land use laws vary greatly, you should choose a land use attorney with extensive experience if you have a land use matter. Good land use attorneys in California understand the jurisdiction’s land use laws, and they are familiar with the officials and employees who administer the laws. The importance of this connection with the local government decision-makers cannot be overestimated.

If you have a land use and planning law matter in California, choose a firm with a good rate of success and strong political connections.

Choose Schlecht, Shevlin & Shoenberger, one of California’s best land use and planning law firms. Contact them at 760-320-7161 or online for a consultation in their Palm Springs offices.

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