If you’ve spent any time at all in California, it should come as no surprise that real estate development can be exceptionally difficult here. The Golden State often prides itself in maintaining more strict regulations and many more legal hoops to jump through for any project than many other states. Just such a difficulty recently expressed itself when the California Supreme Court raised questions about a coastal development, claiming that the project had produced an unsatisfactory environmental impact report.
The project will eventually occupy one of the state’s largest undeveloped areas of coastal territory near the city of Newport Beach, which will have to approve a new environmental impact report under the Supreme Court’s ruling.
As recently as September 2016, the court threw up roadblocks to the project, which occupies a large area of undeveloped land on the California coast. The court implied that the project should attempt to find a way to complete its goal using only one-third of the area it initially sought to use. Under the current plan, the development has a relatively low footprint, occupying about 20 percent of the available land while leaving about 80 percent open.
If the project is able to remedy all of its identified violations and obstructions, then the project may move forward within 2017, but the developers have an enormous amount of red tape to work through.
If you are considering a real estate development project, it is crucial to enlist the guidance of an experienced attorney who can help you navigate the treacherous waters of developing in California. With appropriate legal guidance, you can pursue your development dreams while ensuring that you do not run afoul of a complex system of laws and regulations.
Source: Southern California Public Radio, “California Supreme Court deals blow to Banning Ranch development,” April 01, 2017
