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Los Angeles Studio Redevelopment Draws Lawsuit
The owners of the Farmers Market, a vintage food hall in central Los Angeles, have filed a lawsuit against the City of Los Angeles, arguing that the city’s environmental review of the Television City 2050 project underestimates the impacts the project will have on both the market and the surrounding community. Designed by Foster+Partners, the project would redevelop the 25-acre CBS studios, adding over 1 million square feet for a total of 1.8 million square feet of studio and commercial space. The lawsuit claims the city granted the developer excessive freedom to alter plans without adequate oversight, potentially harming nearby landowners and infrastructure. The petition seeks to halt the project, alleging violations of city code, CEQA and the Housing Crisis Act. The Farmers Market owners argue that the project’s environmental impact report lacked transparency and failed to properly analyze the development’s consequences. Concerns include increased traffic, noise, air pollution and damage to historic resources, with claims that the review process was flawed and did not adequately disclose the project’s true environmental effects.
Pico Rivera Envisions 305-Acre Transit-Oriented District
The City of Pico Rivera, in eastern Los Angeles County, is planning a large-scale mixed-use development as part of its Pico Rivera 2035 initiative to transform the city into a commercial and transportation hub. The city recently submitted the plan's EIR to the state for approval. The Washington and Rosemead Boulevards Transit-Oriented Development Specific Plan includes up to 2,336 residential units and nearly 5.9 million square feet of commercial space across 305 acres. The district is divided into zones for residential, commercial, industrial and flexible-use spaces, with a mix of low-rise, mid-rise and high-rise multifamily buildings. The broader initiative also includes a new Metrolink commuter rail station and improvements to local bike paths and bus routes to enhance public transit. The project aligns with other regional transit developments, including L.A. Metro’s East San Fernando Valley light rail line, which recently received federal funding and is now slated for completion by 2031.
Trump Pledges to Scrutinize High Speed Rail
President Trump plans to investigate California's high-speed rail project, claiming the project is badly managed and billions of dollars over budget. Trump previously revoked over $1 billion in federal grants from the project in 2019. Originally estimated at $45 billion in 2008, the project's cost has risen to $128 billion, with delays and funding challenges affecting progress. Trump claimed the project was off-track and not serving its intended locations. The California High-Speed Rail Authority disputes these statements, emphasizing ongoing construction and economic benefits. A report from the project's Inspector General highlighted risks of delays and uncertainties, particularly regarding the completion of a 119-mile Central Valley segment. Despite criticisms, the authority maintains that every dollar is accounted for, with environmental clearance secured and construction advancing.
Newsom Directs Coastal Commission to Permit Wildfire Rebuilding
Governor Gavin Newsom ordered the Coastal Commission not to interfere with wildfire rebuilding efforts in Los Angeles County, criticizing its previous guidance as legally incorrect. Much of the damaged area in the Palisades Fire lies within the Coastal Zone. The order suspends Coastal Act permitting requirements, expands temporary housing options for fire survivors and streamlines debris removal efforts. Newsom emphasized that bureaucratic obstacles should not slow down recovery, following earlier moves to waive environmental laws and ease ADU construction. The commission had previously stated that rebuilding was allowed within the same footprint with some size expansion requiring exemptions.
CP&DR Legal Coverage: Ventura Main St. Closure; Oakland Subdivision Map Act Quandary
Ventura’s permanent closure of Main Street in the downtown area does not violate the state Streets & Highways Code, a Superior Court judge has ruled. More specifically, the court ruled that allowing emergency vehicles and delivery trucks to use Main Street while closing it to through traffic does not mean the closure is “partial” under state law. A group of downtown property owners sued to block the permanent closure, saying the city’s action constituted a partial closing under the Streets & Highways Code. The property owners also said the city violated the Pedestrian Mall Act of 1960. Among other things, Ventura County Superior Court Judge Matthew Guasco found that Ventura did not abuse its discretion under the streets and highways code.
The California Supreme Court has reversed a lower court ruling and said that even though a parcel was created in the 19th century, it’s not a legal parcel under the Subdivision Map Act. The case involves the property owner’s attempt to establish that an 8,800-square-foot single-family lot in Oakland is actually several lots because the original parcel map was filed prior to the Subdivision Map Act’s passage. Oakland refused to give the property owner a certificate of compliance because the “lot” had never been conveyed by itself but only in combination with other “lots” on the same parcel. The appellate court ruled in favor of the property owner. The state Supreme Court overturned the appellate opinion and ruled in favor of the city. It’s the first major “antiquated subdivision” ruling in almost 20 years.
Quick Hits & Updates
San Diego city leaders are considering rolling back or eliminating an incentive that allows property owners to build multiple accessory dwelling units (ADUs) on single-family lots, citing concerns about overcrowding and neighborhood impacts. While supporters argue the incentive helps address the housing crisis by creating affordable units, critics claim it disrupts community character, strains local infrastructure and increases property values, making homeownership less accessible.
A neighbor of West Sacramento's Southport community has filed an appeal against the Yarbrough Master Plan, which seeks to build 3,000 new housing units, arguing that the project's 2008 environmental review is outdated. The plan includes parks, retail spaces and infrastructure improvements, but the plaintiff contends the fast-paced approval process is influenced by the city's need to meet state housing goals.
The Santee City Council approved a significant increase in developer impact fees, the first in 19 years, raising fees for residential, commercial and industrial projects to offset their impact on local infrastructure. The new fees will take effect in 60 days, with increases ranging from 19% to 126%, depending on the type of development.
The Norwalk City Council adopted a revised plan for a 13-acre development at the Civic Center, which will now feature 374 homes, including 56 affordable units and 94,000 square feet of commercial space. The updated project focuses more on housing, reduces parking requirements and includes nearly 120,000 square feet of open space, with construction expected to begin in 2025.
Point Reyes National Seashore has reached an agreement to phase out ranching on most of the park's land, marking the end of a longstanding tradition tied to the area’s rural identity. The deal, which involves $30 million in buyouts coordinated by the Nature Conservancy, will see 12 ranchers retire their leases, ending operations on nearly 16,000 acres, with a focus on restoring the natural landscape and allowing tule elk to roam freely.
The Oakland City Council adopted the city's first Urban Forest Plan, aiming to maintain and grow the city's urban forest over the next 50 years, with a focus on equity and sustainability. The plan includes maintaining the current 20.6% tree canopy, prioritizing tree planting in communities affected by pollution and creating green-collar jobs, with funding support from a $1 million CAL FIRE grant and additional resources like $8 million from the USDA Forest Service.
A recent San Francisco report highlights the potential of social housing, a mixed-income public model that could become financially independent with the right investment and low-interest loans. Supervisors are promoting the model to combat the city’s housing shortage, which is currently falling short of state affordability targets.
A new study finds the recent wildfires in Los Angeles were driven by extreme weather conditions and exacerbated significantly by climate change. The study confirms that human-induced global warming has made such extreme fire weather conditions 35% more likely and 6% more intense, contributing to the rapid spread of these fires and highlighting the region's growing vulnerability to future wildfire disasters.
The San Diego Association of Governments is exploring alternative designs for its proposed Purple Line to address congestion between San Ysidro and Sorrento Valley. The project, which aims to alleviate traffic and improve transit efficiency, faces significant cost challenges and lower-than-expected ridership projections, leading SANDAG to consider options like light rail, bus services or a driverless system, with construction possibly taking decades.
Two San Francisco Supervisors have introduced legislation to streamline the approval process for chain stores like Target and Starbucks on a 2-mile stretch of Van Ness Avenue in an effort to fill vacant storefronts. The proposal aims to revitalize the area, which has faced significant vacancies due to its history as "auto row," by making it easier for large retailers to open and attracting more business to the corridor.
