The Town of Tiburon has lost another round in its ongoing litigation with property owners over assessments to fund the undergrounding of utility lines.
For the second time in less than a year, the California Supreme Court has ruled for individual property owners contesting local government assessments, opening the door for future challenges based on Proposition 218.
A property owner that lost a California Environmental Quality Act suit against the City of San Rafael has been told to pay the city for costs incurred recovering emails related to the property and a proposed development project.
Marin County has adopted a new general plan that emphasizes "sustainable communities" and reflects a strong concern about global climate change. Although the Board of Supervisors adopted the Marin Countywide Plan only in November, there is already evidence the plan could serve as a model for other jurisdictions in California and across the country.
An appellate court has thrown out a property owners' lawsuit claiming that the Town of Tiburon's special assessment to pay for undergrounding utilities violated Proposition 218. The court ruled that the lawsuit was actually a "reverse validation action," and that the property owners failed to meet procedural deadlines.
State prison officials are moving forward with plans to build a new death row at San Quentin, but elected officials and business interests in Marin County are urging the state to reconsider.
