A charter city does not have to comply with California's prevailing-wage law if its public works projects are financed exclusively with city revenues, a divided three-judge panel of the Fourth District Court of Appeal has ruled. The reason: The state law "does not touch upon matters of statewide concern sufficient to outweigh the power of charter cities over their municipal affairs," Justice Patricia Benke wrote for the court's majority.

A City of Los Angeles ordinance that subjects replacement rental units to the city's rent control scheme has been upheld by the Second District Court of Appeal. The court rejected the argument that the ordinance violates the Costa-Hawkins Act, which exempts newly constructed units from local rent control measures. >>read more

The San Bernardino Local Agency Formation Commission may proceed with the proposed consolidation of two water districts, the Second District Court of Appeal has ruled. The court rejected the argument of one district that the proposed consolidation is not subject to the Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Government Reorganization Act and that the consolidation is actually a dissolution.

Southern California's regional planning agency unveiled a new "conceptual land use plan" on Friday, May 8 –but the plan does not meet the presumed greenhouse gas emissions target for the region under SB 375, and SCAG has not revealed yet how growth would be split up under the most transit-oriented interpretation of the plan.