Challenges to a City of Indio redevelopment project area expansion from three other government agencies have been thrown out on a technicality by the Fourth District County of Appeal.

A water district in Fresno County has the authority to pursue incorporation as a city, the Fifth District Court of Appeal has ruled. The court rejected arguments from Fresno County that the Malaga County Water District needed special legislation to proceed with creation of a new city.

The tortured history of a development in downtown Oakland added another chapter when a state appellate court overturned a lower court decision against Citicorp Real Estate, which had foreclosed on the project. The appellate panel found that the jury had been instructed incorrectly and that Citicorp had done nothing legally wrong in respect to its handling of the "Old Oakland" project.

In a case that pitted open space protection against eminent domain law, the First District Court of Appeal has ruled that a Sonoma County open space district did not need to get voter approval before granting an easement for a treated wastewater pipeline across district property.

The state Supreme Court has struck down a common method that cities and counties use to select temporary administrative hearing officers for land use controversies and other issues. The court ruled that San Bernardino County's unilateral appointment and payment of an attorney as a temporary hearing officer created the possibility of a conflict of interest for the attorney. The court accepted the argument from a massage clinic owner that the attorney might provide the county a favorable decision

A state appellate court has invalidated a City of Upland redevelopment plan because the city improperly manipulated the base tax year for one parcel, and because the area was neither predominately urbanized nor blighted.

Check out this month's installment of CP&DR's infamous in brief column, the only place to consult to keep abreast of the latest events shaping the land use stories across the Golden State!

A City of Salinas fee to finance stormwater drainage facilities and system maintenance has been ruled unconstitutional by the Sixth District Court of Appeal.

The state Supreme Court will hear a case involving a county's ability to regulate a water district's construction of a water treatment plant.

In Brief is CP&DR's monthly digest of land use news stories in the making, or follow ups to stories that we have run in the past.