The California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) is a fundamental law that guides property development across California. Maintaining compliance with CEQA is a vital necessity for businesses throughout the state, as non-compliance can lead to significant obstacles and costs. However, an agile, experienced legal team can provide the support you need to gracefully navigate this challenging territory.
Fast-Moving Filings Fan Flames
One of the unfortunate aspects of CEQA is that some use it as a tool for fighting development of any kind in their immediate vicinity. These filings can come at surprising times and derail projects at various stages. A recent situation at UC Berkeley provides a perfect example of how this situation can play out in the real world. There, a CEQA filing alleges that the University did not address certain environmental requirements in their student housing developments. Because of that alleged oversight, the University may have to revoke admissions for nearly 3000 students. This far-reaching and devastating outcome can come out of nowhere and cause immense problems that affect an organization’s bottom line and reputation.
Pivoting in Response to Problems
While CEQA can create headaches for business leaders, you do have options. Your legal team can fight lawsuits that claim you must meet a higher environmental burden than originally dictated. The secret is to have a talented and knowledgeable team that can respond quickly to such cases with a nuanced understanding of the law, the timeline, and your specific real estate development project. Additionally, your legal team should work with you through every step of your projects to ensure global compliance with all applicable regulations to ensure all paperwork is filed correctly and all inspections meet the stringent requirements of the law.
Additionally, your legal team should work with you through every step of your projects to ensure global compliance with matters. They should take the lead on ensuring all paperwork is filed correctly and all inspections meet the requirements of the law.