Municipal Law

BB&K advises clients on a wide variety of zoning, planning and land use matters, including the development and implementation of general and specific plans, general and specific plan amendments, zone changes, subdivisions, conditional use permits, variances, design review applications, and other planning entitlements.

In addition to the regular review of zoning ordinances and service to our cities' planning commissions and housing boards, we also assist clients with the legal review of other specialized land use matters.

Development Agreements
BB&K advises clients in the area of development agreements. We draft agreements involving projects as small as the preservation of historic facades to larger projects such as master-planned communities. For many of our cities, we negotiate on their behalf. Our involvement can be as limited as negotiating the agreement on our client's behalf or as extensive as providing document review and practical advice to assist our clients in meeting their development objectives. We routinely advise clients on means to transfer development rights to avoid habitat or open space issues, and are working with many city clients on means to maximize their opportunities to pursue urban infill.

Subdivision Map Act
BB&K attorneys are well versed in the requirements of the California Subdivision Map Act. We routinely advise our public clients to ensure their map filings and decisions conform to Subdivision Map Act requirements. In addition, we have an extensive collection of model documents accessible to our municipal subdivision practice, thereby eliminating the costly practice of producing entirely new documents for each subdivision.

Permit Streamlining Act
As part of our practice, we routinely provide advice concerning the Permit Streamlining Act and its interplay with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

Adult Use Regulations
BB&K is a recognized leader for its work in regulating adult businesses. In fact, we have participated in the League of California Cities' Adult Business Task Force and have helped to develop a comprehensive Model Adult Business Ordinance. As a result of our recognized expertise, we are often requested to draft and submit amicus curia briefs to most courts, including the United States Supreme Court, concerning issues surrounding adult business regulation.

Sign Regulations
The First Amendment implications of sign regulations are nuanced and change continuously. For that reason, our attorneys stay current with changes in the law and are knowledgeable of the California Outdoor Advertising Act. This enables us to provide our clients with the most current information concerning the regulation of signs in their communities.

Impact Fees, Dedications, Conditions and Exactions

BB&K assists clients to ensure that their land use determinations comply with the California Mitigation Fee Act (AB 1600) as well as current case law. We make certain that all exactions and conditions placed on individuals are sound and defensible and regularly assist clients in nexus studies and fee-setting.

Growth Control
BB&K is conversant in growth control tools and smart growth practices. Our expertise enables us to help cities accommodating growth in an environmentally sensitive and fiscally responsible manner. Understanding the competing interests involved in growth control decisions, we provide clients with practical advice that encompasses more than just the legal aspects of growth control issues.