RECENT CALIFORNIA DECISIONS

April 2007

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California Supreme Court Imposes Significant New Requirements for Analysis of Water Supplies for Land Use Plans under CEQA
Vineyard Area Citizens for Responsible Growth v. City of Rancho Cordova

On February 1, 2007, in a 6-1 decision reversing the decision by the Third Appellate District to uphold a local agency’s water supply planning efforts for future urban growth, the California Supreme Court ruled that the California Environmental Quality Act (Pub. Resources Code, § 21000 et seq.) (CEQA) imposes previously unrecognized requirements for comprehensive analysis of water supplies for future land use plans. In Vineyard Area Citizens for Responsible Growth v. City of Rancho Cordova, (Vineyard Area Citizens), the Court considered the adequacy of both the short-term and long-term water supply analysis contained within an environmental impact report (EIR) prepared for a large community plan and specific plan project for an undeveloped area of eastern Sacramento County, now within the city limits of the City of Rancho Cordova.