Gearing

I. BACKGROUND

CLT is a non-profit organization with a mission to preserve and protect the open space environment in Half Moon Bay (sometimes referred to by the parties as HMB). CLT has carried out this mission in part by engaging in advocacy with the City of Half Moon Bay (the City) and by acquiring land currently in open space, including in an area of Half Moon Bay that the

1 “SLAPP” stands for “strategic lawsuit against public participation.”

(Code Civ. Proc., § 425.18.) All statutory references are to the Code of Civil Procedure unless otherwise specified. parties refer to as the “West of Railroad” area (or WRR). Chamberlain served as CLT’s executive director until 2024. Gearing owns several undeveloped parcels of land in the WRR area. To maintain the parcels as open space land, the City sued Gearing for eminent domain in 2021. Gearing countersued. CLT is not a party to the eminent domain action, but Gearing alleged that the City conspired with CLT to diminish the value of his property. In 2024, Gearing brought this action against CLT, Chamberlain, and Kenneth Habeeb, who is allegedly CLT’s “affiliated appraiser” and agent. The complaint asserted a single cause of action for…