Vineyard Area Citizens for Responsible Growth, Inc. v. City of Rancho Cordova

Remy, Thomas, Moose and Manley, James G. Moose and Sabrina V. Teller, Sacramento, for Real Parties in Interest and Respondents.

This land-use case raises claims under the California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA"; Pub. Resources Code, § 21000 et seq.), the Planning and Zoning Law (Gov.Code, § 65000 et seq.) and the public trust doctrine.

Vineyard Area Citizens for Responsible Growth, Inc. and others (collectively, petitioners) challenged the approval by Sacramento County (County) of a project proposed by AKT Development Corp. and others (collectively, Developer). The newly formed City of Rancho Cordova (City) succeeded to the County's interest in this case and appears as the sole governmental respondent.

The trial court denied the petition to overturn the County's approval of the Sunrise Douglas Community Plan and Sun-Ridge Specific Plan (collectively, Project) and petitioners filed a timely notice of appeal.

In our initial opinion we agreed with the Developer that the CEQA arguments lack merit and we agreed with the City that the zoning and public trust claims lack merit. Accordingly, we affirmed the judgment. The California Supreme Court granted review and…