Sierra Club v. City of Orange

— Plaintiff Sierra Club sued defendant City of Orange and its city council (defendant) for certifying a combined supplemental environmental impact report and environmental impact report (SEIR/EIR) and approving land use development proposals for projects sought by real parties in interest The Irvine Company LLC and Irvine Community Development LLC (collectively Irvine) on the ground defendant’s actions violated the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). (Pub. Resources Code, § 21000 et seq.; all further statutory references are to the Public Resources Code unless otherwise indicated.) Although rejecting Irvine’s request to dismiss the action for failure to timely file it, the trial court entered judgment denying the petition. (Code Civ. Proc., § 1094.)

Plaintiff appeals, contending the SEIR/EIR violates CEQA by failing to (1) disclose the project’s proposed annexation boundaries; (2) evaluate the environmental effects of the project as a whole; and (3) provide an adequate and complete analysis of the project’s water quality impacts, traffic impacts, and potentially feasible project alternatives. Irvine repeats its claim this action is barred by the statute of…