Mejia

California Home Development, LLC (California Home),

appeals a postjudgment order awarding attorney fees to Maria Mejia as the successful party in a proceeding under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA; Pub. Resources Code, § 21000 et seq.). The order awards Mejia $25,000 in fees payable by the City of Los Angeles and an equal amount payable by California Home. California Home contends (1) Mejia is not entitled to a fee award because her personal interest was her primary motivation for prosecuting this proceeding; (2) the city was solely at fault and should bear the entire fee award; and (3) an award of attorney fees against a party that is without fault impermissibly infringes that party’s First Amendment right to petition. We conclude that California Home has shown no error and affirm the order.

FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

California Home proposed a development of single-family homes on 17 acres of land along Wheatland Avenue in the Sunland area of the City of Los Angeles, in a community known as Shadow Hills. Mejia owned and resided on property adjacent to the proposed development. She and several other residents opposed the proposal. The city…