Union of Med. Marijuana Patients, Inc. v. City of San Diego

II. DISCUSSION

A. Governing Law

1. Statutory interpretation

Statutory interpretation is "an issue of law, which we review de novo."

*825 ( United Riggers & Erectors, Inc. v. Coast Iron & Steel Co. (2018) 4 Cal.5th 1082 , 1089, 232 Cal.Rptr.3d 428 , 416 P.3d 792 .)

Our overriding purpose in construing a provision of CEQA, as with any statute, is "to adopt the construction that best gives effect to the Legislature's intended purpose." ( California Building Industry Assn. v. Bay Area Air Quality Management Dist. (2015) 62 Cal.4th 369 , 381, 196 Cal.Rptr.3d 94 , 362 P.3d 792 ( Building Industry ).) In determining that intended purpose, we follow "[s]ettled principles." ( *1184 Elk Hills Power, LLC v. Board of Equalization (2013) 57 Cal.4th 593 , 609, 160 Cal.Rptr.3d 387 , 304 P.3d 1052 ( Elk Hills ).) "We consider first the words of a statute, as the most reliable indicator of legislative intent." ( Tuolumne Jobs & Small Business Alliance v. Superior Court (2014) 59 Cal.4th 1029 , 1037, 175 Cal.Rptr.3d 601 , 330 P.3d 912 ( Tuolumne Jobs ).) In doing so, we give the words "their usual and ordinary meaning," viewed in the context of the statute as a whole. ( Pineda v.…