Real Property – Hollister & Brace

Land Use and Entitlement Group

The Group represents clients in the administrative processing of development projects before local, regional, state and federal agencies, including planning commissions, city councils, county boards of supervisors, the California Coastal Commission, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Army Corps of Engineers. The Group has extensive experience working with subdivision and related land use approvals, as well as all aspects of the CEQA environmental review process. The Group is intimately familiar with wetland, endangered species, water right and water quality regulatory concerns.

The firm has achieved an enviable reputation for obtaining discretionary approvals and successfully defending them against court challenge for a wide variety of development projects, including wineries, hotels, hospitals, commercial office and industrial projects, schools, condominiums and planned developments. Hollister & Brace has represented the successful developer/property owners in the landmark California Supreme Court land use cases of Citizens of Goleta Valley v. Board of Supervisors (1990) 52 Cal.3d 553 and Morehart v. County of Santa Barbara (1994) 7 Cal. 4th 725.

Hollister & Brace’s success is largely attributable to its ability to quickly assess a client’s needs in complicated real estate transactions and respond timely with appropriate and cost effective solutions. The Land Use and Entitlement Group’s attorneys are active in local, state and national organizations which provide networking with legislators, governmental officials, community leaders and other professionals. This involvement assists them in anticipating environmental and land use planning issues, developing practical workable solutions, and ultimately obtaining entitlements for the firm’s clients.

Real Property Transactions

Hollister & Brace features a Real Property Department covering the purchase and sale of real property, construction, financing and title insurance. We have represented major title insurers for over 30 years. Our practice includes: