Services

: Public Law :

SmithTrager attorneys advise public and private clients on public agency laws, including the Public Records Act, ethics and conflict of interest laws. We also work on legislative matters, including analyzing and proposing revisions to pending bills, developing legislative strategies with registered legislative advocates and briefing elected representatives and their senior staffs.

SmithTrager serves as special counsel to cities and special districts on land use planning issues. We also represent clients before local agency formation commissions in connection with organizational changes and boundary adjustments.

Representative Matters

• Advised several municipalities, developers, water agencies and major landowners in CEQA and NEPA proceedings in connection with projects including siting a major water reservoir, landfills, a major sewage treatment plant, and a new jail, as well as establishing a major habitat conservation plan, extending water and wastewater infrastructure, planning and constructing development projects, expanding a county jail, extending a roadway and building a sludge processing plan.
• Work with a city's legislative advocates in Sacramento and D.C. on obtaining direct appropriations, grant funds and priority positions for competitively-issued bond funds.
• Conducted negotiations directly with legislative staff on bills affecting the powers of Regional Water Quality Control Boards.
• Conducted negotiations directly with senior executive and agency staff in both the state and federal governments on the involvement and direction of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the State Water Resources Control Board and the Regional Water Quality Control Board in responding to groundwater contamination.
• Provided legal services to a redevelopment agency on project development, including planning, reviewing option agreements, meeting with potential developers and public agencies, review of the existing EIR and overall ongoing strategic legal counsel and advice.