John Gregory McClendon

John McClendon’s practice focuses on the land use entitlement process with an emphasis on CEQA/NEPA and other environmental laws, the Coastal Act, Planning & Zoning Law, Subdivision Map Act, affordable housing and water law. An experienced litigator, he has brought and defended scores of environmental, land use, housing and water law actions, including many successes before California’s appellate courts.

 

On "offense," Mr. McClendon has represented numerous citizens groups in challenging controversial public and private development projects at the administrative stage before city and county decision-makers.  In representing these groups in subsequent court actions, he has achieved an impressive track record of success.

 

On "defense," he has assisted cities, redevelopment agencies, special districts and private developers in the preparation of legally defensible CEQA/NEPA/PZL/SMA documents and findings, advising them on effective pre-litigation strategies and defending them in court.  To date, all of the documents and findings he prepared for public agencies have survived judicial challenge.

 

On the private sector side, since 2000, Mr. McClendon has represented private clients in negotiating and structuring numerous disposition and development agreements and owner participation agreements between his clients and California cities and redevelopment agencies for development projects valued in excess of $300 Million.  He also represents private clients in court defending their projects from judicial challenge.

 

On the public side, he has been responsible for overseeing the successful approval of numerous redevelopment plan adoptions, plan amendments, and project area mergers, including a record seven in a single year.  Some of his more notable redevelopment projects include: Anaheim Plaza, Century 25 Theaters in Orange, Ontario Mills, the Ontario Auto Center and Ontario Convention Center, Jurupa Valley Spectrum, and the El Paseo Shopping Center in South Gate.

 

With the Legislature's recent abolishment of all California redevelopment agencies, he continues to serve as general counsel to six of California's seven Designated Local Authorities (i.e., these are successor redevelopment agencies that were abandoned by their cities).  His focus on public law has also led to him accept short-term and often high-profile assignments as either interim or special counsel to public agencies. Examples include:

 

Serving as special CEQA counsel to the City of Sierra Madre on the most controversial development project in that city’s history.

 

 Serving as special counsel to the City of Rolling Hills Estates on a federal law "RLUIPA" matter.

 

 Serving as Interim District Counsel of the Los Osos Community Services District following a 2005 voter recall of the majority of its board.

 

 Serving as special CEQA counsel to Eastern Municipal Water District in an action brought by the U.S.A. in federal court.

 

In 2006, he agreed to serve as the U.S. Attorney’s expert witness on California redevelopment law in a criminal action involving political corruption in the City of South Gate.