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The firm’s Real Property and Natural Resources Section is comprised of three groups: Land Use and Entitlement, Industrial/Minerals, and Real Property Transactions.
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Land Use and Entitlement Group
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The firm’s Land Use and Entitlement Group is led by Richard C. Monk. 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.
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Industrial/Minerals Group
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Our Industrial/Minerals Group is chaired by Steven Evans Kirby. Steve represents many of the major integrated and independent oil, gas, surface mining and other industrial companies with operations in California. The firm provides a broad range of services, including federal, state and local agency permitting, compliance and enforcement defense, associated transactional work, administrative tribunal and judicial litigation.
The firm has considerable experience in assisting clients through a maze of regulations and bureaucracy, including local and regional land use authorities and air pollution control districts, California Coastal Commission, State Air Resources Board, State Department of Fish & Game, State Lands Commission, U.S. EPA, U.S. Department of Interior (Minerals Management Service), U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Army Corps of Engineers, and numerous state and federal water quality control agencies.
Hollister & Brace has been involved in a large number of major onshore and offshore exploration, production, processing and transportation projects, including the $2.5 billion Pt. Arguello Project, Gaviota Marine Terminal, Ellwood Project, Pt. Pedernales Project, World Mineral's Lompoc Plant and Mine, Holly Sugar’s Plant, Boeing’s Delta IV Commercial Space Project, and many others.
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Real Property Transactions
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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:
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• Broker and Agent Liability
• Commercial Leases
• Construction Contracts
• Construction Disputes
• Contractor Liability
• Easement Disputes
• Foreclosures
• Landlord and Tenant Matters
• Mechanics’ Liens
• Purchase and Sale Agreements
• Residential Leases
• Tax-Deferred Exchanges
• Quiet Title Actions
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