Albert v. City of Malibu
Appellant Trevor Albert challenges the issuance of various coastal development permits and approvals, which allow the construction of two single-family estate homes and an access road on a large parcel of land in the hills of Malibu. The parcel of land is owned by the real parties in interest, Evans Childrens Trust and Rancho Topanga Enterprises, LLC (collectively referred to as Evans), and is divided into four lots with the dead-end access road from Pacific Coast Highway traversing all four lots.
The trial court denied Alberts petition for a writ of mandate brought under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA; Pub. Resources Code, 21000 et seq.) and the Malibu Local Coastal Program (MLCP). Contrary to Alberts contentions, Court find that the CEQA environmental review was not improperly piecemealed, and that no substantial evidence supports a fair argument that the project has any significant environmental impacts. Thus, an environmental impact report (EIR) was not required in lieu of the mitigated negative declaration issued and approved by respondents City of Malibu and the City Council of the City of Malibu (collectively referred to as the City).
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