Edward Grutzmacher, Senior Counsel

Ed specializes in guiding public entities and private clients through all stages of land use entitlements, from the initial application to final administrative actions. His practice also includes planning and zoning, annexations, affordable housing, and compliance with environmental laws. Ed brings extensive litigation experience regarding the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the State Planning and Zoning Law, the Coastal Act, the Subdivision Map Act, the Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Act, and the Mitigation Fee Act. Additionally, Ed has a robust background in general municipal law and has successfully litigated cases involving elections law, transparency laws like the Public Records Act, and homelessness regulation.

LEGAL EXPERIENCE

Ed’s practice is complemented by his knowledge of the legal issues surrounding climate change legislation and policy. He regularly advises clients on climate change questions and has been involved in both evaluating emerging greenhouse gas regulations and analyzing and developing strategies to address the impacts of the California Global Warming Solutions Act (AB 32, SB 32) on land use entitlement processing.

PRACTICE EXAMPLES

• Sierra Club v. California Coastal Commission (2005) 35 Cal.4th 839
• County of Mono v. City of Los Angeles (2022) 81 Cal.App.5th 657
• Save Berkeley’s Neighborhoods v. Regents of University of California (2020) 51 Cal.App.5th 226.
• Heron Bay Homeowners Assn. v. City of San Leandro (2018) 19 Cal.App.5th 376
• Naraghi Lakes Neighborhood Pres. Assn. v. City of Modesto (2016) 1 Cal.App.5th 9
• Citizens for Ceres v. City of Ceres (2016) 3 Cal.App.5th 237
• Protect Agricultural. Land v. Stanislaus Cnty. Local Agency Formation Comm’n (2014) 223 Cal.App.4th 550
• Citizens for Ceres v. Superior Court (2013) 217 Cal.App.4th 889
• Healdsburg Citizens for Sustainable Solutions v. City of Healdsburg (2012) 206 Cal.App.4th 988, 990
• California Native Plant Society v. City of Rancho Cordova (2009) 172 Cal.App.4th 603
• Schellinger Brothers v. City of Sebastopol (2009) 179 Cal.App.4th 1245

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES & AFFILIATIONS

• Member, California Lawyers Association
• Member, Sacramento County Bar Association
• California State Bar #228649

ADMITTED TO PRACTICE

• All California State Courts
• United States District Court, Northern, Central, and Southern Districts of California

ACADEMIC BACKGROUND

J.D., University of California Hastings College of the Law, 2003

M.A., New York University, 2000

• English Literature

University of California at Davis, 1998

• B.A. English
• B.S. Biology