Land Use Law

Catalog description

This course focuses on the practical aspects of contemporary land use law and policy, including: the tools and historical/legal foundation of modern land use law; zoning and General Plans; subdivision of land; the process of land development; vested property rights and development agreements; environmental review; environmental justice; growth control, sprawl, housing density, and affordable housing; constitutional challenges to land use regulation; redevelopment; historic preservation; direct democracy over land use; and sea level rise, climate change and climate action plans. Special Instructions: Attendance and student participation is essential; roughly four-fifths of the class time will involve a combination of lecture and classroom discussion. The remaining time will engage students in case studies based on actual land use issues and analysis of pending disputes. This class is limited to 20 students selected by consent. Elements used in grading: attendance, class participation, two short writing assignments, oral presentation of a report from attendance at a public meeting by a land use regulatory agency, and a final exam.