JMBM Development Rights Newsletter Fall 2010

JMBM Development Rights Newsletter / Fall 2010

In the Fall 2010 edition of the JMBM Development Rights Newsletter, you will find the following articles:

Ben Reznik Selected as One of California’s "Top 100" Lawyers
Ben Reznik, partner and chairman of the Government, Land Use, Environment & Energy (GLUEE) Department at Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell LLP (JMBM), has been selected to join the prestigious ranks of California’s “Top 100” lawyers by the Daily Journal, the state’s largest legal news provider. "Ben has become one of the most effective lawyer lobbyists in the state and we are gratified that his accomplishments are being recognized with this high honor." Read more.

Area Planning Commissions Need Help
Ben Reznik discusses the role of APCs and the negative consequences that may arise without the proper legal support. "These APC commissioners need not and, in fact, do not possess any special training, knowledge or experience in land use matters, and certainly are not familiar with the body of land use and zoning laws applicable to many of their decisions." Read more.

A version of this article was published by the Los Angeles Business Journal and was mentioned by regional blog CurbedLA, which described Ben as "the most powerful lobbyist in LA."

ADA Alert: New Regulations Now in Effect
Marty Orlick addresses the recent update to the ADA Regulations, and the affect they’ll have on hotels, restaurants, shopping malls and other public accommodations. "The new 2010 Standards impose both technical requirements, (i.e. the specifications a property must meet to be fully accessible), and scoping requirements (i.e. the number of rooms or elements in a facility which must be fully accessible)." Read More.

Update: Los Angeles City Council Approves Ban on New Supergraphics in Hollywood
Sheri Bonstelle explains the recent Hollywood supergraphics ban approved by City Council. "The new Hollywood outdoor advertising regulations, which prohibit large vinyl signs on facades of hotels and other multi-story buildings, reflect an earlier U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling allowing a citywide ban of the signage." Read More.

Gambol Industries, Inc.’s Open Letter to the Los Angeles City Council
For more than three years, JMBM’s client, Gambol Industries, Inc. has been negotiating with the Port of Los Angeles to develop a ship repair and ship building facility in an unused portion of the port. The Port of Los Angeles however, continues to resist Gambol’s efforts, prompting the company’s president, Robert Stein, to circulate an open letter to members of the Los Angeles City Council. "Gambol proposes to invest approximately $75 million in private capital, which will create more than 1,000 direct and indirect jobs." Read more.

Christine Essel, CEO of CRA/LA Speaks at JMBM Business Issues Forum: Inside Look
Christine Essel, the newly appointed Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Los Angeles Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA/LA), was the featured speaker at a recent JMBM “Business Issues Forum” hosted by Ben Reznik. Ms. Essel has taken command of an agency whose governing board she chaired in the 1990s. "The good news is CRA/LA still has $700 million in the bank! The bad news is that with most development on hold, our revenue stream — which relies on tax increment financing — has been significantly curtailed." Read More.

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