Cities and Counties
Colantuono, Highsmith & Whatley, PC represents local governments throughout California as general and special counsel in municipal law, including public revenues, land use, elections, labor and employment, redevelopment, housing, the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Act regarding Local Agency Formation Commissions, and associated litigation. Our core commitment is to provide advice our clients find helpful, understandable, and fairly priced.
City Attorney
The firm serves as city or town attorney of these cities:
- Auburn
- Barstow
- Calabasas
- Grass Valley
- La Palma
- Lakeport
- Ojai
- Sierra Madre
- South Pasadena
- Yountville
Successor Agencies
The firm also serves as general counsel to the Successor Agencies to redevelopment agencies in these communities:
- Auburn
- Barstow
- Sierra Madre
- South Pasadena
General Counsel
The firm provides general counsel to these Oversight Boards:
- Huntington Park
- Pomona
- Rialto
- San Bernardino
- San Gabriel
- Temple City
We also serve as general counsel to these special districts, joint powers agencies and other special-purpose agencies:
- Calaveras LAFCO
- Downieville Fire Protection District
- First Five Yuba Commission
- Higgins Fire District
- Los Angeles County Law Library
- Ophir Hill Fire District
- Orangeline Development Authority
- Penn Valley Fire Protection District
- Pine Grove Community Services District
- Rough & Ready Fire Protection District
- Garden Valley Fire Protection District
- Los Osos Community Facilities District
- Nevada County Cemetery District
- North San Juan Fire Protection District
- Oak Tree Park and Recreation District
- San Diego LAFCO
- SELACO Workforce Investment Board
- Tahoe Forest Hospital District
- Yuba LAFCO
Special counsel projects for Counties, cities and special districts
We also do a wide range of special counsel projects for counties, cities and special districts around the state. Such projects have included:
- Representation of the Los Angeles County Civil Service Commission on matters as to which County Counsel had a conflict of interest
- Representation of Marin County in Greene v. Marin County Flood Control & Water Conservation District (2010) 49 Cal.4th 277(property-owner election on property-related fee not subject to ballot secrecy that applies to registered-voter elections)
- Public finance advice to the Nevada County Sanitation District No. 1
- Investigation of an Elected Official for Orange County
- Public finance advice to Riverside County
- Public finance advice to San Benito County
- Public finance advice to the City & County of San Francisco
- Representation of Riverside County in Beutz v. Riverside County (2010) 184 Cal.App.4th 1516 (challenge to park and recreation assessment under 1972 Landscaping & Lighting Act)
- Public finance advice to Ventura County
- Representation of the Ventura County Campaign Finance Commission
- Representation of the Ventura County Civil Service Commission
In short, Colantuono, Highsmith & Whatley, PC and its lawyers have deep experience in the full range of legal issues confronting California’s cities and counties and are well equipped to provide helpful, understandable and fairly priced advice as general counsel and in a wide range of special counsel assignments.
A representative listing of present and recent clients is here.