Christopher Luke Stiles

Partner

Mr. Stiles’ practice focuses on land use and environmental law, with emphasis on the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the State Planning and Zoning Law, the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Endangered Species Act, the California Endangered Species Act, air and water quality, natural resources, wetlands, and related matters. He handles all phases of the land use entitlement and permitting processes, including administrative approvals and litigation.

Before joining Remy Moose Manley, LLP, Mr. Stiles worked as a graduate fellow at the California Energy Commission, where he worked on a number of land use and environmental issues relating to energy in California, including the siting and licensing of new power-plant projects. While in law school, he clerked with the California Environmental Protection Agency, the California Department of Fish and Game (now Department of Fish and Wildlife), and the Delta Stewardship Council.

Mr. Stiles teaches several land use and environmental law continuing education classes and seminars each year for professional organizations such as the Association of Environmental Professionals.

Representative Matters:

• Represent Oakland Athletics Investment Group LLC in the preparation of an EIR for a new ballpark and mixed-use development project near Howard Terminal in the City of Oakland. Represented Oakland Athletics Investment Group LLC in litigation challenging special legislation for the project. (Pacific Merchant Shipping Association v. Newsom (2021) 67 Cal.App.5th 711.)
• Represent California High-Speed Rail Authority in on-going preparation of multiple EIR/EISs for the statewide high-speed train project. Assisted in litigation defending EIR prepared for Merced-to-Fresno section of the project.
• Represented GSW Arena LLC as associate counsel in litigation challenging an EIR and various entitlements for an event center and mixed-use development project proposed by the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Assisted in successful defense on appeal before the First District Court of Appeal (Mission Bay Alliance v. Office of Community Investment and Infrastructure (2016) 6 Cal.App.5th 160).
• Represented developer in litigation challenging an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) and various entitlements issued by the City and County of San Francisco for a mixed-use development project located along the India Basin shoreline of San Francisco Bay. The project site covers approximately 38.24 acres and consists of approximately 1,575 residential units, over 200,000 square feet of commercial space, public parkland and open space, and other uses.
• Represented the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency as associate counsel in challenge to Tahoe Area Regional Plan and associated environmental review. Assisted in successful defense on appeal before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals (Sierra Club v. Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (9th Cir. 2016) 840 F.3d 1106).
• Represented California Department of Water Resources in the preparation of an Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Study (EIR/EIS) and related litigation for a water conveyance project in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta known as the California WaterFix.
• Advised Calaveras County during the preparation and adoption of a zoning ordinance regarding the regulation of cannabis and other approvals related to the cannabis program. Represented the County in litigation challenging the approval of the cannabis ordinance. Also assisted with the development and environmental review for multiple amendments to the cannabis ordinance and represented the County in litigation challenging the amendments.
• Represents numerous public agencies and private developers through environmental review and litigation for various commercial, residential, and mixed-use development projects.

Published Cases:

• East Oakland Stadium Alliance v. City of Oakland (2023) 89 Cal.App.5th 1226
• Ocean Street Extension Neighborhood Assn. v. City of Santa Cruz (2022) 73 Cal.App.5th 985.
• Pacific Merchant Shipping Association v. Newsom (2021) 67 Cal.App.5th 711.
• Cleveland National Forest Foundation v. San Diego Association of Governments (2017) 3 Cal.5th 497 (as Amicus Curiae).
• Mission Bay Alliance v. Office of Community Investment and Infrastructure (2016) 6 Cal.App.5th 160.

Casey A. Shorrock

Associate

Ms. Shorrock joined the firm as an associate in 2019. Her practice focuses on environmental and land use law and includes CEQA, NEPA, natural resources, endangered species and wetlands, air and water quality, climate change, solid waste, wildfire prevention regulation, and local environmental and land use ordinances. Ms. Shorrock also specializes in preparing and reviewing complex environmental documentation and managing consultant involvement.

Ms. Shorrock’s representative matters include:

• Associate outside counsel to the High Speed Rail Authority of the State of California for the environmental planning and permitting of the Statewide High-Speed Rail Project.
• Associate outside counsel representing the City of Los Angeles in successful Ninth Circuit litigation challenging the FAA’s approval of the Bob Hope “Hollywood Burbank” Airport Replacement Passenger Terminal Project and issuance of its Final EIS/ROD under NEPA (City of Los Angeles v. Federal Aviation Administration (2023) (9th Cir.) 63 F.4th 835).
• Associate outside counsel representing the City of Monterey in successful litigation challenging the approval of the Monterey Peninsula Airport District’s Updated Airport Master Plan and certification of the addendum to its Final EIR.
• Associate outside counsel representing the Town of Danville in successful litigation challenging Contra Costa County’s approval of the Tassajara Parks Mixed-Use Development Project and certification of its Final EIR.
• Associate outside counsel representing East Sacramento Ranch, LLC, in litigation defending Sacramento County’s approval of the NewBridge Specific Plan and certification of its Final EIR, resulting in successful settlement.
• Associate outside counsel to Westpark Communities for the successful approval of the Sierra View & Sierra Vista Specific Plan Redesignation and Rezoning Project combined CEQA document in the City of Roseville.
• Associate outside counsel to Divert, Inc., for environmental planning and permitting of its successfully approved organic waste recovery and reuse facilities in the City of Turlock.
• Associate outside counsel representing the City of Los Angeles in litigation challenging approval of its Sidewalk and Transit Amenities Program and adoption of its MND.
• Associate outside counsel to the City of Los Angeles for its Safe Sidewalks LA Program EIR.
• Associate outside counsel representing Evergreen Sierra East, LLC, and Cresleigh Homes Corporation for the College Park Mixed-Use Development Project EIR in the City of Rocklin, resulting in successful settlement.

Prior to attending law school, Ms. Shorrock had a career as an environmental consultant and planner, working with and for agencies at all levels of government, with special experience on tribal projects. Ms. Shorrock managed the environmental review process for a variety of development and infrastructure projects and government actions, including preparation of state, federal, tribal, and joint environmental documents, alongside a focus on federal permitting and streamlining of environmental regulatory compliance.

During law school, Ms. Shorrock interned for Judge Kimberley J. Mueller at the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California, and worked as a researcher and editor for a UC Davis law school professor on an article testing administrative law theories. Ms. Shorrock also was a summer associate for Remy Moose Manley, LLP. While at McGeorge, Ms. Shorrock was awarded the Stauffer Charitable Trust Fellowship for her paper Environmentally Responsible and Streamlined Development in California: The Promise of CEQA’s Class 32 Exemption and Witkin Awards for academic excellence in Environmental Law and Oceans/Coastal Law. Ms. Shorrock attended law school on a full merit scholarship as an Anthony M. Kennedy Fellow.

Bridget K. McDonald

Associate

Bridget K. McDonald is an associate attorney in the Sacramento-based boutique law firm of Remy Moose Manley, LLP, which specializes in environmental law, land use and planning, water law, initiatives and referenda, and administrative law generally. Ms. McDonald joined the firm in 2019.

Ms. McDonald’s practice focuses on land use/zoning, environmental, and housing law, handling all phases of the land use entitlement and permitting processes, including administrative approvals and litigation. Her practice includes issues arising under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the State Planning and Zoning Law, the Housing Accountability Act, the State Density Bonus Law, the State General Plan Law, the California Coastal Act, the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA), and other state and federal environmental, land use/zoning, housing, and municipal statutes.

Ms. McDonald received her Bachelors and Masters of Arts degrees in environmental studies from the University of Southern California, and her Juris Doctorate from the University of California at Davis. Prior to law school, Ms. McDonald oversaw the Los Angeles events and outreach department for the national nonprofit organization, Best Friends Animal Society. During law school, Ms. McDonald was the managing editor of Environs, the Environmental Law and Policy Journal, the symposium chair for the Environmental Law Society, and the co-founder of the Student Animal Legal Defense Fund. As a student, Ms. McDonald practiced in the Aoki Water Justice Clinic, externed for the California Department of Water Resources and the State Water Resources Control Board’s Office of Enforcement, and worked as the firm’s 2018 summer associate.

Ms. McDonald’s representative and advisory matters include:

• Outside counsel to the City of Los Angeles in several ongoing litigation matters defending the City’s compliance with CEQA for various development projects.
• Outside counsel to the County of Humboldt in several ongoing litigation matters defending the County’s compliance with CEQA for various approvals and cannabis matters.
• Outside counsel to the Marina Coast Water District in several ongoing litigation actions relating to a large desalination plant.
• Outside counsel to Rogal Partners and Eldridge Renewal in connection with the Sonoma Developmental Center Specific Plan housing development project.
• Advise and assist the City of Alameda in connection with reviewing and commenting on CEQA and NEPA documents prepared for projects proposed at the Oakland International Airport and the Port of Oakland.
• Advise and assist the Port of Los Angeles with its CEQA review of various projects.
• Provide pro-bono legal assistance to the non-profit organizations of We Are Up, Keep the Code, Inc., and the Tahoe Prosperity Center.
• Selected Cases:
• • United Neighborhoods for Los Angeles v. City of Los Angeles (2023) 93 Cal.App.5th 1075 (counsel of record for the City of Los Angeles in CEQA action challenging the City’s approval of the Whitley Hotel project).
  • Marina Coast Water District v. County of Monterey (2023) 96 Cal.App.5th 46 (assisted with trial and appellate litigation representing Marina Coast Water District in CEQA action challenging the County’s approval of development permits to construct a proposed desalination plant).
  • East Oakland Stadium Alliance v. City of Oakland (2023) 89 Cal.App.5th 1226 (assisted with trial and appellate litigation representing the Oakland Athletics Investment Group LLC in CEQA action challenging new MLB ball-park and mixed-use development project at Howard Terminal in the City of Oakland).
  • HUM CPR Affiliates v. Couty of Humboldt (Cal. Ct. App., 2022 [A161918]) (counsel of record for County of Humboldt; successfully upheld denial of petition based on failure to exhaust administrative remedies in action challenging County’s approval of zoning text amendments).
  • Lehman v. County of Humboldt (Cal. Ct. App., 2022 [A162986]) (counsel of record for County of Humboldt; successfully cross-appealed denial of motion to dismiss due to petitioner’s failure to comply with Public Resources Code section 21167.4).
    

James G. Moose

Senior Partner

Mr. Moose joined the firm in 1986 as an associate, became a partner in 1990, and is now the longest-serving partner in the firm.  His practice focuses on land use, water, and environmental matters, with an emphasis on issues arising under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the State Planning and Zoning Law, the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Endangered Species Act, the California Endangered Species Act, and other relevant land use and environmental statutes.  He represents public agencies, project proponents, consulting firms, non-profit organizations, and individuals.  He handles all phases of the land use entitlement process and permitting processes, including administrative approvals and litigation. Over the course of his career, he has also participated in drafting amendments to CEQA and the CEQA Guidelines.

Along with his former partner Tina Thomas and Whit Manley (Of Counsel to RMM), Mr. Moose is co-author of Guide to the California Environmental Quality Act (11th ed. 2007, Solano Press Books).

Representative matters in which Mr. Moose is currently involved, or has recently been involved, include the following:

• Outside counsel to the City of Salinas on a variety of land use matters;
• Outside counsel to the City of Santa Cruz on a variety of environmental, land use, and water-related matters;
• Outside counsel to San Diego County relating to matters involving litigation over the County’s Climate Action Plan;
• Counsel to Del Puerto Water District with respect to legal challenges to its EIR for the Del Puerto Canyon Reservoir project;
• CEQA counsel to the Semitropic Water Storage District with respect to the proposed Tulare Lake Storage and Floodwater Protection Project
• Counsel to the Semitropic Water Storage District Groundwater Sustainability Agency with respect to projects implementing that body’s Groundwater Sustainability Plan;
• Counsel to CommonSpirit Health in connection with a hospital expansion in the City of Stockton and other hospital projects in California;
• Land use counsel to Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores with respect to the company’s proposed travel centers in California;
• Counsel to Cresleigh Homes Corporation and Evergreen Sierra East, LLC, with respect to the College Park housing project in the City of Rocklin;
• Counsel to Dana Reserve, LLC, with respect to the Dana Reserve Specific Plan in San Luis Obispo County;
• Counsel to Best Development Group with respect to Grocery Outlet projects in King City and the City of Fort Bragg;
• Counsel to Buzz Oates Construction with respect to the Givannoni Logistics project in the City of American Canyon and the Suisun Logistics Center project in the City of Suisun;
• Counsel to Westpark Communities regarding various development projects in the City of Roseville;
• Counsel to RiverWalk, LLC, with respect to the River Walk Specific Plan, proposed for annexation into the City of Riverbank in Stanislaus County;
• Counsel to Friant Ranch LP in litigation over the adequacy of Fresno County’s EIR for the Friant Ranch Specific Plan and in continuing planning efforts related to that project;
• Counsel for the R. Jeter Family Trust in connection with the Dorsey Marketplace project in the City of Grass Valley;
• Counsel for Star Concrete in connection with proposed mining operations in San Benito County;
• Counsel to the K H Moss Company with respect to litigation over mini-storage facilities in Granite Bay in Placer County;
• Counsel to Metro Air Park, LLC, in connection with zoning amendments affecting land uses in the Metro Air Park Special Planning Area in Sacramento County;
• Counsel for Placer Ranch Inc., in Placer County litigation over the Placer Ranch Specific Plan and Sunset Area Plan projects;
• Counsel for East Sacramento Ranch, LLC, in connection with the NewBridge Specific Plan project in Sacramento County;
• Litigation counsel to Yorba Linda Estates, LLC, with respect to its Esperanza Hills project in Orange County adjacent to Chino Hills State Park;
• Counsel to Rancho Cañada Venture, LLC, with respect to the Rancho Cañada Village Project in Monterey County;
• Counsel for Oakmont Senior Living with respect to its proposed Villages at Town Center West project in El Dorado County;
• CEQA counsel to the Klamath River Renewal Corporation, which is responsible for removing multiple hydroelectric dams on the Klamath River in order to recreate free-flowing conditions for the benefit of anadromous fish;
• Outside counsel to Marin County with respect to litigation in which the Salmon Protection and Watershed Network (SPAWN) and other environmental groups have challenged the County’s General Plan with respect to land use policies in the San Geronimo Valley;
• Outside counsel to the California Department of Water Resources with respect to proposed new water diversion and conveyance facilities in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta;
• Outside counsel to the California Department of Water Resources with respect to the preparation of an environmental report for the long-term operations of the State Water Project;
• Outside counsel to the California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection with respect to the preparation of a programmatic environmental impact report for the California Vegetation Treatment Program (Cal VTP), which involves the use of prescribed fires and other techniques to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire and to restore forest health, and in litigation over the approval of that project;
• Outside counsel to the California High-Speed Rail Authority in CEQA litigation over the adequacy of the EIR for the Merced to Fresno segment of the future statewide high-speed train system;
• Outside counsel to the California Governor’s Office and the California Department of Conservation with respect to the EIR required by Senate Bill 4 (Pavley 2013) on the subject of “well stimulation treatment” (including hydraulic fracturing) in California;
• Outside counsel to the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission with respect to the proposed North Coast Rail Trail Project;
• Outside counsel to the City of Roseville on a variety of land use and environmental matters;
• Outside counsel to the Sonoma Valley Unified School District with respect to litigation over the District’s Sonoma Valley High School Athletic Fields Renovation Project;
• Outside counsel to the Sierra Community College District with respect to its Facilities Master Plan Update for its Sierra College Campus in Rocklin; and
• Outside counsel to the North Kern Water District with respect to CEQA issues associated with competing water rights applications on the Kern River.

Published Cases

Parkford Owners for a Better Community v. Windeshausen (2022) 81 Cal.App.5th 216; Sierra Club v. County of Fresno (2020) 57 Cal.App.5th 979; Parkford Owners for a Better Community v. County of Placer (2020) 54 Cal.App.5th 714; Sierra Club v. County of Fresno (2018) 6 Cal.5th 502; High Sierra Rural Alliance v. County of Plumas (2018) 29 Cal.App.5th 102; Friends of the College of San Mateo Gardens v. San Mateo County Community College District (2017) 11 Cal.App.5th 596; Mission Bay Alliance v. Office of Community Investment and Infrastructure (2016) 6 Cal.App.5th 160; Friends of the College of San Mateo Gardens v. San Mateo County Community College District (2016) 1 Cal.5th 937; Keep Our Mountains Quiet v. County of Santa Clara (2015) 236 Cal.App.4th 714; Citizens for a Green San Mateo v. San Mateo Community College District (2014) 226 Cal.App.4th 1572; South County Citizens for Smart Growth v. County of Nevada (2013) 221 Cal.App.4th 316; Alliance for the Protection of the Auburn Community Environment v. County of Placer (2013) 215 Cal.App.4th 25; Habitat and Watershed Caretakers v. City of Santa Cruz (2013) 213 Cal.App.4th 1277; Salmon Protection and Watershed Network v. County of Marin (2012) 205 Cal.App.4th 195; Save the Plastic Bag Coalition v. City of Manhattan Beach (2011) 52 Cal.4th 155; California Native Plant Society v. City of Santa Cruz (2009) 177 Cal.App.4th 957; California Native Plant Society v. City of Rancho Cordova (2009) 172 Cal.App.4th 603; Vineyard Area Citizens for Responsible Growth, Inc. v. City of Rancho Cordova (2007) 40 Cal.4th 412; Sierra Club v. County of Napa (2004) 121 Cal.App.4th 1490; Californians Against Waste v. California Department of Conservation (2002) 104 Cal.App.4th 317; CalBeach Advocates v. City of Solana Beach (2002) 103 Cal.App.4th 529; County of Amador v. El Dorado County Water Agency (1999) 76 Cal.App.4th 931; Chaparral Greens v. City of Chula Vista (1996) 50 Cal.App.4th 1134;  Stanislaus Audubon Society, Inc. v. Stanislaus County (1995) 33 Cal.App.4th 144; Western States Petroleum Assn. v. Superior Court (1995) 9 Cal.4th 559; Sacramento County v. Local Agency Formation Commission (1992) 3 Cal.4th 903;City of Sacramento v. State Water Resources Control Board (1992) 2 Cal.App.4th 960; Citizens of Goleta Valley v. Board of Supervisors of Santa Barbara (1990) 52 Cal.3d 553; Oro Fino Gold Mining Corp. v. County of El Dorado (1990) 225 Cal.App.3d 872; Kings County Farm Bureau v. City of Hanford (1990)  221 Cal.App.3d 692; Midway Orchards v. County of Butte (1990) 220 Cal.App.3d 765; Mountain Lion Coalition et al. v. California Fish and Game Commission et al.(1989) 214 Cal.App.3d 1043; City of Hanford v. Superior Court (1989) 208 Cal.App.3d 580;Citizens for Quality Growth v. City of Mt Shasta (1988) 198 Cal.App.3d 433; and Emmington v. Solano County Redevelopment Agency (1987) 195 Cal.App.3d 491.

For many years, Mr. Moose regularly taught CEQA courses and seminars or lectures for such organizations as the UC Davis Extension Program, the Association of Environmental Professionals, CLE International, Lorman International, and the California Continuing Education of the Bar program, State Bar Environmental Law Conference at Yosemite. He serves on the Advisory Board to the Center for Law, Energy, and the Environment (CLEE) at Berkeley Law. He is also former President of Solar Cookers International, a Sacramento-based international nonprofit corporation focused on encouraging the use of solar thermal cooking around the world.

Elizabeth Pollock

Senior Associate

Ms. Pollock joined the firm in 2015 and is a senior associate. Her practice focuses on land use and environmental law. Ms. Pollock handles all phases of the land use entitlement and permitting processes, including administrative approvals and litigation. Her practice covers the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Section 4(f) of the Department of Transportation Act, natural resources, endangered species, air and water quality, and other land use and environmental statutes.

Ms. Pollock’s representative matters include:

• Associate outside counsel to Tuolumne County on an update of its General Plan
• Associate outside land use counsel to Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores regarding its proposed travel stops in California
• Associate outside counsel assisting the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority in its CEQA review of several transit and transportation projects and in litigation challenging the approval of various public transit projects
• Associate counsel representing the developer (real party) in litigation defending Napa County’s approval and environmental review of a winery project
• As associate counsel, successfully defended the Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board in litigation challenging the environmental review for the electrification and modernization project to improve the Caltrain commuter rail service on the San Francisco Peninsula
• Associate counsel representing the developer (real party) in litigation defending the City of Los Angeles’s approval of an environmentally sustainable mixed-use housing building

As a law student at University of California, Davis (King Hall), Ms. Pollock served as Editor-in-Chief of Environs, the Environmental Law and Policy Journal. Prior to joining Remy Moose Manley, LLP, Ms. Pollock worked for six years as a Deputy Attorney III for the California Department of Transportation, and for one year as an Environmental Circuit Prosecutor for the Circuit Prosecutor Project. During her time working for Caltrans, she did a one-year rotation with the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research, where she assisted with drafting revisions to the CEQA Guidelines.

Ms. Pollock teaches land use and environmental law courses and seminars at the University of California, Davis Extension and for the Association of Environmental Professionals.

Laura M. Harris

Senior Counsel

Ms. Harris joined the firm in 2006 and is a senior counsel in the firm. Her practice focuses on land use and environmental law.  Ms. Harris handles all phases of the land use entitlement and permitting processes, including administrative approvals and litigation. Ms. Harris’s practice covers the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the State Planning and Zoning Law, the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA), air quality, climate change, water quality, vehicle miles traveled, affordable housing, natural resources, endangered species, wetlands and related matters.

Ms. Harris assisted in the successful defense of appeals in several published decisions, including: Parkford Owners for a Better Community v. County of Placer (2020) 54 Cal.App.5th 714; Placerville Historic Preservation League v. Judicial Council of California (2017) 16 Cal.App.5th 187; Beverly Hills Unified School District v. Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (2015) 241 Cal.App.4th 627; Citizens for Open Government v. City of Lodi (2012) 205 Cal.App.4th 296; and South County Citizens for Smart Growth v. County of Nevada (2013) 221 Cal.App.4th 316, as well as in the successful defense and prosecution of a cross-appeal in Planning and Conservation League et al. v. Castaic Lake Water Agency et al. (2009) 180 Cal.App.4th 210. Ms. Harris is currently actively defending several lawsuits brought under CEQA NEPA, and ESA.

Representative matters include:

• Currently assisting the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority in its CEQA and NEPA review of and land use litigation over various public transit projects.
• Currently defending the City of Inglewood in its CEQA review of the Inglewood Transit Connector.
• Currently assisting the Yuba County Water Agency in ESA litigation over the biological opinion and letter of concurrence adopted for the Daguerre Point Dam and Englebright Dam in the lower Yuba River.

Brian J. Plant

Of Counsel