McCullough, John E.

John McClendon is an equity shareholder at the firm. John's practice focuses on the land use entitlement process with an emphasis on CEQA and other environmental laws, the Coastal Act, Planning & Zoning Law, Subdivision Map Act, and water law. An experienced litigator, he has brought and defended scores of environmental, land use, housing and water law actions, including more than a dozen before California's appellate courts.

John has assisted cities, redevelopment agencies, special districts and private developers in the preparation of legally defensible CEQA documents and findings, advising them on effective pre-litigation strategies and litigation defense. Since 2010, and again this year, he successfully defended two trial court actions challenging coastal developments. 

John has also represented numerous individuals and citizens groups in challenging controversial projects at the administrative stage, first before city and county decision-makers and later in court. Recently, in 2008, his representation of a group of property owners challenging a city's approval of a controversial 1,500-home development on 1,500 acres resulted in a court setting the project aside, and the acreage later became permanently protected open space.

John has represented private developer clients in negotiating and structuring numerous disposition and development agreements and owner participation agreements with California redevelopment agencies for projects in excess of $300 Million. Examples include the Jurupa Valley Spectrum, El/Paseo/Town Center Plaza (South Gate); Mission Promenade (Pomona) and the University Village Towers (Riverside).

John has also been responsible for overseeing the successful approval of numerous redevelopment plan adoptions, plan amendments, and project area mergers, including all CEQA compliance. Some of his more notable redevelopment projects include Anaheim Plaza, Century 25 Theaters in Orange, Ontario Mills mega-mall, the Ontario Auto Center and Ontario Convention Center.

John's focus on public law issues has also led to him accepting short-term and sometimes high-profile assignments as either interim or special counsel to public agencies. Examples include:

• Serving as special CEQA counsel to the City of Sierra Madre on the most controversial development project in that city's history.
• Serving as special counsel to the City of Rolling Hills Estates on a federal law "RLUIPA" matter.
• Serving as Interim District Counsel of the Los Osos Community Services District following a 2005 voter recall of the majority of its board.
• Serving as special CEQA counsel to Eastern Municipal Water District in an action brought by the U.S.A. in federal court.