Tentative ruling issued by Judge Thomas Anderle on Apr. 16, 2013 in Santa Barbara County, CA - Case no: xxxxx924

Nature of Proceedings: Writ of Mandate
CEQA petition for writ of mandate

RULING: Granted

After review and consideration of the briefs submitted by the parties and the administrative record, including detailed comparisons of the DEIR and the FEIR for the project, and after considerable research and reflection, the Court has determined that MFPD failed to proceed in a manner required by CEQA, and the petition for writ of mandate must be granted. Respondent MFPD is directed to vacate approval of the project, and approval of the FEIR, and prepare and circulate a legally adequate EIR with respect to agricultural impacts, project alternatives, inconsistencies with applicable policies, and cumulative impacts, as outlined below.

The Court will also note that the opposition brief emphasizes that it is Petitioner’s wish to have the fire station built anywhere but across East Valley Road from property owned by the Pines Trust, and is simply using this petiti….....