ABOUT THE BLOG
California has a complicated planning and development entitlement process at every level of government. Miller Starr Regalia’s Land Use Developments blog was created to provide practical information, judicial, legislative, and regulatory updates, tips, and guidelines on cutting edge issues to those in the land use industry, including property owners, developers, public agencies, and technical consultants. Shareholder Bryan W. Wenter, AICP, is the author of the blog.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Bryan W. Wenter, AICP, is a shareholder in Miller Starr Regalia’s Walnut Creek office and co-chair of the firm’s Land Use Department. His practice centers on land use, environmental compliance, and local government law, with a focus on obtaining, defending, and implementing land use entitlements throughout California for a wide range of complex development projects including mixed-use, master-planned and custom residential communities, hotels, retail/commercial, sports and entertainment, industrial, and educational. He has extensive experience obtaining project approvals pursuant to key housing production statutes such as the Housing Accountability Act, Density Bonus Law, and Senate Bill 330 and is actively involved in ongoing legislative efforts to strengthen such laws.
Bryan previously served as City Attorney and Assistant City Attorney for the City of Walnut Creek. In representing Walnut Creek, Bryan advised the City Council, Planning Commission, City Manager, and staff on all aspects of municipal law, including the Planning and Zoning Laws, Subdivision Map Act, CEQA, elections, public finance, public contracts, constitutional matters, Ralph M. Brown Act, Public Records Act, Political Reform Act, ethics, conflicts of interest, risk management, and code enforcement.
Bryan recently served on the Editorial Board for The Municipal Law Handbook, published by the League of California Cities. He is a member of the American Bar Association and served on the Executive Committee of ABA’s Section of State and Local Government Law. He is past chair of the Section’s Land Use Planning & Zoning Committee and co-chair of its Exactions and Impact Fees Subcommittee. He served as the Secretary/Treasurer of the American Planning Association’s Planning & Law Division and as the Division’s Newsletter Editor, as well as the Legislative Director of the Northern California Chapter of the American Planning Association.
Bryan is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) and is admitted to practice in California, Connecticut, and Massachusetts.
Bryan received his J.D. from the University of North Carolina School of Law in 2002, his M.R.P. from the University of North Carolina in 2002, and his B.A. from the University of Oregon in 1995.