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Associate
Elisa L. Paster is a member of Gilchrist & Rutter's Land Use, Sustainability and Real Estate Practice Groups. Ms. Paster represents developers, land owners, investors and municipal governments in all aspects of land use and entitlements matters, including CEQA, Subdivision Map Act, and Planning and Zoning Law compliance, redevelopment areas, development agreements, due diligence review, and transactional issues. She has experience entitling a wide range of projects, from urban infill to mixed-use Master Planned Communities, and has defended those projects against litigation challenges in trial and appellate courts.
Prior to attending law school, Ms. Paster worked for five years as a policy analyst and urban planner in Albuquerque, New Mexico. This experience "behind the counter" in a municipal planning department allows Ms. Paster to provide a heightened level of service to her clients.
Ms. Paster received her J.D. from the University of New Mexico, graduating Order of the Coif, where she served as the editor of the Natural Resources Journal. She received her M.Sc. degree in Urban Planning from the University College of London, Bartlett School of Architecture, graduating with highest honors. She graduated cum laude from Bryn Mawr College with a B.A. degree in the Growth and Structure of Cities.
Representative Experience:
- Master Planned Community: Representation of national developer in the planning and entitlement of a former military base as a master planned community, including CEQA compliance and review of environmental impact reports, preparation of entitlement applications, and participation in public hearings.
- Master Planned Community: Representation of national developer in the planning and entitlement of a mixed-use, sustainable, and cutting edge community, including political strategy, purchase and sale agreements, condemnation litigation, water resource and utility planning and acquisition, economic development and joint venture agreements.
- Residential Infill: Representation of national developer in all aspects of the entitlement of the largest residential development in the City of West Hollywood.
- Urban Entitlement: Representation of one of the largest medical centers in Los Angeles with extension of a development agreement, CEQA compliance, and expansion of entitlements for the medical center campus to allow construction of major new facilities.
- CEQA and Density Bonus Litigation: Defense of national developer in CEQA litigation challenging the approval of state mandated density bonus units and a development agreement, resulting in favorable rulings and settlement.
- Municipal Litigation: Defense of California joint powers entity in municipal litigation and drafting defensible ordinances to govern open space and park facilities.
- Real Estate Acquisition and Due Diligence: Representation of global private investment firm with land use entitlement analysis for the acquisition of a portfolio of shopping centers, office buildings, mixed-use projects with related land and development agreements, including transfer agreements, future entitlement planning, meeting with municipal leaders, and negotiation of terms.
- Real Estate Due Diligence: Representation of global real estate fund in the acquisition and entitlement analysis of distressed real estate properties.
Bar Admissions:
California, 2005
New Mexico, 2004
Missouri, 2003
Professional Associations and Memberships:
California Bar Association
Member
Los Angeles County Bar Association
Member
New Mexico Bar Association
Member
Missouri Bar Association
Member
American Planning Association
Member
Lobbyist, Registered with the City of Los Angeles and West Hollywood
Published Works:
California Court Upholds San Diego On Discretion on Greenhouse Gas
Issues, August 22, 2011
Editor of the national quarterly newsletter of the Planning and Law Division of the American Planning Association.
“Kelo 2006 Round-Up: Results of the 2006 Elections and Looking Toward the Future”, Planning and Law Newsletter
“Clean Water Act Still Murky: High Court Fails to Provide Clear Guidance on Wetlands,” Client Alert
“Agricultural Preservation Techniques,” a chapter of West’s 2005 Zoning Deskbook
Los Angeles to Increase Land Use Application Fees, September 14, 2009, Client Alert
Los Angeles Adopts Sustainable Building Ordinance, July 11, 2008, Client Alert
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