California Environmental Quality Act: attorney's fees: infill housing.

The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires a lead agency, as defined, to prepare, or cause to be prepared, and certify the completion of an environmental impact report on a project that it proposes to carry out or approve that may have a significant impact on the environment or to adopt a negative declaration if it finds that the project will not have that impact. CEQA establishes procedures by which certain parties may file an action or proceeding challenging the lead agency's action on the ground of noncompliance with CEQA. Existing law authorizes the court, upon the motion of a party, to award attorney's fees to a prevailing party in an action that has resulted in the enforcement of an important right affecting the public interest if 3 conditions are met. This bill would, in an action or proceeding related to a project involving the development of housing at an infill site brought pursuant to CEQA, authorize the court, upon motion of a party, to award reasonable attorney's fees to a party if the court makes certain findings. The bill would require the Judicial Council to adopt a rule of court to implement this provision.