Anne (“Annie”) Mudge is a partner in the San Francisco office of Cox Castle & Nicholson and co-chair of the Renewable Energy and Climate Change practice group. She is one of California’s leading siting and permitting lawyers for land use development and renewable energy projects. She was recognized as one of the Top 100 Lawyers in California in 2012, has twice been named among the Top 50 Women Lawyers in Northern California and was named a 2009 Green Leader by the California Real Estate Journal and a 2009 Woman of Influence in Northern California Real Estate. Her work includes siting and permitting major energy plants, industrial, commercial, residential development and major mixed-use communities. She is also a land use litigator with numerous published land use decisions. She has practiced for more than 25 years in the areas of CEQA, NEPA, zoning and planning, wetlands and endangered species, water supply planning, subdivisions, annexations, coastal development, and Williamson Act. She is the author of numerous articles on land use and environmental topics and speaks frequently on land use and renewable energy topics. From 2003 to 2009, she served as a Planning Commissioner for the City of Oakland.
Ms. Mudge received her Bachelor of Arts from Stanford University in 1984 and her Juris Doctor from Berkeley Law School in 1987.
Recent Development Experience
Ms. Mudge has been recognized as one of the top land use attorneys in California. She provides practical and timely advise on obtaining land use and environmental permits for complex development projects such as the following:
Renewable energy projects throughout California, including Shiloh I Wind Energy (150 MW), Shiloh II Wind Energy(150 MW), and Shiloh III Wind Energy (120 MW), Shiloh IV Wind Energy (102.5 MW), enXco V Repowering (9 MW), PdV/Manzana and PdV Infill Wind Energy(300 MW), Ocotillo Wind Energy(230 MW), Tylerhorse, Pacific Wind Energy (140 MW), Catalina Wind and Solar Energy (560 MW), Alta Oak Creek Mojave Wind Energy (800 MW), ChiPs Infill Wind Energy (100 MW), Alta Infill Wind Energy (150 MW), Alta East Wind Energy (250 MW), Granite Mountain Wind Energy (60 MW), Rosamond Solar (50 MW), FRV Valley Solar (70 MW), McKenzie Solar (20 MW), Borrego Solar (49 MW), Beacon Solar (250 MW), Mustang Hills Wind Energy (80 MW), Avenal Solar (39 MW), Lancaster Solar (20 MW), Eagle Mountain Solar (40 MW), Lucerne Solar (100 MW), Oro Verde Solar (450 MW), Tres Vaqueros Repowering Wind Energy (100 MW), Four Mile Geothermal Power Plant (49.5 MW), Buckeye Geothermal Plant (49 MW), Wildhorse Geothermal Plant (49 MW), Recycled Water Pipeline for Geysers Geothermal Steamfield.
Master planned communities, including Newark Areas 3 and 4 Specific Plan (1,200 units), Patterson Ranch (500 units), Coyote Valley (25,000 units), Panhandle (300 units), West Roseville Specific Plan (3,000 units), and University Park (500 units), Oak Knoll (900 units; 80,000 sq.ft. commercial).
Industrial, commercial and civic, including Gateking Industrial Park (4.2 million sq. ft), South San Francisco Scavenger Materials Recovery Facility (100,000 sq. ft.) Pyramid Ale Brewery (50,000 sq. ft.), Mountain View Cemetery Mausoleum and Chapel (30,000 sq. ft.), Clos de La Tech Winery and Vineyards (66 acres), Menlo Business Park, Claremont Hotel, St. Paul’s Episcopal School, Bently School, Head Royce School.
Professional Recognition and Honors
2012 Top 100 Lawyers in California
2011 Top 25 Clean Tech Lawyers in California
2010 Top 50 Women Lawyers in Northern California
2009 Top 50 Women Lawyers in Northern California
2009 Green Leader, California Real Estate Journal
2009 Northern California Women of Influence in Real Estate
2003-Present Northern California “Super Lawyer” in Land Use and Zoning
Reported Land Use Decisions
- CWIN v. City of Santa Clarita (2008) --- Cal.Rptr.3d ----, 2008 WL 1735399
- Yamagiwa v. City of Half Moon Bay (2007) 523 F. Supp. 2d 1036
- California Oaks Foundation v. City of Santa Clarita (2005) 35 Cal. Rptr. 434.
- Salmon Protection and Watershed Network (SPAWN) v. County of Marin (2004) 125 Cal. App. 4th 1098.
- Santa Teresa Citizen Action Group v. City of San Jose (2003) 114 Cal. App. 4th 689.
- City of Half Moon Bay v. Superior Court (2003) 106 Cal. App. 4th 795.
- COAST v. Seadrift Association (1998) 60 Cal. App. 4th 1053.
- San Joaquin Raptor v. County of Stanislaus (1994) 27 Cal. App.4th 713.
- Laurel Heights Improvement Association v. Regents of the University of California (1993) 6 Cal.4th 1112.
Professional Activities
- Siting Advisor, California Wind Energy Association (CalWEA)
- Member, Executive Committee of the Environmental Law Section of the State Bar of California (1995-98)
- Editor, Environmental Law News (1996-98)
- Editor, Public Law Journal (1993-95)
- Member, Executive Committee, Public Law Section, State Bar of California (1992-95)
- Member, Bar Association of San Francisco.
Community Activities
- Planning Commissioner, Oakland Planning Commission (2003-2009)
- Chair, Oakland Planning Commission (2006-2007
- Fundraiser/volunteer, Jack London Youth Soccer League (2001-present)
- Co-President, Oakland Strokes, Inc. (2007-2008) (Youth rowing)
- Board and team member, East Bay Rowing Club (2008-present) (Masters Rowing)
Selected Publications
- “U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Issues Final Land-Based Wind Energy Guidelines”, Client Alert (04.06.12)
- “American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 – Renewable Energy”, Client Alert (2.20.09)
- “Court Highlights Risk of Violating CEQA with Water Supply Contracts”, Client Alert (02.02.09)
- “Air Resources Board Releases Proposed Draft of CEQA Guidance on Greenhouse Gas Emissions”, Client Alert (10.24.08)
- “The Flow of Water – Who Makes the Call About Water Supply Assessments”, Perspectives (Summer 2008)
- “Office of Planning and Research Issues its Technical Advisory on CEQA and Climate Change”, Client Alert (06.19.08)
- “California Supreme Court Upholds Bay-Delta Environmental Impact Report, Including Alternatives Analysis and Programmatic Level of Impact Review” (06.10.08)
- “Cox, Castle Litigators Win Important Water Case,” CCN Perspectives (2008)
- “Altamont Plaintiffs Use Novel Theory In Lawsuit,” North American Windpower (January 2006)
- “Overruled, Court Rejects Coastal Commission Wetlands Finding,” California Builder (May/June 2003)
- “A Culture of Unconstitutionality at the Coastal Commission,” California Land Use Law and Policy Reporter (May 2003)
- “A Paradigm Shift in UST Cleanups: A Revolution Sputters,” Environmental Law News (Winter 1996)
- “Property Rights in the Courts,” Urban Land (ULI) (May 1995)
- “The Eight Most Important Land Use and Environmental Cases of 1994,” Public Law Journal (Winter 1995)
- “Paying For Schools in California: School Impact Fees Revisited,” Public Law Journal (Winter 1993)
- “Development Impact Fees Under California Law and the Continued Erosion of the Nollan Decision,” Public Law Journal (Spring 1992)
Recent Speaking Engagements
- California County Wind Ordinances: Facing & Overcoming Obstacles, 2012 AEP Annual State Conference, May 7, 2012
- Energy Facility Permitting: Resolving the Conflicts Between CEQA Review Processes and California's Renewable Energy Development Goals, Law Seminars International CEQA Conference, April 30, 2012
- California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA): New Legislative and Regulatory Developments, and Practical Guidance Tips for Navigating the Changes, Law Seminars International, April 30, 2012
- AWEA’s Wind Project Sitting Seminar, February 29, 2012
- The ELS’ Neighborhood Clean Energy: Planning & Developing Local Renewable Energy Generating in California, February 2, 2012
- Wind Development for Professionals, Turning Ideas into a Wind Generation Asset, AWEA WindPower 2011, May 22, 2011
- Strategies to Enhance the West’s Renewable Energy Resources and Line Siting Capabilities, Western Regional Partnership Energy Committee Meeting, April 7, 2011
- CalWEA 10th Anniversary & Annual Meeting, California Wind Energy Association, September 29, 2010
- CLE Land Use Law & Policy Conference, Understanding the Shifting Regulatory and Legal Landscape in California, September 23, 2010
- “CEQA Basics for Planning Commissioners,” 2010 Southern District Spring Conference for the California County Planning Commissioners Association, May 1, 2010
- “Opportunities, Challenges and Barriers to Renewable Energy Projects in the Southwest United States,” USC Gould School of Law 2010 Real Estate Law & Business Forum, April 14, 2010
- “Wind and Radar; Resolving Permitting Hurdles,” California Wind Energy Association, Annual Meeting, November 11, 2009
- “New Developments in Permitting & Siting Wind Energy Development,” The Seminar Group’s Developing Wind Power Projects in California Conference, September 17, 2009
- “CEQA and Climate Change, Land Use in Northern California,” Law Seminars International,
March 19, 2009
Experience
- Cox, Castle & Nicholson LLP, Partner, 2007 - present
- Morrison & Foerster, LLP, Partner, 2005 – 2007
- Stoel Rives LLP, Partner, 1993 – 2005, a combination with Washburn, Briscoe, and McCarthy
- Howard, Rice, Nemerovski, Canady & Falk, Associate, 1989 – 1993
- Meyers, Nave, Riback, Silver & Wilson, Associate, 1987 – 1989
