About Tim

Tim Taylor is one of Sacramento’s best known environmental and land use lawyers. He helps residential, commercial and industrial developers achieve compliance with California’s numerous land use and environmental laws, with a particular focus on the California Environmental Quality Act and related litigation. During his more than 25-year career, Tim has also dealt extensively with a wide range of federal environmental laws, including the National Environmental Policy Act, the Clean Water Act and the Endangered Species Act. He also represents numerous public agency clients on state planning, zoning, development and environmental law matters.

Tim served as the office managing partner for the firm’s California offices from 2009-2014, and was a member of the firm’s Executive Committee for much of that time. He was selected as the Sacramento Land Use & Zoning Law Lawyer of the Year in 2013 and the Sacramento Environmental Law Lawyer of the Year in 2012 by Best Lawyers^®.

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Experience

Tim represents numerous development interests in residential, commercial, and industrial matters, as well as public agency clients on matters concerning state planning, zoning, and development laws; the California Environmental Quality Act; and related federal and state environmental statutes

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Honors

Honors & Activities

Professional Honors and Activities

Named by Best Lawyers^® as Environmental Law "Lawyer of the Year," Sacramento, 2012 and 2015, and Land Use & Zoning Law "Lawyer of the Year," Sacramento, 2013
Included in The Best Lawyers in America^© (currently: Environmental Law, Land Use & Zoning Law), 2009-2017
Listed in Northern California Super Lawyers^®, (Environmental Litigation, Land Use, Environmental), 2005-2006, 2009-2017
Visiting professor, University of California, Davis, School of Law, 1994-2009; Lecturer, 2010-present
Past chair, Executive Committee, State Bar of California Environmental Law Section and CEQA Review Committee, 1992-2005
Co-Chair, Environmental Law Conference at Yosemite, 1999
Former member, Research Screening Committee, State of California Air Resources Board
Strategic Planning Advisory Committee, State Department of Toxic Substances Control
City of Davis Transportation Commission
Member, Davis Urban Development Agricultural Buffer Task Force

Awards and Honors

Public Servant of the Year, City of Davis Thong Hy Huynh Memorial Award, 2012

Civic Activities

Member, Advisory Board of Directors, California Environmental Law & Policy Center, UC Davis School of Law
Founding member, Board of Directors, and Vice Chair, Nehemiah Corporation of America, 1994-2006
Member, Board of Trustees, Davis Joint Unified School District, November 2005-present
Served on the boards of several nonprofit community organizations

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Insights & Presentations

Tim has lectured for the University of California, Davis Extension; the State Bar of California; the State Bar of California Environmental Law Section; the Sacramento County Bar Environmental Law Section; the California Chapter of the American Planning Association; the Association of Environmental Professionals; the League of California Cities; and numerous other groups on environmental, land use, and urban planning topics.
“California High Court Case Has Not Made CEQA Obsolete,” (co-author), Law360, Aug. 2014
“Sacramento Railyards: How the City of Sacramento is Facilitating Development of the Largest Brownfield Infill Site in America” (coauthor), California Real Property Journal, Vol. 29, No. 2, 20911
“State Supreme Court Sets Environmental Baseline” (coauthor) The Daily Journal, Apr. 1, 2010
“The California Environmental Quality Act: Assessment and Recommendations” (coauthor)
“The Endless Quest: Pursuing the Elusive Administrative Record in CEQA and Related Mandamus Proceedings” (coauthor), Environmental Law News, Vol. 14, No. 1, Summer 2005

Related News & Publications

Developer Tips: Top 11 Misperceptions about Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act - 7/9/2015

FAA Switches Off Autopilot, Issues Long-Awaited Proposed Rulemaking for Drone Usage - 2/17/2015

California Legislature Takes Another Pass at Regulating Drone Operators - 1/29/2015

With Updated FAA Drone Regulations Imminent, California Legislature Introduces Three New Drone Bills - 12/10/2014

FAA Clears the Drone Runway for Hollywood; California Governor Grounds AB-1327 - 10/16/2014

Drone Bill Passes Legislature, Heads to Governor - 9/18/2014

Taylor, Waterman and Cho Discuss California Supreme Court Decision's Effect on CEQA - 8/25/2014

Native American Business Law Alert: Significant Tax and Applicable Law Ambiguity in Proposed Revisions for Indian Lands Rights-of-Way Regulations - 7/17/2014

CEQA Reform Bill Falls Short of Expectations - 2/25/2013

Firms Offer Workplace Flexibility - 11/30/2012

Tribal Law Alert: All Indian Tribes Can Lease Tribal Land Without BIA Approval - 8/3/2012

California Supreme Court Upholds Legislation to Eliminate Redevelopment Agencies, Invalidates Option for Agencies to Survive by Sharing Tax Revenue - 12/29/2011

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