No. 25-958

George Sheetz v. County of El Dorado, California

Lower Court: California
Docketed: 2026-02-11
Status: Pending
Type: Paid
Amici (5)Response RequestedResponse Waived Experienced Counsel
Tags: development-exaction impact-fee legislative-process permit-conditions rough-proportionality takings-clause
Latest Conference: N/A
Question Presented (from Petition)

El Dorado County conditioned issuance of George Sheetz's residential building permit on a requirement that he pay a $23,420 traffic impact mitigation fee designed largely to offset impacts of new commercial development in addition to the relatively small traffic impacts of his proposed home. The court below upheld the exaction under a state court created rule that the County's use of a "rational" legislative process to establish the fee program satisfies both the nexus requirement of Nollan v. California Coastal Commission, 483 U.S. 825 (1987), and the rough proportionality requirement of Dolan v. City of Tigard, 512 U.S. 374 (1994). The court therefore held that the County's legislative requirement that residential developers pay for impacts caused by commercial development satisfied Nollan and Dolan.

1. Does the Takings Clause's protection against unconstitutional permit conditions encompass an evidentiary requirement (as opposed to a legislative process) by which the government bears the burden to demonstrate that its development permit exaction complies with Dolan's "rough proportionality" standard?

2. Can an impact fee be roughly proportional when imposed on one discrete class of development (residential) for the purpose of addressing impacts caused by another discrete class of development (commercial)?

Question Presented (AI Summary)

Does the Takings Clause's protection against unconstitutional permit conditions encompass an evidentiary requirement by which the government must demonstrate compliance with Dolan's 'rough proportionality' standard, and can an impact fee be roughly proportional when imposed on residential development to address impacts caused by commercial development?

Docket Entries

2026-04-01
Brief amicus curiae of Citizen Action Defense Fund filed. (Resubmitted - April 7, 2026)
2026-04-01
Brief amici curiae of National Association of Home Builders, et al. filed.
2026-04-01
Brief amici curiae of Texas Public Policy Foundation, et al. filed.
2026-04-01
Brief amici curiae of The National Association of Home Builders, et al. filed.
2026-04-01
Amicus brief of The National Association of Home Builders, California Building Industry Association, Building Industry Association of the Bay Area, the National Association of Realtors and the California Association of Realtors submitted.
2026-04-01
Amicus brief of Citizen Action Defense Fund submitted.
2026-03-30
Amicus brief of BUILDING INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION OF THE GREATER VALLEY submitted.
2026-03-30
Brief amicus curiae of Building Industry Association of the Greater Valley filed.
2026-03-12
Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted in part and the time is extended to and including May 12, 2026.
2026-03-06
Motion to extend the time to file a response from April 1, 2026 to May 18, 2026, submitted to The Clerk.
2026-03-06
Motion of County of El Dorado, CA for an extension of time submitted.
2026-03-02
Response Requested. (Due April 1, 2026)
2026-02-25
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 3/20/2026.
2026-02-20
Waiver of right of respondent County of El Dorado, California to respond filed.
2026-02-20
Waiver of right of respondent County of El Dorado, CA to respond filed.
2026-02-09
Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due March 13, 2026)

Attorneys

BUILDING INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION OF THE GREATER VALLEY
Brett Spencer JolleyMcKinley Conger Jolley & Galarneau, LLP, Amicus
Citizen Action Defense Fund
Sam SpiegelmanCitizen Action Defense Fund, Amicus
County of El Dorado, CA
Aileen Marie McGrathMorrison & Foerster LLP, Respondent
George Sheetz
Brian Trevor HodgesPacific Legal Foundation, Petitioner
Texas Public Policy Foundation
Chance Dean WeldonTexas Public Policy Foundation, Amicus
The National Association of Home Builders, California Building Industry Association, Building Industry Association of the Bay Area, the National Association of Realtors and the California Association of Realtors
David Paul LanfermanRutan & Tucker, LLP, Amicus