Whittaker Planning Services provides confidential land use paralegal services throughout southern California. Susan Whittaker, Principal, has over 25 years of experience in land use planning, California Environmental Quality Act and real estate litigation cases. She graduated in 1985 from California State Polytechnic University with a Bachelors of Science in Urban and Regional Planning. Whittaker Planning Services has extensive experience in land use regulation research, administrative record production and CEQA litigation support.

Susan has corporate real estate experience from her work as the Director of Entitlement and Property Operations with the Trammell Crow Company for its Park Place property in Irvine, California. She has extensive experience with land use entitlement, purchase and sale documents preparation, reciprocal easement agreements (REA), tenant lease implementation, monitoring and eviction. As well as, subdivision strategy, preserving development rights, eminent domain litigation research and support and land use entitlement application preparation and processing.

Summary of Legal work experience

Principal -Whittaker Planning Services

• CEQA cases. Research government regulations and prepare administrative record, reviewed public documents and review public hearing recordings, reviewed environmental impact report for adequacy and monitor city actions

Senior Associate – Sapetto Group, Inc

• Purchase of distressed high rise residential property under construction. Santa Ana and Anaheim California. Researched existing approval documents and development agreement for sale of property and compliance with government conditions of approval and preservation of development rights.
• Eminent domain case in Fullerton, California. Researched Fullerton general plan, zoning code, specific plan and recent project approvals in order to determine likely approval potential for the property to determine value.
• Land contract case in Irvine, California. Research land use regulation documents to determine government approval process, research El Toro Base Closing environmental impact report and status reports of Federal clean-up, assisted in document production and gave deposition testimony.
• Development Agreement dispute in Irvine CA. Research of development agreement requirements and assisted in negotiation of settlement agreement.

Director of Entitlement and Property Operations – Trammell Crow Company, Park Place, Irvine

• Eminent Domain Case – gave public testimony protesting city action, research and document production, assisted in complaint preparation and negotiated acceptable land value.
• Land Use Regulation and CEQA Dispute – research and document production, draft letters and statements of facts for complaint, gave public testimony and presentations, and prepared and negotiated favorable development agreement.
• Noncompliance with purchase documents disputes – research and document production, draft statements of fact for complaint and assisted in the drafting of answers and interrogatories, participated in law suit strategy and gave deposition testimony. Case favorably settled.
• CC&R and Real Estate Agreement dispute – research and document production, draft letters and statements of facts for complaint and gave deposition testimony. Case favorably settled.
• Tenant Eviction – research and document production, assisted in drafting statements of fact for answers, participated in law suit strategy, participated in settlement discussions, gave deposition testimony, represented owner at trail, and gave trail testimony. Tenant was evicted.
• Purchase and Sale of Property – participated in land sales, preparation of land use conditions, restrictions and compliance monitoring.

Urban Planner – City of Irvine

• Assisted City Attorney in research, document preparation and statements of fact for law suit concerning land use rights and gave deposition testimony.
• Prepared and processes zoning ordinances, environmental determinations and environmental impact reports.

Whittaker Planning Services, a planning service company with over 25 years of land use entitlement and development consulting experience in southern California. Susan Whittaker, Principal, has been certified as a professional urban planner with the American Institute of Certified Planners. Susan has extensive experience in contract planning services, community outreach and implementation of the California Subdivision Act and California Environmental Quality Act.

Susan is a graduate of Cal Poly and began her planning career with the City of Irvine, as Lead Planner for the Irvine Business Complex and Subdivision Ordinance compliance. She then worked as a planning consultant for FORMA Design performing contract planning services for cities of Irvine and San Marcos as well as preparing and processing environmental impact reports. Susan has prepared and processed numerous development applications with the City of Irvine and is experienced with Irvine’s codes and procedures.

Susan has experience in preparation of the administrative record in land use legal actions. Susan has prepared site assessments for potential development as well as likely land use approval for eminent domain cases. Susan has over 15 years of experience implementing development of a master plan including management of design teams, construction biding and construction management.