Online Event

Members & Partners
Non-Members
$0-$108
$120
Date:
Mar 13, 2025 - Mar 27, 2025
Time:
10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Register for this Event

Add to Google Calendar

Add to iCal Calendar

All registration fees help support our 501c3 nonprofit organization. You can call (415) 495-0349 or write us to register or get more information.

Upcoming Events

Register for this Event

CEQA Fundamentals for Projects Affecting Historic Resources

Two-Part Program: Thursday March 13th & Thursday March 27th

Continuing Education Units: AIA - 6 LUs | APA - 6 CEs (2 Law)* 

This two-part program offers a practical, up-to-date understanding of the evolving intersection of CEQA and historic preservation. Part 1 covers the legal framework, key terms, and procedural steps in CEQA review, while Part 2 — through the use of illustrative case studies — focuses on real-world applications and strategies for navigating CEQA for projects affecting historic resources.

Whether you're a preservation advocate, planner, architect, property owner, or government official, this program provides the knowledge and tools to navigate CEQA effectively.

Part 1: Setting the Framework
Thursday, March 13th, 10am-1pm

Part 2: Application
Thursday, March 27th, 10am-1pm

*You must attend the program live to receive CEUs (attendance verified though Zoom.) Each program is individually eligible for 3 credits.

You Will Be Able To...

  1. Understand CEQA’s Role in Projects Affecting Historic Resources: Attendees will gain a foundational understanding of CEQA’s purpose, key terminology, and procedural framework, including when a project triggers CEQA review and how it applies to historic resources.

  2. Identify Key Exemptions and Protections: Attendees will learn how CEQA exemptions, particularly those relevant to historic preservation, may apply and how historic properties and cultural resources can benefit from CEQA’s protections.

  3. Apply CEQA in Real-World Scenarios: Through case studies, attendees will explore how CEQA is applied in discretionary project approvals, Environmental Impact Reports (EIRs), streamlining efforts, and historic preservation exemptions.

  4. Navigate Public Engagement and Legal Considerations: Attendees will examine legal precedents, public notice requirements, and community involvement strategies to better understand how courts and agencies interpret CEQA in historic preservation projects.

Part 1 - Setting the Framework

Thursday, March 13, 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM Pacific

This session provides an overview of CEQA’s purpose, key terminology, and procedural framework. It will explore when a project triggers CEQA review, how exemptions may apply, and how historic properties and cultural resources can benefit from CEQA’s protections. Real-world case studies and legal precedents will be used demonstrate CEQA’s impact on historic preservation.

SPEAKERS

  • Margarita Jerabek, PhD, Historic Resources Strategic Development Director, ESA
    Margarita manages technical studies for environmental compliance, develops preservation plans, and implements treatment projects for public and private clients across California and the U.S. With over 30 years of experience, she specializes in historic preservation, architectural history, art history, and historical archaeology. Margarita is a regional expert in Southern California architecture and has expertise in Visual Art, 19th-20th Century American Architecture, Modern and Contemporary Architecture, and Cultural Landscape. She holds a BA in art history from Oberlin College, an MA in architectural history from the University of Virginia, and a PhD in art history from UCLA.
    Full Bio (ESA website) | LinkedIn

  • Susan Brandt-Hawley, Principal, Brandt-Hawley Law Group
    Susan is a leading advocate for public-interest groups in preservation issues statewide, specializing in the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). She has represented hundreds of groups in CEQA cases, achieving precedent in over 40 published opinions across the six districts of the California Court of Appeal and six cases in the California Supreme Court. A past president of the California Academy of Appellate Lawyers (2018-19), Brandt-Hawley received the 2001 CLAY award and has been recognized on the Daily Journal's list of California's "top women litigators." She frequently speaks on environmental preservation law at forums for legal professionals, officials, and preservationists.
    Full Bio (Brandt-Hawley Law Group website) | LinkedIn

MODERATOR

  • Amanda Daams, Partner, Best Best & Krieger LLP
    Amanda specializes in CEQA, NEPA, and related environmental laws. She helps clients navigate complex land use issues and environmental documents, including impact reports, negative declarations, and CEQA exemptions. Amanda has extensive experience advising on large-scale projects such as general plan updates, residential, commercial, and mining projects, and handles cultural resources and environmental justice concerns. She also supports clients through the regulatory approval process, advising on permits and public review, and has successfully defended project approvals in court. Active in the Association of Environmental Professionals, Amanda serves as Chapter Director for the Inland Empire Chapter and is a graduate of Leadership Riverside.
    Full Bio (Best Best & Krieger website) | LinkedIn

Part II - Application

Thursday, March 27, 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM Pacific

This session focuses on the practical application of CEQA through case studies. Participants will explore how CEQA applies to discretionary project approvals, streamlining efforts, Environmental Impact Reports (EIRs), and historic preservation exemptions. The program will also cover public notice requirements and community involvement in the CEQA review process.

SPEAKERS

  • Margarita Jerabek, PhD, Historic Resources Strategic Development Director, ESA
    Margarita manages technical studies for environmental compliance, develops preservation plans, and implements treatment projects for public and private clients across California and the U.S. With over 30 years of experience, she specializes in historic preservation, architectural history, art history, and historical archaeology. Margarita is a regional expert in Southern California architecture and has expertise in Visual Art, 19th-20th Century American Architecture, Modern and Contemporary Architecture, and Cultural Landscape. She holds a BA in art history from Oberlin College, an MA in architectural history from the University of Virginia, and a PhD in art history from UCLA.
    Full Bio (ESA website) | LinkedIn

  • Sheri Bonstelle, Attorney, Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell LLP
    Sheri focuses on land use, zoning, environmental, litigation, and construction matters. She manages the entitlement process, representing clients before local and state agencies, and coordinating environmental reviews under CEQA and NEPA, while obtaining necessary permits under various environmental laws. Sheri negotiates development agreements, handles adaptive reuse projects in Los Angeles, and advocates for signage rights. She also represents clients in land use and real estate litigation, including CEQA cases and First Amendment protections. With a background as a licensed architect, Sheri has worked on large public projects and is pursuing LEED certification.
    Full Bio (Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell website) | LinkedIn

  • Amanda Daams, Partner, Best Best & Krieger LLP
    Amanda specializes in CEQA, NEPA, and related environmental laws. She helps clients navigate complex land use issues and environmental documents, including impact reports, negative declarations, and CEQA exemptions. Amanda has extensive experience advising on large-scale projects such as general plan updates, residential, commercial, and mining projects, and handles cultural resources and environmental justice concerns. She also supports clients through the regulatory approval process, advising on permits and public review, and has successfully defended project approvals in court. Active in the Association of Environmental Professionals, Amanda serves as Chapter Director for the Inland Empire Chapter and is a graduate of Leadership Riverside.
    Full Bio (Best Best & Krieger website) | LinkedIn

  • Douglas Carstens, Partner, Carstens, Black & Minteer
    Douglas is a graduate of Cornell University and UCLA Law School, serving for five years as a Navy officer prior to attending law school. He has extensive experience in environmental, land use, municipal, and natural resource matters and was involved in overseeing the implementation of the Base Realignment and Closure Act for the Long Beach Naval Station and Shipyard. Doug has also written articles and lectured on CEQA, water quality, public trust, and historic resources issues. He has been a Southern California Super Lawyer for environmental law since 2009. 
    Full Bio (Carstens, Black & Minteer website) | LinkedIn

MODERATOR

  • Margarita Jerabek, PhD, Historic Resources Strategic Development Director, ESA
    Margarita manages technical studies for environmental compliance, develops preservation plans, and implements treatment projects for public and private clients across California and the U.S. With over 30 years of experience, she specializes in historic preservation, architectural history, art history, and historical archaeology. Margarita is a regional expert in Southern California architecture and has expertise in Visual Art, 19th-20th Century American Architecture, Modern and Contemporary Architecture, and Cultural Landscape. She holds a BA in art history from Oberlin College, an MA in architectural history from the University of Virginia, and a PhD in art history from UCLA.
    Full Bio (ESA website) | LinkedIn

Posted in: Basics & Case Examples, California Environmental Quality Act, Planning & Preservation Practice, Preservation Basics, Webinars, Workshops