Stephanie Smith Attorney

First Admitted: 2010, California

Professional Webpage: https://www.gridlegal.com/about/stephanie-smith

Bar/Professional Activity:

Selected as a Full Member in CREW San Diego (Commercial Real Estate Women) where I serve on the Sponsorship Committee. , 2023
Member of Lambda Alpha International (LAI) San Diego which is a honorary and selective global organization comprised of professionals working in land use. Inducted in 2024. , 2025
Urban Land Institute, Member of the San Diego Small Scale Infill Development Committee (SSID), 2021
San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, Member of the Transportation & Land Development Committee, 2021
Mission Bay Park Committee, Appointed by San Diego Mayor, 2021
San Diego County Bar Association, Member of the Environmental Law, Land Use Law, and Real Property Law Sections, 2020

Representative Clients:

Representation of Life Time Fitness (https://www.lifetime.life) in entitlement of new fitness facility in Poway. , 2023
Represented Ground Floor Club (https://groundfloorclub.com) in various lease negotiations through California. , 2023
Represent the San Diego Unified Port in matters pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) including the Seaport Redevelopment Project. , 2023
Representing plaintiff in an inverse condemnation case against SDG&E. , 2021
Represented lender in providing land use counsel on an proximately $96 Million dollar mixed use development downtown San Diego., 2021
Represented SANDAG in the negotiation of the potential transfer and long term conservation of a large open-space property known on Rancho Lilac for conservation and trail use., 2020
Represented developer to provide a Land Use opinion for a commercial project in Barrio Logan. , 2021
Selected by SANDAG for on-call, environmental legal services for a five year term, 2020
Represent residential homeowner in matter dealing with drainage and possible inverse condemnation claims, 2020
Represented developer proposing a subdivision in San Diego County including issues dealing with road access agreements, the endangered species act, and the California Environmental Quality Act, 2019
Represented clients doing a subdivision in Tustin, including issues related to hazardous materials under the property as well as proposed clean up by the federal government, 2020

Transactions:

Represent Seller in the sale of vacant property to a local developer., 2021
Successfully overturned a decision on a permit that was deemed expired allowing the client to proceed with development of their residential housing project. , 2024
Successful approval of a residential subdivision in Encinitas including the preparation of an EIR. The project was approved at the planning commission, appealed by neighbors, and then approved by City Council. No litigation filed. , 2024
Represent lessee in a commercial lease in San Diego for first aid training. , 2021
Represent Buyer in the purchase of a large Church and subsequent NNN lease. , 2021
Represent seller in a 11.5M transaction, 2020
Represent seller in the sale of several residential properties., 2020

Special Licenses/Certifications:

California Broker's License from the Bureau of Real Estate. , 2025

Pro bono/Community Service:

Serve on the Mission Bay Park Committee as a representative member at large, 2020
Obtained Special Immigration Juvenile Status for a girl in Santa Maria, CA.
Volunteer at Francis Parker, 2020
Obtained 501(c)3 status for Abina which is a non-profit doing work in Costa Rica

Honors/Awards:

Selected as a Finalist as Leder in Law by the San Diego Business Journal, 2021. https://www.sdbj.com/news/2021/oct/29/finalists-announced-leaders-law-awards-2021/, San Diego Business Journal Leaders in Law Finalist, San Diego Business Journal, 2021
Super Lawyers, Recognized as a Top Rated Real Estate and Land Use & Zoning Attorney in San Diego, CA and as a Rising Star in 2020

Educational Background:

Pepperdine School of Law, Editor Pepperdine Law Review, cum laude, 2010
Bachelor's Degree in International Studies from the University of Washington in Seattle as a Dean's Scholar, 2005

Scholarly Lectures/Writings:

Panelist at the County Counsel Association Fall Conference on October 20, 2021., Co-Panelist, CEQA and Real Estate Transactions, Best Practices and Lessons Learned, California County Counsel Association Fall Conference, Public Agencies; Real Estate; General Services, 2021
Moderator for a panel with CEB for CEQA Cumulative Impacts. , Moderator, Real Property Institute's CEQA Workshop - CEQA Cumulative Impacts, Continuing Education of the Bar, 2023
Panelist on an all-day training event of CEQA. , Co-Panelist, Association of Environmental Planners, 2022 CEQA Essentials Workshop, San Diego, CA, November 10, 2022., Land Use And Environmental Attorneys And Planners, 2022
Author, “A Tree Falls in a Park. Does it Make a Sound? The Adjacent Property Owner Probably Does.” October 20, 2017, Client Alert.
Author, “Calif. Real Property Transactions May Need CEQA Review.” Law360, October 6, 2017.
Private parties who plan to jump into a real property transaction with a public agency should be aware that their deal could be impacted or held up by the California Environmental Quality Act.If not fully informed of the recent legal developments pertaining to CEQA compliance and real property, parties may find themselves unable to close the deal on time or caught up in lengthy and costly litigation., Author, Calif. Real Property Transactions May Need CEQA Review, Law 360, Real Estate, 2017
Speaker, CEQA and Land Use Panel, San Diego County Bar Association, June 27, 2018
Author, “Considerations When Using CEQA To Fight Land Use Projects.” Law360, April 11, 2019.
Visiting Adjunct Professor, USD School of Law, Land Use Regulation, Sept. 12, 2019
Speaker, CREW San Diego, San Diego Development and Planning Update, Oct 29, 2019.
As everyone is adjusting to comply with California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s recent order to stay in place, we have compiled a list of frequently asked questions on how the coronavirus and the resulting slowdown of the world as we know it will affect real estate transactions, development projects and standard operating procedure for ongoing businesses., Co-Author, What COVID-19 Means For Calif. Real Estate And Use Permits, Law 360, Land Use, Developers, Landlords, Infill Developers, 2020
Panel discussing CEQA requirements related to cannabis development, Panelist, Don’t Let Regulations Cannibalize Your Cannabis Client, San Diego County Bar Association, Real Estate, Developers, Brokers, Realtors, Public Agencies, Attorneys, 2018
Article discussing the use of CEQA to fight land use projects, Author, Considerations When Using CEQA to Fight Land Use Projects, Law 360, Real Estate, Developers, Public Agencies, 2019
Guest lecturer to law students regarding general plan compliance, Guest lecturer at USD Law School Land Use class on General Plan compliance, Lecturer, Law Students, 2019
Discussion on land use development regulations, housing updates, and the Californian Environmental Quality Act impacting development in the San Diego Region, Panelist, San Diego Planning and Development Updates, California Real Estate Women (CREW), Banking, Real Estate, Developers, Public Agencies, 2019

Other Outstanding Achievements:

Selected by the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) to represent SANDAG in environmental matters for a five year term.
Appointed to the Mission Bay Park Committee by the Mayor of San Diego, 2019

Industry Groups:

Businesses
Commercial And Residential Developers
Corporations
Homeowners
Homeowners
Individuals.
Infill Developers
Public Agencies
Renewable Energy

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