Bruce T. Bauer
Bruce T. Bauer is Of Counsel with Slovak Baron Empey Murphy & Pinkney LLP, practicing in the areas of civil and business litigation, governmental relations, municipal and public agency law. Mr. Bauer achieved an AV-Preeminent rating (the highest peer rating) since the year 2000. He has substantial civil litigation and transactional experience including in the areas of banking, employment, real estate, tort and business law. Mr. Bauer has been active in a number of prominent land use projects in the Coachella Valley representing both applicants for, and opponents of, those projects.
Mr. Bauer is the former Vice-Chair and Member of City of Santa Ana Planning Commission (2014-2017); Chairperson and Member of Rancho Santiago Community College District Oversight Bond Committees (for Bonds “E” and “Q”) (2016-2019) charged with management of $337 million and $198 million in funds; and Board member of Heritage Museum of Orange County (2016-2019). He is active with LGBTQ issues and a member of the Lambda Legal Defense Fund.
Member of The College of the Desert Bond Program Oversight Committee that includes oversight of almost a billion dollars in bonds including the March 2004 Measure B authorizing $346,500,000 and the 2016 Measure CC authorizing $577,860,000 as defined in the original ballot language.
EDUCATION
- J.D., Loyola School of Law (1990), Law Extern Clerk to Bankruptcy Judge Alan M. Ahart
- Cal. State Univ. Long Beach (1987), Departmental Honors
ADMITTED TO PRACTICE
- California, and all court of the state of California
- U.S. District Courts including Central, Southern, Eastern and Northern Districts of California
- All Bankruptcy courts in the state of California
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS AND ACTIVITIES
- Vice-Chair and Member of City of Santa Ana Planning Commission (2014-2017)
- Chairperson and Member of Rancho Santiago Community College District Oversight Bond Committees (for Bonds “E” and “Q”) (2016-2019) charged with management of $337 million and $198 million in funds.
- Board member of Heritage Museum of Orange County (2016-2019)
- Board Member of Pythian Youth Foundation (2015-2019)
- Active in LGBTQ issues and Member of Lambda Legal Defense Fund
- ADEM Delegate to State Democratic Convention
- Recipient of the Wiley W. Manuel Award for Pro Bono Legal Service
- Marathon runner including 2013 Boston Marathon
Bruce T. Bauer Projects
Pertinent Land Use Planning and Governmental Relations Matters
Green Savants LLC – Represented a cannabis dispensary at the City Council level on an appeal of the denial of a conditional use permit (CUP). The client’s request for a CUP was denied unanimously at the City’s Planning Commission based on location of a nearby alleged youth center. Successfully appealed the denial at the City Council level where the project was approved unanimously.
Coachella CannaClub – Represented a large proposed cannabis dispensary and fast food project in the City of Coachella regarding an approval of a CUP and change of zone. The project ran into trouble when a local Indian tribe opposed the project and the City Council continued the project seven (7) times. Eventually, we obtained approval of the project when it looked like it would go down to defeat.
Fuego Nightclub – Represented a number of Palm Springs establishments including Del Marco Hotel, La Serena Villas, The Three Fifty, Avalon Hotel, The Ingleside Inn, Melvyn’s Restaurant & Lounge, Chi Chi Restaurant and Estrella Spa, successfully defeated, at the Planning Commission level by a unanimous vote of 7-0, a proposed 9,504-square foot nightclub project that threatened parking and noise problems, among others.
BioLife Plasma Project in San Bernardino – Represented a multi-national pharmaceutical company, successfully obtained approval of a plasma donation center at the City of San Bernadino City Council meeting. Then, successfully defended a CEQA complaint filed by other tenants in shopping center where plasma donation location was located. The CEQA action was dismissed without any payout.
Colton Joint Unified School District v. San Bernardino County – Represented a large California developer regarding a proposed gas station and shopping center project in the City of Colton. The project was located near a proposed school site. Successfully resolved a CEQA lawsuit by the school district that attempted to terminate the project.
Clovis, California– Represented a large California developer regarding a proposed large shopping center in the City of Clovis consisting of a gas station and numerous other restaurants. After the project’s site plan was defeated at unanimously at the City’s planning commission, represented the client at the City Council on an appeal. Successfully appealed the denial and obtained unanimous approval of the client’s project.
La Quinta Residents for Responsible Development – representing a large group of homeowners with respect to the Coral Mountain Resort — with a 150-room hotel, 16.6-acre private-use wave pool and up to 600 residential units including custom homes. I successfully opposed an enormous development that included a proposed world’s largest wave pool.
In-N-Out Burgers – successfully represented a group of homeowners with respect to a planned In-N-Out Burger restaurant in the City of La Quinta. Subsequent CEQA legal action forced the City and In-N-Out Burgers to not only undertake a required Environmental Impact Report study but also pay our clients attorneys’ fees.
Pacaso ® – Representation of company regarding regulation of new home ownership model, co-owned housing. Pacaso® is a technology-enabled marketplace that modernizes real estate co-ownership to make buying, owning, and selling a vacation home possible and enjoyable for more people. Pacaso® has been operating in Palm Springs since late 2021. The company’s business model involves purchasing residential properties and selling ownership shares to multiple investors. I was instrumental in in obtaining Palm Springs City Council’s vote to approve the first-in-the-nation ordinance regarding co-owned housing units, specifically targeting properties managed by companies like Pacaso®.