Mr. Goldfarb has been practicing law at the law firm of Rutan & Tucker, LLP since graduating cum laude from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, in 1986. Jeff became a partner in the Public Law Section in 1994.
Mr. Goldfarb has served as the Assistant City Attorney for the City of San Clemente since 1987 and the Assistant City Attorney for the City of Irvine since 1990. In his capacity as the Assistant City Attorney for the cities of San Clemente and Irvine, Mr. Goldfarb is the assistant director of both cities’ legal departments and advises the cities on all issues of municipal law. Mr. Goldfarb also has primary responsibility for advising both cities’ planning commissions and is an expert in the Federal Fair Housing Act, Fair Political Practices Act, the Brown Act, the California Environmental Quality Act, the Planning and Zoning Act, the Subdivision Map Act, and the regulation of both group homes and adult-oriented businesses. In addition to sitting as the legal advisor with both cities’ planning commissions, Mr. Goldfarb fills in for the city attorneys in both cities when the City Attorney is unavailable.
COURSES TAUGHT
Lecturer – RLUIPA (Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act) and the Fair Housing Act, Orange County Planning Directors Annual Meeting, 2001
Lecturer – CEQA Issues: APA Orange County Seminar, 2000
Lecturer - Finders Keepers: How to Make Good Findings, California League of Cities Planners Institute, March 1997
Lecturer - Everything a Planner Should Know About Sex (Housing, Developer Fees and CEQA, Too!), Cal Chapter American Planning Association Conference, 1996
Lecturer - Regulating Sex-Oriented Businesses in Urban California, California Redevelopment Association, 1995
Lecturer - Regulation of Adult Uses, Orange County City Attorneys Association, 1995
Lecturer - Twilight Zoning: Recreation, Resort and Adult Entertainment, American Planning Association, 1994 Nuts and Bolts Conference
Lecturer - Liability of Public Employees for Negligent Conduct Under State Law, California Building Officials Conference, November 1994
CASES LITIGATED (PARTIAL LIST)
Wilbur v. City of Costa Mesa (Master Plan challenge)
Paff v. City of Costa Mesa (CEQA challenge)
City of Costa Mesa v. Orange House (Federal Fair Housing Act challenge to group home enforcement)
Lyburtus v. City of La Habra (CEQA challenge)
Via Maria, Inc. v. City of Cypress (First Amendment challenge to entertainment permit revocation)
City of Baldwin Park v. B&B Motel (red light abatement action)
City of Baldwin Park v. Lucky 7 Motel (red light abatement action)
City of Newport Beach v. Tily B., Inc. (adult oriented business litigation to obtain compliance of business with City's zoning and adult oriented business zoning ordinance)
Gammoh v. City of Anaheim (same description as above)
People v. Johar (criminal First Amendment/code enforcement action for City of Anaheim)
Mediavilla v. City of Lawndale (challenge to City's adult oriented business ordinance)
Thoroughbreds, Inc. v. City of Fullerton (same description as above)
People v. Williams (code enforcement action terminating illegal residential use in commercial zone for City of San Clemente)
Serrano Irrigation District v. City of Orange (challenge to adoption of specific plan)
PUBLICATIONS/SEMINARS
Avoiding the Five Deadly (Entitlement) Sins, Shopping Centers Today, ICSC, May 2002
Guest Speaker, Community Redevelopment Association, League of Cities City Attorney's Conference
American Planning Association
California City Clerk's Association
Lecturer-Instructor, University of California Irvine extension course on Planning and Zoning Law
Oh What a Night – Night Sailing in a Santa Ana to and from Catalina Island, Seafaring Magazine, November 2009
PRACTICE GROUPS
Affordable Housing/Economic Development
Land Use/Natural Resources
Municipal/Government Agency Law
EDUCATION
University of California at San Francisco, Hastings College of the Law (J.D. 1986 cum laude)
University of California at Berkeley (B.A. 1983)
MEMBERSHIPS/ADMISSIONS
State Bar of California
American Bar Association
Orange County Bar Association
Phi Beta Kappa National Honor Society
League of California Cities Adult Oriented Business Task Force
