Sheri L. Bonstelle's practice focuses on land use, zoning, environmental, litigation and construction matters.

She manages all aspects of the entitlement process, including representing clients before local and state agencies, commissions and councils. She coordinates environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) and obtains permits and approvals necessary under the Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, Endangered Species Act, California Coastal Act, and historic preservation laws. She also negotiates participation and development agreements with the Community Redevelopment Agency, and obtains approval of adaptive reuse projects in historic buildings in Los Angeles. She represents signage companies and building owners with respect to preserving signage rights in Los Angeles.

Sheri also represents clients in a variety of land use and real estate litigation matters in state and federal courts, including cases arising under CEQA and other environmental laws and cases involving First Amendment and Civil Rights protections. In addition, she represents developers and financial institutions to preserve entitlements and manage assets during the current uncertain economic times. Ms. Bonstelle coordinates land use and environmental diligence review for large multi-property portfolio sales.

Sheri is a licensed architect in the State of New York, where she practiced architecture for several years prior to entering the legal profession. She was a project architect on many public projects, including the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail Line. She is currently pursuing Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification.

Sheri's projects range from the adaptive reuse of an historic office building as a luxury boutique hotel to a 7-acre mixed-use project with over 1,000 apartment units and affordable housing in the center of Hollywood.

Representative Experience:

• Blvd6200 Project, The Clarett Group. Represented developer in processing entitlements and obtaining building permits for a mixed-use development of 1,042 apartment units with affordable housing and 175,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space on a 7 acre site in Hollywood, including approval of a sign plan within the Hollywood Signage Supplemental Use District
• 100 N. Western Avenue, HK Town. Represented developer in processing entitlements for an RAS zone to allow development of a 7-acre mixed use project with ground level grocery store, and upper level parking and residential units in Koreatown
• SPB Hotel Project, Midfirst Financial Group. Represent developer in providing land use due diligence review for purchase of an historic property in Hollywood and processing entitlements for adaptive reuse of the building and adjacent property as a 7-story boutique hotel with subterranean supper club, ground level restaurant, rooftop bar and café, and new parking structure with streetfront retail
• Emhurst International Hotel, CIC Group. Represented developer in processing entitlements of a high rise mixed-use development consisting of a 22-story condominium hotel, with office, retail, health club, karaoke club and restaurants in Koreatown
• Mammoth 8050, Istar Financial. Represented lender/owner with respect to vesting entitlements and processing building permits for a residential condominium in Mammoth Lakes
• Spring Mountain Ranch, Istar Financial. Represent lender/owner with respect to preserving entitlements and completing a foreclosure sale on a large multi-tract single family development in Riverside County
• Belmont Village in Westwood, Belmond Village. Represented developer in processing entitlements for a new assisted living facility within the Westwood Design Review Board area
• 1130 S. Gayley Avenue, Simms Development. Represented developer in processing entitlements of a one-story LEED certifiable retail project with rooftop parking and solar panels, including obtaining denial of an historic cultural monument designation of the existing Mann National Theater site

More about me on the Women Lawyers of JMBM page.