David S. Warner

Overview

David Warner represents public and private clients on all matters governing public agency law specializing in land use, public contracts, labor and employment, and public finance matters. He serves as city attorney to the cities of Healdsburg and Fort Bragg, general counsel to the Sweetwater Springs Water District, and outside counsel to private clients on a broad range of development projects.

David possesses a comprehensive background in local government operations and regularly advises officials on governance matters such as the Brown Act, Public Records Act, and conflicts of interest as well as administrative issues such as public bidding, the collection and enforcement of local taxes and fees, election matters, and public contracts.

David also regularly handles a broad range of complex land use matters involving residential, retail, office, industrial and mixed-use developments. He routinely negotiates, drafts, and enforces agreements related to the subdivision, development, and improvement of land including infrastructure improvement agreements, debt and equity financing instruments, development agreements, and public-private partnerships. He also counsels his clients on the environmental issues related to public projects and land development.

As a member of the firm’s First Amendment practice group, David also specializes in advising local government clients on the permitting and use of public spaces, business zoning and licensing, and the regulation of signage.

Most recently David has authored articles on vested rights, land use issues, and the Occupy Movement and given presentations on the Brown Act, ethics, and how to conduct a successful ballot measure. He has also served as Adjunct Professor at the University of San Francisco teaching administrative law and as general counsel to the Redevelopment Association of Nevada.

After graduating from UCLA School of Law, David worked in tax compliance and planning at the firms of Arthur Andersen and KPMG and also spent three years as an archivist at the National Archives and Records Administration administering private donations and deeds of gifts for the Office of Presidential Libraries.

David serves on the Membership and Education Committees of the California Special Districts Association and sits on the board of directors of the Historical Society of Santa Rosa. He lives in Santa Rosa with his wife and six children.

Representative Matters – 2012

  • Land use entitlements for three-story, multi-tenant 102,000 square foot medical office building.
  • Development approvals for a 36-unit townhome subdivision.
  • Financing and development approvals for a recycled water irrigation system.
  • Establishment and implementation of a commercial assessment district.

Presentations and Publications

  • Moderator, “Local Government Panel,” 2013 Special Districts Legislative Days, California Special Districts Association, 2013
  • Speaker, “The Joys of Proposition 218,” Northern California City Clerks Association, 2013
  • Speaker, “Squatters…A Local or Statewide Problem?,” California Association of Realtors® Winter Business Meetings, 2013
  • Co-Author, “The ‘Occupy’ Movement and What Cities Can Do to Regulate or Avoid the Impacts of Such Events,” 2012
  • Speaker, “The ‘Occupy’ Movement: What can Cities Do?” LOCC Annual Conference, 2012
  • Panelist, "Doing the Right Stuff: Case Study of a Successful Ballot Measure," CSDA Annual Conference, 2012
  • Speaker, "Ethics AB 1234 Compliance Training," CSDA Annual Conference, 2012
  • Author, “Preparing for the Next Protest,” Sonoma County Bar Association, The Bar Journal, Volume 29, Issue 1, Spring, 2012
  • Speaker, “Legal Updates Q & A,” CSDA General Manager Leadership Summit, 2012

Professional and Community Affiliations

  • Member, The State Bar of California
  • Member, The State Bar of Nevada
  • Member, The State Bar of Illinois
  • Member, League of California Cities
  • Member, American Bar Association
  • Board Member, California Special Districts Association (CSDA), Education Committee
  • Board Member, California Special Districts Association (CSDA), Membership Committee
  • Board of Directors, Historical Society of Santa Rosa
  • Board of Directors, Austin Creek Parents Association

Education

  • University of California at Los Angeles, School of Law, J.D., 1995
  • Northwestern University, BA, Economics, 1988