Overview
Inder Khalsa has been advising on administrative and transactional public law matters with the firm for 16 years, with a particular focus on land use, planning, zoning, the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), clean energy, affordable housing, and real estate matters. She also has expertise in creation and operations of Joint Powers Authorities. Inder counsels local government agencies on all aspects of municipal governance, including the interpretation, application of, and compliance with the Brown Act, Public Records Act, Political Reform Act, and other conflict of interest and ethics laws.
Work for Clients
Inder serves as City Attorney to the City of Davis and the City of Mill Valley, and as Assistant City Attorney to the City of Fairfield. Inder is the General Counsel to the Valley Clean Energy Alliance, San Francisco Local Agency Formation Commission and the East Bay Community Energy Authority. Inder has represented a number of other public entities as Special Counsel.
Professional Experience
Inder began her career at Richards, Watson & Gershon as a summer associate in 2001. She served as Assistant City Attorney for the City of Vallejo from 2012 to 2015, where she represented the city’s Economic Development Department on land use planning, real estate, and environmental law issues, as well as the Housing Authority and the Successor Agency. During the three years Inder worked in Vallejo, she represented the city in complex negotiations with developers, responsible parties, and state and federal agencies.
Since returning to RWG, Inder has continued to develop her expertise in land use, zoning, affordable housing, telecommunications, joint powers authorities, and clean energy/community choice programs.
Professional and Community Affiliations
Member, California State Bar
Member, Bar Association of San Francisco
Member, Marin Bar Association
Member, Solano County Bar Association
courts
California
Experience
Inder advises cities on complex land use transactions and projects. Major notable projects include:
- Assisted with entitlements for an open space land preserve with an interpretive nature center/museum. Drafted initiative measure to revise the General Plan urban limit line to allow the annexation of the property and worked with planning staff on prezoning, design review, a development agreement, and approval of a marsh development permit subject to BCDC jurisdiction.
- Assisted with environmental review of upgrades to countywide public safety and emergency radio system.
- Drafted inclusionary housing zoning ordinances and affordable housing mitigation fees for multiple agencies.
- Assisted with review and adoption of general plans and specific plans and zoning codes, including form-based codes. Provided advice on land use and environmental impact reports for General Plans and Specific Plans.
- Negotiated an amended and restated disposition and development agreement for a complex mixed use/transit oriented project on a complex, waterfront infill site requiring environmental remediation.
- Assisted with adoption of a specific plan and reviewed environmental impact report for private development on a county fairgrounds site.
- Negotiated development agreement and financing agreement.
- Advised on land use, CEQA, and affordable housing issues for a contentious affordable housing project.
- Drafted initiative and ballot summary for City-initiated ballot measure to revise urban limit line.
Presentations
Inder has given numerous presentations and trainings to lawyers, public officials, and agency employees on the Brown Act, the Public Records Act, Conflicts of Interest, AB 1234 Ethics Training, CEQA, Conditions of Approval, and Affordable Housing issues.
Practice Areas
Focus Areas
Education
J.D., Order of the Coif, University of California School of Law, Davis
B.A., Honors, University of California, Santa Cruz
