Matrix demurrer

8/3/2019 Matrix demurrer

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F E B / 0 6 / 2 0 1 2 / M O N 0 6 : 4 5 P M F A X N o .. r

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1 LAW OFFICE OF ERIC A. WOOSLEY1602 State Street2 santa Barbaral CA 93101( 80 S} 8 97 -1 83 0 FAX: (80S) 997-18343 e-mail: [email protected]

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F E B 062011e : A ~va O f f I c e r / C l e r kS~f..Ey- Osputy

4 Eric A. Woosley (State Bar No. 211962)Jordan T. Porter (State Bar No. 250112)5 V~ctor G. Zilinskas (State Bar No. 549BO6 STOEL RIVES LLP555 Montgomery Street, Suite 12887 San Francisco, CA 94111(415) 617-8900 FAX: (415) 617-8907a e-mail: [email protected] Sigrid R. Waggener (State Bar No. 257979)

10 Attorneys for Real-Parties-in-Interest, MATRIX OIL CORPORATIONand CLAY TON WILLIAMS ENERGY , INC.SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE O F C ALI FOR NI A

FOR THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES-CENTRAL DISTRICT

_ _ _ ~ 2 ~ O _ ~ = = = = = = = = ~ = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = :. ,.,., . _ - _ . . . . ._--\--------------_ ..-21 MATRIX OIL CORPORATION; , )CLAYTON WILLIAMS ENERGY, INC.)22 PUENTE HILLS LANDFILL )NATIVE HABITAT AND )23 PRESERVATION AUTHORIT~; THE)COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES; LOS)24 ANGELES COUNTY REGIONAL PARK)AND OPEN SPACE DISTRICT; )25 DIRECTOR OF THE COUNTY OF LOS)ANGELES DEPARTMENT OF PARKS)26 ANDRECREATION;and ROES1-50)_

)27 Real Parties-in-Interest )

OPEN SPACE LEGAL DEFENSE )14 FUND, HERIBERTO DIAZ1 AND )DANIEL DURAN, )15 )P etitioners/P laintifs, )16 )vs. )17 )CITY OF WHITTIER; CITY COONCIL)18 o r CITY OF WHITTIER; and )DOES 1-50, )19 )Respond ents/Defend ants. )

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CASE NO. BSl~5le7:REAL PARTIKs...m ...JlftEREST MA'!'RIXOIL CORPORATION'S AND CLAYTORWIL't,,7AHS ENERGY, DIe.' S Nm!J:CE01' DlDIURRER ARD DEYDJUtB.R TOVERIPlBD nUT ANBRDEDPftrI'.IORPOR. WRIT OF MldUlAn: ANDCQlPI.AIlft FOR XNJtJNC'rIVB ANDDBCLARA'l'OR.Y l\ELIBF

Date: TBDTime: TBDDept: TBD

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mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]


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17 Further, the Seventh Cause of Action, Failure to Implement

1 TO ALL PARTIES AND THEIR ATTORNEYS OF RECORD HEREIN:2 PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that on a date and time to be assigned by3 the Court or as soon thereafter as the matter can be heard in the4 assigned Department of the above-referenced court located at 111 N.5 Hill Street, Los Angeles, Cali fornia, Real- Parties- in-Interest,6 Matrix Oil Corporation and Clayton Williams Energy, Inc., will, and7 hereby do, demur to the Seventh, Ninth, Eleventh, and Fourteenth8 causes of action of the Verified Petition for Writ of Mandate and9 Declaratory Relief.

10 This demurrer is made on the grounds that the Petitioners,11 Open Space Legal Defense Fund, a non-profit organization, Heriberto12 Diaz and Daniel Duran, have failed to set forth facts sufficient to13 state a cause of action with respect to the Seventh, Ninth,14 Eleventh, and Fourteenth causes of action set forth in their15 Petition for Writ of Mandate and Declaratory Relief. (Code Civ.16 Pro., 430.10(e).)

18 Mitigation Measures, is duplicative of the Fifth Cause of Action,19 Failure to Analyze and Mitiga te Impacts, adds nothing to the20 Petition by way of fact or theory, is not an allowed form of21 pleading, and is subject to demurrer.22 Likewise, the Ninth Cause of Action, styled Violation of CEQA23 (Post-Hoc Rationalization), is duplicative of the Fourth through24 Eighth Causes of Action, which cumulatively allege a failure to25 prepare an adequate FEIR, (Petition, < J I 100-284), adds nothing to26 the Petition by way of fact or theory, is not allowed, is subject27 to demurrer, and is otherwise uncertain. (Code Civ. Pro., 28 2

MATRIX OIL CORPORATION AND CLAYTON WILLIAMS ENERGY, INC.'S DEMURRER


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1 430.30(f); Rodrigues v. Campbell Industries (1978) 87 Cal.App.3d2 494, 501; Award Metals, Inc. v. Superior Court (1991) 2283 Cal.App.3d 1128, 1135.)4 Additionally, the Eleventh Cause of Action, Violation of CEQA5 (Amendment of Matrix Lease), fails to allege that a lease amendment6 is a project or project approval, is uncertain, and to the extent7 it seeks to void the Whittier/Matrix Lease, is time-barred, and8 subject to demurrer on the additional grounds that "[t]here is

10 of action", and is uncertain (Code Civ. Pro., 430.10(c)&(f).)9 another action pending between the same parties on the same cause

11 The Fourteenth Cause of Action, Declaratory Relief (CEQA),12 (Petition ~ 354) is not an appropriate challenge to a specific13 decision or project approval under CEQA. (Californians for Native14 Salmon & Steelhead Association v. Department of Forestry (1990) 22115 Cal.App.3d 1419, 1428; East Bay Mun. Utile Dist. v. Department of16 Forestry & Fire Protection (1996) 43 Cal.App.4th 1113, 1121.)17 This demurrer is based on this Notice, the accompanying18 Demurrer, the Points and Authorities attached hereto, all of the19 records20 matters2122 Dated:232425262728

and papers on file herein, and upon such other and furtherthat may be presented at the hearing of this demurrer.

February ~, 2012 LAW OFFICE OF ERIC A. WOOSLEY

By:ERIC A. WOOSLEYJORDAN T. PORTERAttorneys for Real-Parties-in-Interest, MATRIX OILCORPORATION and CLAYTONWILLIAMS ENERGY, INC.

3MATRIX OIL CORPORATION AND CLAYTON WILLIAMS ENERGY, INC.'S DEMURRER


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1 DEMURRER TO PETITION FOR WRIT OF MANDATE AND DECLARATORY RELIEF2 COME NOW Rea1-Parties-in-Interest, Matrix Oil Corporation and3 Clayton Williams Energy, Inc., and demur to the Petition for Writ4 of Mandate and Declaratory Relief on the following grounds:5 Demurrer to the Seventh Cause of Action for Violation of CEQA;6 (Failure to Implement M1tigation Measures)7 Real-Parties-in-Interest demur to this cause of action on the8 ground that the Seventh Cause of Action fails to state facts9 sufficient to constitute a cause of action. (Code Civ. Pro.,

10 430.10(e}&(f).) The Seventh Cause of Action is duplicative of the11 Fifth Cause of Action, Failure to Analyze and Mitigate Impacts,12 adds nothing to the Petition by way of fact or theory, is not an13 allowed form of pleading, and is subject to demurrer. (Rodrigues v14 Campbell Industries (1978) 87 Cal.App.3d 494, 501; Award Metals,15 Inc. v. Superior Court (1991) 228 Cal.App.3d 1128, 1135.)16 Oemurrer to the Ninth Cause of Action for Violation of CEQAj17 (Post-Hoc Rationalization)18 Real-Parties-in-Interest demur to this cause of action on the19 grounds that the Ninth Cause of Action fails to state facts20 sufficient to constitute a cause of action and is uncertain. (Cod2122232425262728

Civ. Pro., 430.10(e)&(f).) The Ninth Cause of Action isduplicative of the Fourth through Eighth Causes of Action, whichallege a failure to conduct adequate environmental review,(Petition, ~~ 100-284), adds nothing to the Petition by way of factor theory, is not an allowed form of pleading, and 1S subject todemurrer. (Rodrigues v. Campbell Industries (1978) 87 Cal.App.3d494, 501; Award Metals, Inc. v. Superior Court (1991) 228

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MATRIX OIL CORPORATION AND CLAYTON WILLIAMS ENERGY, INC.'S DEMURRER


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Ca1.App.3d 1128, 1135.)Demurrer to the Eleventh Cause of Action for Violation o

CEQA; FAILURE TO CONDUCTENVIRONMENTALREVIEW WITH THE AMENDMEN

TO THE MATRIX LEASEReal-Parties-in-Interest demur to this cause of action on th

grounds that the Eleventh Cause of Action fails to state factssufficient to constitute a cause of action and is uncertain. (CodCiv. Pro., 430.10 (e)& (f).) There is no allegation that theamendment to the Lease alleged to have occurred during the CityCouncil hearings was a proj ect or proj ect approval. (Pub. Res.Code, 21167.) To the extent the Eleventh Cause of Actionattempts to state a claim that the Whittier-Matrix Lease violatesCEQA, Real-Parties-in-Interest further demur to this cause oaction on the grounds that the claim is time-barred and that thereis another action pending between the same parties on the samecause of action, in Los Angeles Superior Court case no. BS128955,now pending in Department 86. (Code Civ. Pro., 430.10.)

Demurrer to the Fourteenth Cause of Action For Dec1arationRelief (CEOA):

Real-Parties-in-Interest demur to this cause of action on theground that it fails to state facts sufficient to constitutecause of action. (Code Civ. Pro., 430.10(e).) DeclaratoryRelief is not an appropriate challenge to a specific decision oproj ect approval under CEQA. (Californians for Na tive SalmonSteelhead Association v. Department of Forestry (1990) 221Cal.App.3d 1419, 1428; East Bay Mun. Util. Dist. v. Department oForestry & Fire Protection (1996) 43 Cal.App.4th 1113, 1121.)

5MATRIX OIL CORPORATION AND CLAYTON WILLIAMS ENERGY, INC.' S DEMURRER


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February ~, 2012

By:

LAW OFFICE OF ERIC A. WOOSLEY

~ERIC A. WOOSLEYJORDAN T. PORTERAttorneys for Real-Parties-in-Interest, MATRIX OILCORPORATION and CLAYTONWILLIAMS ENERGY, INC.

6MATRIX OIL CORPORATION AND CLAYTON WILLIAMS ENERGY, INC.'S DEMURRER


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On February 6, 2012, I served the foregoing document described8 as REAL PARTIES-IN-INTEREST MATRIX OIL CORPORATION'S AND CLAYTONWILLIAMS ENERGY, INC.' S NOTICE OF DEMURRER AND DEMURRER TO VERIFIED9 FIRST AMENDED PETITION FOR WRIT OF MANDATE AND COMPLAINT FORINJUNCTIVE AND DECLARATORY RELIEF on the interested parties in this10 action by placing a true copy thereof enclosed in a sealed

envelope, addressed as follows:11

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1 PROOF OF SERVICE BY MAIL2 Open Space Legal Defense, et al v. City of Whittier, et al.3 Los Angeles Superior Court - Case No. BS135187

4 STATE OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SANTA BARBARA5 I am employed in the County of Santa Barbara, State oCalifornia. I am over the age of eighteen years and not a party t6 the within action. My business address is 1602 State Street, SantaBarbara, California.

SEE ATTACHED SERVICE LIST

I am "readily familiarH with the firm's practice of collectionand processing correspondence for mailing. Under that practice, iwould be deposited with United States postal service on that sameday with postage thereon fully _prepaid at Santa Barbara,California, in the ordinary course of business. I am aware that omotion of the party served, service is presumed invalid if postalcancellation or postage meter date is more than one day after dateof deposit for mailing in affidavit.I declare under penalty of perjury, under the laws of theState of California, that the above is true and correct.Executed on February ~, 2012, at Santa Barbara, California.


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9 Kimberly Hall BarlowAssistant City Attorney10 Jones & Mayer3777 North Harbor Blvd.11 Fullerton, CA 92835

Steven H. Kaufmann13 Ginetta L. GiovincoRICHARDS, WATSON, & GERSHON14 355 South Grand Avenue, 40th FloorLos Angeles, CA 90071-3101

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SERVICE LIST

4Geralyn L. Skapik, Esq.CLAREMONT LAND GROUP250 W. First Street, Suite 330Claremont, CA 917115 Andrea Sheridan Ordin, County Counsel6 Richard D. Weiss, County CounselScott Kuhn, Senior Deputy County Counsel7 648 Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration500 West Temple Street8 Los Angeles, CA 90012-2713

Matrix demurrer

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