Karin Watts-Bazan joined the office in 1988 and currently supervises 8 deputies who perform a variety of services on behalf of County departments in the areas of land use, code enforcement and general litigation. For the past 23 years she has practiced land use and environmental law with particular emphasis on federal and state Endangered Species Act compliance. She has provided legal advice and assistance in the development and implementation of several Habitat Conservation Plans including the Stephens’ kangaroo rat Habitat Conservation Plan, the Western Riverside County Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan, and the Coachella Valley Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan. She has extensive experience drafting numerous agreements and County ordinances including the development impact fee ordinance and over 75 specific plan zoning ordinances. Additionally, she has provided advice to County departments concerning federal and state permitting and regulatory issues involving the Clean Water Act and Section 1600 Streambed Alteration Agreements.  At various times, she has also served as legal advisor to the Planning Commission, Board of Supervisors and the Riverside County Habitat Conservation Agency.

 

Before joining the office, Ms. Watts-Bazan was an associate attorney with a law firm in Orange County representing private development companies and property owners in the land use approval process including providing legal advice and review of documents concerning zoning, general plan and California Environmental Quality Act issues. She worked on several large mixed use commercial/residential projects in the Platinum Triangle area within the City of Anaheim which generally surrounds Angel Stadium and the Honda Center.

 

Ms. Watts-Bazan received her J.D. from Western State University, Fullerton and graduated from California State University, Fullerton with a B.A. degree in English. 

 

Ms. Watts-Bazan is admitted to practice in all state courts, the United States District Court for the Central District of California and the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.