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Robert W. Hargreaves practices general municipal, land use and energy law. He is a partner in the Municipal Law practice group of Best Best & Krieger LLP. Bob is the city attorney for the City of Palm Desert and represents the cities of Indian Wells, Coachella, Needles, San Jacinto and Calexico in various capacities. He is general counsel to the Salton Sea Authority, the Valley Sanitary District, the Mt. San Jacinto Winter Park Authority and the Anza Electric Cooperative. He is counsel to the Board of Trustees of the Desert Community College District.
 
In addition to general representation of local governmental entities, Bob focuses on land use law. He has assisted both public and private clients in the entitlement process for large desert development projects. He has also represented public agencies in multi-party negotiations regarding use of Colorado River water and groundwater management. Bob has litigated land use, environmental, takings and Native American law issues before state and federal courts and administrative agencies.
 
Bob is a member of the Board of Directors of the Friends of the Desert Mountains and Angel View and a former board member of the Coachella Valley Economic Partnership and the Palm Springs Air Museum. Bob previously served on the advisory boards of the University of California, Riverside’s Southern California Research Institute for Solar Energy and Wilson Center for Sustainable Energy and Environmental Systems. He is past-president of the Family YMCA of the Desert, a charter member of the Coachella Valley Autism Society of America, and has been an assistant Boy Scout leader.
 
Between undergraduate and law school, Bob served in the Peace Corps in Costa Rica. His law studies focused on land use, environmental and water law.

Accolades
  • Palm Springs Life Top Lawyers, 2016-2021, 2024
  • Top 70 Lawyers in Coachella Valley, Palm Springs Life, 2014
Thought Leadership

Publications

  • “Phase I of Final Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan Now Publicly Available,” BBKnowledge, Nov. 30, 2015
  • “California’s Record-Setting Solar Generation can be Furthered by Municipality Action,” BBKnowledge, June 25, 2015
  • “Gov. Brown Makes More Renewable Energy a State Goal,” BBKnowledge, Jan. 20, 2015
  • “Comments Sought on Draft Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan,” BBKnowledge, Dec. 9, 2014
  • “Congress Moves to Assist Renewable Development on Government Land,” BBKnowledge, Aug. 1, 2014
  • “SB 871 Bumps Back Repeal of Solar Energy Exclusion by Eight Years,” BB&K Legal Alert, June 25, 2014
  • “Clinton Health Matters Conference Discusses Private Sector Role in Salton Sea Restoration, Including Renewable Energy Industry,” BBKnowledge, Jan. 21, 2014
  • “Study Estimates Renewable Energy Could Generate $4 Billion to Aid in Salton Sea Restoration,” BBKnowledge, Jan. 15, 2014
  • “Court Rules Voter Initiative Cannot Force Water District to Set Rates Below Level Mandated by State Statute,” BB&K Legal Alert, Aug. 13, 2013
  • “Settlement Reached in Riverside County Solar Power Plant Policy Lawsuit,” BB&K Legal Alert, May 20, 2013
  • “Governor Brown Signs Bill Requiring 33 Percent of California’s Electricity From Renewable Sources,” BB&K Legal Alert, April 13, 2011

Presentations

  • "Renewable Energy Opportunities at the Salton Sea," Southern California Energy Summit’s The Great Energy Debate, Oct. 9, 2014

Education & Admissions

Education
University of California, Berkeley School of Law
J.D.
University of California, Berkeley
B.A., computer science, with great distinction
Bar Admissions
California

Languages

English
Spanish

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