General Municipal Law §239-m requires that before taking action on a land use application, a municipal agency like a Zoning Board of Appeals or Planning Board must refer the application to a county or regional planning commission for its recommendation. This referral and receipt of comments and recommendations from the planning commission is no longer just a nicety. It is
Continue Reading How Not to Fix A Failure to Refer A Land Use Matter To The Planning Commission


It turns out, according to the Supreme Court, Orange County, that the standards for review of municipal contracts are noticeably less stringent for New York Village Boards than for Town Boards.  Village Boards may approve a contract in principal, allowing the Mayor some room for further negotiation and language changes.  Town Boards must review and approve the actual, final contract

Continue Reading When Can A Municipal Board Approve a Contract “In Substance?” The Answer May Be Different in a Village Versus a Town

It is well established that zoning codes and regulations are in derogation of property owners’ rights in and to the use of their property. Zoning restricts the use of land which was otherwise free of restrictions.  An owner’s rights in use of land are among the oldest and enjoy the most protection under common law and state and federal constitutions.
Continue Reading The Ambiguity Rule: “Not-So-Clear” Can Be Useful When Seeking Variances

In Miranda Holdings v. Town Board of Town of Orchard Park, ____ N.Y.S. 3d, ____, 2017 WL 2884633 (4th Dept. July 7, 2017), Petitioner, Miranda, proposed a commercial structure that included a restaurant with a drive-through window. The Town Board was not happy.  Not only did the Board improperly declare the proposed restaurant with a drive-through as a

Continue Reading The Mysterious Case of the Disappearing Type II: Town not Permitted to Reclassify a Type I Action as a Type II Action

East Hampton Town restricts the size of accessory structures to 600 s.f. (each) with no plumbing.   However, because of a long history of artists in the Town (e.g., Pollock, Willem and Elaine DeKooning), an artist’s studio is allowed to have a sink and to be as large as 2,500 s.f., depending on the size of the main house. Of course

Continue Reading Artists’ Studios in East Hampton: “Cease and Desist”