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
Suffolk Supreme Court Overturns Zoning Board Denial of Deer Fence Application
Recently Farrell Fritz, P.C. represented a family held limited liability company in connection with an application to a East End zoning board of appeals to maintain an eight (8) foot fence and six (6) foot driveway gates around its property in Sagaponack. See, 79 Parsonage LLC v. Zoning Board of Appeals of the Incorporated Village
The Town of Riverhead’s Rural Preservation Efforts Encounter the Special Facts Exception and Section 239-m
Last month, the Appellate Division, Second Department, issued four decisions[1] in a series of hybrid proceedings challenging local laws in the Town of Riverhead (“Riverhead”). Plaintiff/Petitioner Calverton Manor, LLC (“Calverton Manor”), in connection with a site plan application, sought to annul several resolutions adopted by Defendant/Respondent Riverhead Town Board (“
Failure to Refer Area Variance Application to County Planning Agency Poses Jurisdictional Defect and Nullifies Approvals
In Fichera, et al. v. New York State Dep’t of Envt’l Conserv., et al., decided last month, Petitioners commenced an Article 78 proceeding seeking to void actions taken and determinations made by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the Zoning Board of Appeals of the Town of Sterling (“Sterling ZBA
Lack of Standing Is Fatal To Challenge
Standing is a threshold issue in challenges to administrative decisions. Prior blog posts have dealt with standing in cases involving challenges to local land use and zoning decisions. If standing is not established, the party seeking to overturn the administrative decision will see its proceeding dismissed without any consideration of the merits. Whether a party
Appellate Division Affirms ZBA Determination Denying Natural Resources Special Permit for Walls Built Without Permits on East Hampton Oceanfront Property
In the Matter of 278, LLC v. Zoning Board of Appeals of the Town of East Hampton et al., dated March 21, 2018, the Appellate Division, Second Department upheld East Hampton Town Zoning Board of Appeal’s (“ZBA”) decision denying a natural resources special permit (“NRSP”) for two parallel 762 linear feet walls built without
New York Supreme Court Upholds Riverhead Town ZBA Determination Affirming Pre-existing Nonconforming Marina, Commercial Oyster Operation and Summer Cottage Use
By letter dated November 24, 2009, the Town of Riverhead’s Building Department Administrator provided that the docks, bulkheaded structures, commercial oyster operation, and six summer rental cottages were legal pre-existing nonconforming uses of the property at 28 Whites Lane, on Reeves Creek, Aquebogue NY (“subject property”). The subject property is owned by John and Sandra
The Ambiguity Rule: “Not-So-Clear” Can Be Useful When Seeking Variances
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
In Approving Large, Multi-family Developments, Consistency with the Comprehensive Plan and SEQRA is Key
In 2009, Scenic Development, LLC (“Scenic”) sought a zone change for the property formerly known as the “Patrick Farm” located in the Town of Ramapo to permit the development of multi-family housing. In three determinations adopted January 25, 2010, the Town Board resolved to (i) approve a findings statement pursuant to the State Environmental Quality
FOIL Follies- Draft Plans Once Submitted Must Be Made Available
New York’s Freedom of Information Law (“FOIL”) mandates that agencies make all “records” available for public inspection and copying, subject to certain exemptions. See, Public Officers Law. The presumption under FOIL is that the public has a right to access “records” maintained by an any agency, because “the Legislature enacted FOIL to provide the public