After more than half a century, the Village of Sea Cliff is in the process of adopting a new Comprehensive Plan to update the 1970 Village Master Plan. New York State recommends that municipalities update their Comprehensive Plans on a regular basis, to identify changes and trends that the community is undergoing, as well as develop a shared vision and
Continue Reading Village of Sea Cliff in the Midst of Developing a New Comprehensive Plan
The Town Board of the Town of Southampton adopted the Hampton Bays Downtown Overlay District (“Overlay District”) Form Based Code by Town Board resolution 2020-288 on February 25, 2020 with the support of a Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement (“SGEIS”) Findings Statement. The intent of the Overlay District was, in part, to “prepare Hampton Bays for redevelopment. The Town is
Continue Reading Hampton Bays Downtown Overlay District Form Based Code Annulled for Failing to Comply with SEQRA
Last year, the New York County Supreme Court heard an Article 78 challenge by Preserve Our Brooklyn Neighborhoods (“POBN”), a civic organization dedicated to maintaining the unique character and historical significance of the Fort Greene area of Brooklyn, New York. This lawsuit, which I discussed in a previous post, turned on whether a resolution passed by the New
Continue Reading First Department Affirms Dismissal of Constitutional Challenge to Zoning Resolution
Petitioner, Claude Simon (“Petitioner”), owns approximately 2.25 acres of property in the Village of Upper Nyack (the “Village”), which he sought to subdivide into two separate lots. The first lot would contain the existing dwelling and other existing improvements. The vacant second lot would be improved with a single-family dwelling. However, the Village advised Petitioner that he would need to
Continue Reading Second Department Affirms Article 78 Reversal of Village Zoning Board Determination
How and when to challenge multiple municipal actions regarding a single project often perplexes Article 78 litigants. Varying statutes of limitations may apply to actions taken at various stages for one project, and the judicial concepts of finality and ripeness affect the viability of a challenge. For example, a litigant must challenge a lead agency’s determination pursuant to the State
Continue Reading How and When to Challenge SEQRA Determinations: Addressing Ripeness and Finality in Article 78 Cases
A recent Second Department decision, Matter of Village of Kiryas Joel v County of Orange, et al., addresses the intriguing justiciability doctrine of ripeness, as applied to judicial review of municipal administrative action.
In 2007, Orange County (the “County”) acquired property known as Camp LaGuardia from the New York City Economic Development Corporation. Originally, the County’s plan was to
Continue Reading Second Department Reverses Dismissal of Article 78 Proceeding on Ripeness Grounds
The Appellate Division recently issued a decision that explained why a massage therapist and the American Massage Therapy Association, (AMTA), a professional organization of massage therapists, lacked standing to challenge a local law enacted by the Town of Greenburgh. At issue in Matter of American Massage Therapy Association v Town of Greenburgh was a local law that required massage
Continue Reading Lack of Standing Prevents a Challenge to a Local Law that Requires Massage Therapists to be Licensed by the Municipality
The Ludovico Sculpture Trail (Trail) is located near the Women’s Rights National Historic Park in Seneca Falls, NY. Its website can be found at cnyhiking.com/LudovicoTrail.htm. The Trail recently became a centerpiece of a land use dispute with the Town of Seneca Falls (Town).
In Matter of Frank J. Ludovico Sculpture Trail Corp. v Town of Seneca Falls, the Fourth
Continue Reading Town’s Decision To Acquire An Easement To Install A Sewer Line Along The Ludovico Sculpture Trail Is Annulled
A recent Supreme Court decision, In the Matter of Preserve Our Brooklyn Neighborhoods v. City of New York, demonstrates the difficulty a litigant faces when challenging a zoning determination on constitutional grounds. The petitioners are “an incorporated association of community members” from the Fort Greene area of Brooklyn (the “Petitioners”), who oppose proposed development in their community in the
Continue Reading Constitutional Challenges to Zoning Subject to Very High Standard
A recent decision from the Supreme Court of Warren County, John Carr v. Village of Lake George Village Board, demonstrates how a simple omission on a site plan approval application can upend an approved project, even though the municipality wants the project and enacted a local law to smooth the pathway for its approval.
James Quirk (Quirk) owns property
Continue Reading Applicant’s Failure To Include Information About The Whole Project On The Site Plan Ends Up In Remand To Planning Board