http://blog.szlawfirm.net/ Published by Silverberg Zalantis LLP en-us 2010-08-25T21:11:17-05:00 http://blog.szlawfirm.net/2010/08/ny_dec_issues_updated_seqra_ha_1.html The New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has issued a new SEQRA Handbook. SEQRA szlawfirm 2010-08-25T21:11:17-05:00 http://blog.szlawfirm.net/2010/08/court_finds_westchester_town_v.html In a 206 page decision, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York found the Town of Greenburgh had violated the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) when it refused to grant a church permission to build a new building, for what the court termed “contrived” reasons RLUIPA szlawfirm 2010-08-16T09:47:08-05:00 http://blog.szlawfirm.net/2010/08/court_upholds_seqra_determinat_1.html The Appellate Division upheld two lower court decisions which dismissed challenges to the SEQRA findings, site plan and subdivision approval for a shopping center in the Town of Newburgh. SEQRA szlawfirm 2010-08-11T07:45:51-05:00 http://blog.szlawfirm.net/2010/08/new_york_legislature_amends_op_1.html The New York Legislature has adopted several amendments to portions of New York’s Open Meetings Law (sections 103 and 107 of the Public Officers Law) in order to provide for more transparency in the conduct of governmental activities, as set forth in three recently adopted chapters. Municipal Law szlawfirm 2010-08-05T10:01:29-05:00 http://blog.szlawfirm.net/2010/06/ny_court_of_appeals_reverses_a.html In a rebuke to the Appellate Division First Department, the New York Court of Appeals today held that the condemnation of land on the upper west side of Manhattan to benefit Columbia University may go forward. Eminent Domain szlawfirm 2010-06-24T13:54:26-05:00 http://blog.szlawfirm.net/2010/06/another_vested_rights_decision_1.html The Court of Appeals ruled today that owners of a landfill had a vested right to use all 50 acres of their property as a landfill, even though they had only used 3 acres before more restrictive zoning was implemented. Zoning and Land Use Law szlawfirm 2010-06-17T13:45:06-05:00 http://blog.szlawfirm.net/2010/06/condemnation_award_will_not_be_1.html An appellate court upheld an award for condemnation of land underwater as well as denial of consequential damages for a partial taking, in a case where part of a residential subdivision was taken for parkland Eminent Domain szlawfirm 2010-06-06T09:40:31-05:00 http://blog.szlawfirm.net/2010/05/district_court_ruled_that_airm_1.html The District Court ruled in Withers v. The Village of Airmont that the Village of Airmont sign ordinance violated a political candidate’s First Amendment right to free speech. There, plaintiff was a candidate running for office of the 12th Legislative... Zoning and Land Use Law szlawfirm 2010-05-27T13:08:10-05:00 http://blog.szlawfirm.net/2010/05/circuit_court_finds_boulder_co_1.html Last week the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals found a RLUIPA violation based upon a denial of a special permit to expand a church RLUIPA szlawfirm 2010-05-23T21:37:30-05:00 http://blog.szlawfirm.net/2010/05/ny_court_of_appeals_rules_in_f.html In an action brought to prevent prosecution of members of an Indian nation for failure to collect cigarette sales taxes on sale to non-members of the nation, the Court of Appeals issued judgment in favor of the plaintiffs. Municipal Law szlawfirm 2010-05-21T07:40:42-05:00