A divided New York Court of Appeals validated local zoning laws of two towns that banned hydrofracking in that Town. In Matter of Wallach v. Town of Dryden, the Court held that state law did not preempt the right of local municipalities to ban certain mining activities. The Court noted…
The Second Circuit Court of Appeals held there was a claim that was ripe for adjudication, in view of the ten years of delay in processing the Plaintiffs application, even though there was no final determination on Plaintiff’s subdivision application. In Sherman v. Town of Chester, the Court’s summary of…
The Appellate Division overturned a determination by the Albany Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) that found an event at which the audience stands is not a permitted use of an auditorium. In Matter of Albany Basketball & Sports Corp. v. City of Albany, the Court held, since the issue was…
In a case where the claim is the Not For Profit Corporation Law Article 15 (cemetery law) preempts local zoning, the Appellate Division held a local prohibition on crematories was not invalid. In Matter of Oakwood Cemetery v. Village/Town of Mt Kisco, the local cemetery claimed that a new zoning…
The Appellate Division dismissed a challenge to SEQRA Findings where no approvals had actually be granted. In the Matter of Patel v.Board of Trustee of Village of Muttontown, the Court found the ” position taken by an agency is not definitive and the injury is not actual or concrete if…
The Appellate Division Second Department concluded that a conditional site plan approval, without more, was insufficient to create vested rights in the prior zoning of a parcel. In Matter of Exeter Building Corp. v. Town of Newburgh, the Appellate Division reversed the Supreme Court holding that the Newburgh Zoning Board…
An appellate court held that a restriction on the height of buildings fixed by a zoning board of appeals did not survive a later change of zoning for the parcel at issue. In Matter of Livingston Parkway Assn., Inc. v. Town of Amherst Zoning Board of Appeals, the Third Department…
The Appellate Division upheld a Zoning Board’s denial of a use variance to extend a ski lift over a currently unused parcel. In Matter of Holimont, Inc. v Village of Ellicottville Zoning Board of Appeals, et.al. the Court noted that the applicant failed to meet the criteria for obtaining a…
The Appellate division determined that mere proximity of a neighborhood access road was not sufficient to create standing for individuals who reside 1,300 to 2,000 feet from a proposed regional mall. In Matter of Riverhead Neighborhood Preservation Coalition v. Town of Riverhead Town Board, a local neighborhood association challenged the…
The Appellate Division found multiple extensions of a grandfather clause that permitted a specific development to proceed to final approval, despite local regulations that would have otherwise prevented it, is consistent with the Town’s comprehensive plan. In Matter of Birchwood Neighborhood Association v. Planning Board of the Town of Colonie,…