Our attorneys assist clients with an extensive range of environmental permitting and zoning matters. Clients depend on us to help them determine which permits are required for their proposed home building or commercial development projects and to navigate them through the zoning and land use permitting process, at the local, regional and state levels. We have experience appearing before local planning boards and zoning boards of appeal. To facilitate this process, the Firm strives to develop close working relationships with our client’s engineering and environmental consultants and the regulators responsible for granting the final approvals. We have successfully obtained various project approvals including site plan review, special use permits, subdivision approvals, storm water management permits and SEQRA negative declarations, as well as required area and use variances. When necessary our litigation attorneys challenge the decisions of local boards utilizing the Article 78 proceeding process.
Adirondack Park Agency (APA)
Our Firm has represented private landowners in the Adirondacks since the enactment of the Adirondack Park Agency Act in the early 1970’s. Our attorneys have a thorough familiarity and extensive experience with the Adirondack Park Agency Act and its rules and regulations, such as the Wild, Scenic and Recreational River Regulations, Freshwater Wetlands Regulations and Shoreline Restrictions. We provide counsel on the APA law and its rules and regulations for developers, land owners, timber management companies and professionals such as surveyors, engineers and other attorneys.
We have submitted Jurisdictional Inquiry Forms (JIF forms), Minor and Major Permit Applications, attended public hearings on behalf of our clients and successfully obtained Non-Jurisdictional Determination letters (NJ letters) and APA permits for complex projects in the Adirondacks. We regularly negotiate terms and conditions provided in proposed APA permits as well as negotiate Settlement Agreements between landowners and the Agency due to APA claimed violations. Our attorneys have also successfully litigated decisions made and actions takenby the APA in Supreme Court utilizing the Article 78 proceeding process.
