Land Use & Zoning

Navigating the land use, zoning and SEQRA approvals processes from project inception to shovel in the ground
Our Approach

Our attorneys spend many nights of the week advocating before planning boards, zoning boards of appeal, legislative bodies, and other governmental agencies – or representing these boards as Special Counsel on complex development projects. That means leading our clients’ development teams, working with municipal officials and staff, providing strategic advice and substantive guidance, compiling a complete administrative record, organizing public outreach, and ensuring regulatory compliance.

And because many of the attorneys in our land use and zoning practice are also litigators, we position our clients for success if their application ends up in court. The attorney who fought in the trenches during the review process will bring a comprehensive knowledge of the administrative record when defending (or challenging) municipal determinations.

What We Do

Zarin & Steinmetz successfully guides clients through federal, state and local zoning, land use and environmental regulatory processes, including:

  • Site plan, special permit, and subdivision applications
  • Environmental impact review under SEQRA
  • Comprehensive plan & zoning text/map amendments
  • Public-Private Partnerships
  • Wetlands, steep slopes, floodplain, and other sensitive feature permits
  • Area and use variances
  • Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA)
  • Padavan Law and Fair Housing Act (FHA) compliance
  • County Planning review under New York General Municipal Law
  • Administrative Law
  • SHPO review/historic preservation
  • Green building/LEED certification
Recent News
David Steinmetz and Zarin & Steinmetz led the development team that secured a groundbreaking 10-story height variance, site plan approval, and Industrial Development Agency (IDA) benefits for Miroza Tower, a transformative project in Yonkers. The 25-story apartment building at 44 Hudson Street has officially been topped off. Miroza Tower will include 250 residential units, 25...
Jacob Amir successfully obtained site plan approval for a three-lot subdivision from the Briarcliff Manor Planning Board. Initially, the owner embarked on the approval process on their own, but became entangled in six public hearings and faced delays due to a long restrictive covenant history. After retaining Zarin & Steinmetz, our firm’s thorough legal analysis...
David Cooper represented Broad Street Owner LLC in securing amended site plan approval from Port Chester’s Planning Commission for a 15-story mixed-use building in the center of downtown on Broad Street. This project, which has been in development for several years, aims to create a vibrant, transit-oriented community in the heart of Port Chester. In...