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LOCAL LAW REVISING ZONING DISTRICTS AND ALLOWING MINING WAS VALIDLY ENACTED; CONTRARY TO SUPREME COURT’S FINDING, TWO PETITIONERS HAD STANDING BY VIRTUE OF THEIR OWNING PROPERTY SUBJECT TO THE NEW ZONING PROVISIONS; ONE PORTION OF THE LOCAL LAW USURPED THE POWERS OF THE STATE ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY REVIEW ACT (SEQRA) AND WAS ANNULLED; ANOTHER PORTION ADDRESSING TRUCK TRAFFIC VIOLATED THE VEHICLE AND TRAFFIC LAW AND WAS ANNULLED (THIRD DEPT).

The Third Department, in a comprehensive and detailed decision which can not be fairly summarized here, determined a local law which included and new zoning map, revised zoning districts and allowed mining on properties with existing permits was validly enacted. Disagreeing with Supreme Court, the Third Department noted that two of the petitioners, Holser and Hastings, had standing to challenge the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) review by virtue of owning property subject to the rezoning ordinance. The court found that one section of the Local Law usurped powers reserved under SEQRA requiring annulment of that section. The court found that another paragraph of the Local Law prohibiting the transport of minerals on town roads did not carve out exceptions for deliveries as required by the Vehicle and Traffic Law. With respect to the standing issue, the court wrote:

For purposes of standing, when a property owner challenges the SEQRA review process undertaken in conjunction with a zoning enactment to which its property is subject, “ownership of the subject property confers a legally cognizable interest in being assured that the Town satisfied SEQRA before taking action to rezone its land”  … . “[S]tanding should be liberally constructed so that land use disputes are settled on their own merits rather than by preclusive, restrictive standing rules. To that end, the allegations contained in a petition are deemed to be true and are construed in the light most favorable to the petitioner” … . Holser and Hastings have demonstrated that they reside in the Town and own property therein. It is not necessary to assert “proof of special damage or in-fact injury” … , nor do they have to state a noneconomic environmental harm. All that is necessary for standing is to demonstrate ownership of property subject to the rezoning ordinance … . Matter of Troy Sand & Gravel Co., Inc. v Town of Sand Lake, 2020 NY Slip Op 04212, Thrid Dept 7-23-20

 

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