In April, the U.S. Supreme Court decided Sheetz v. County of El Dorado, holding that legislatively-imposed fees on development are subject to the same constitutional scrutiny as fees imposed by administrative bodies. The Court's decision may have an impact on fees New York municipalities impose on developers in lieu of developer-provided parkland.
Recently, there have been several instances in which municipalities have been challenged by property owners claiming that the municipal boards have utilized delaying tactics and other actions as a pretext to prevent development of their properties.
In a case of first impression, the Appellate Division, First Department recently addressed a split in the decisions of the lower courts as to the scope of the New York City Guaranty Law.
In 1987, a unanimous Court of Appeals reaffirmed the vitality of the "stranger to the deed" rule, which holds that if a grantor executes a deed to a grantee purporting to create an easement in a third party, the easement is invalid. Daniello v. Wagner, decided by the Second Department on November 29th, makes it clear that not all grantors (or their lawyers) have received the Court of Appeals' message, suggesting that the rule needs re-examination.
In a reversal of the District Court, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals found that the failure of a local Zoning Board of Appeals to hold a hearing on an appeal from the determination of the building inspector, constituted a final determination that was ripe for judicial review.
Litigation pending in the Suffolk County Supreme Court is challenging fees charged for tax map verifications on real estate instruments filed with the county clerk as unauthorized taxes.
On Sept. 5, 2023, the New York City Short-Term Rental Registration Law (Local Law 18) took effect which directly impacts the ability of an individual unit owner to rent his or her apartment on a short-term basis.
Although the federal constitution protects against deprivation of property without due process, the Second Circuit and federal district courts have erected significant barriers to dues process claims by landowners who challenge municipal permit denials or revocations.
Where the borrower's default is not in dispute, the First Department appears to have recognized that there is little reason to delay the inevitable foreclosure. Discussion of a case in point.
New York City's 2001 ordinance regulating adult uses has been the subject of litigation for more than 15 years. In September, the Court of Appeals put an apparent end to the litigation by denying reargument of its June decision upholding the ordinance.
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