News & Analysis as of

Appeals Municipalities

Mitchell, Williams, Selig, Gates & Woodyard,...

Solar Panel Array/Siting: New Hampshire Supreme Court Applies State Solar Development Statute

The Supreme Court of New Hampshire (“Court”) addressed in April 9, 2024 Opinion issues arising out of the installation of a solar array. See Mojalaki Holdings, LLC. v. City of Franklin, 2024 N.H. 17, 2024 WL 1514612 (N.H....more

Foley Hoag LLP - Energy & Climate Counsel

MA Appeals Court Sets New Precedent Protecting Solar Development in Local Permitting

A recent decision of the Massachusetts Appeals Court sets an important precedent in favor of solar development in the Commonwealth. In Sunpin Energy Services, LLC v. Zoning Board of Appeals of Petersham, the court unanimously...more

Tucker Arensberg, P.C.

In Potentially Groundbreaking Appeal, Pennsylvania Supreme Court to Consider Whether Public Utility Commission Can Regulate...

Tucker Arensberg, P.C. on

It has been a long-standing cardinal rule in Pennsylvania that municipal authorities were beyond the regulatory reach of the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (“PUC”). ...more

Houston Harbaugh, P.C.

You Can’t Have Two Main Characters

Houston Harbaugh, P.C. on

In a June 13, 2025 decision, the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court held that a municipality impermissibly granted conditional use approval to an oil and gas well pad and interconnect facility on tax lots that were already...more

Downs Rachlin Martin PLLC

Vermont Property Tax Appeals

It’s property tax appeal season in Vermont—property tax grievance hearings typically occur between Mid-May and early June.  If your property has been re-assessed, you will receive a notice in the mail informing you of the new...more

Fox Rothschild LLP

NJ Supreme Court Holds Municipalities Can Be Sanctioned for Frivolous Litigation

Fox Rothschild LLP on

Municipalities are not immune from sanctions under the state’s Frivolous Litigation Statute, the New Jersey Supreme Court has ruled in an appeal that stemmed from affordable housing litigation. In a unanimous decision, the...more

Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP

“ToMAYto, ToMAHto”: District Court Holds That Differences in State Law Determine Whether Unpaid Annual Pension Contributions...

On March 21, 2025, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California affirmed a bankruptcy court’s dismissal of the San Benito Healthcare District’s chapter 9 bankruptcy petition on the grounds that the...more

Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP

Tenth Circuit Finds That Invitations to Town Halls Regarding Covid-19 Triggered the TCPA’s Emergency Purposes Exception; Declines...

In a case analyzing whether invitations to town hall meetings regarding COVID-19 were exempted from liability by the TCPA’s emergency purposes exception, the Tenth Circuit declined to address whether a municipality is a...more

Stark & Stark

Navigating Historical Preservation Laws: A Guide for New Jersey Businesses

Stark & Stark on

In a state with as rich a history as New Jersey, new business projects can quickly be sidetracked or delayed by rules meant to encourage historical preservation. New businesses must plan for potential delays when developing...more

Perkins Coie

California Court of Appeal Casts Doubt on Legality of Municipality’s Voter ID Law

Perkins Coie on

Earlier this month, a California appellate court issued an order in People v. Huntington Beach indicating that California’s intermediate appellate court will hold that there is a limit on the power of localities to manage...more

DarrowEverett LLP

Legal Guidance Can Be Key in Navigating Rhode Island Land Use Matters

DarrowEverett LLP on

Land use matters in Rhode Island are often challenging to interpreappt and navigate. In fact, the Ocean State is known for having among the most restrictive policies for zoning and land use control in the U.S. It’s not hard...more

Snell & Wilmer

Arizona Supreme Court to Address the Scope of Citizens’ Rights to Propose Local Ballot Measures

Snell & Wilmer on

In the forthcoming case of Roundtree v. City of Page,2 the Arizona Supreme Court will weigh in on a reoccurring political issue that bubbles up in cities and towns across the state: under what circumstances does a proposed...more

Troutman Pepper Locke

Court Finds FERC Appropriately Evaluated Decision to Retain Dams in License Surrender

Troutman Pepper Locke on

On January 14, 2025, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit (“D.C. Circuit”) held that FERC complied with the National Environmental Policy Act (“NEPA”) in approving the surrender of a hydroelectric project license....more

Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt PC

Washington Supreme Court Elevates Municipal Power in Stormwater and Fish Passage ‎Condemnations

On September 12, the Washington Supreme Court affirmed a Court of Appeals decision that declared the City of Sammamish––and all other municipalities enumerated under Revised Code of Washington 8.12.030––does not lose its...more

Womble Bond Dickinson

Navigating Property Nuisance Litigation: Lessons from Satcher v. Columbia County on Injunctive Relief and Damage Awards

Womble Bond Dickinson on

In litigation underlying Satcher v. Columbia County, 2024 WL 3802370 (Ga. Aug. 13, 2024), property owners sued the County related to damage caused by their privately-owned 48-inch pipe that had been used as part of the...more

Dorsey & Whitney LLP

Uncertainty Looms: Minneapolis's 2040 Plan Hits (Another) Judicial Roadblock

Dorsey & Whitney LLP on

The month of September was a bad month for the City of Minneapolis’s 2040 Comprehensive Plan (2040 Comp Plan). On September 5, 2023, Minnesota’s Fourth Judicial District (Hennepin County) released a decision temporarily...more

Foley Hoag LLP - Environmental Law

Does EPA Have Authority to Include Narrative Criteria in NPDES Permits? Yes, For Now.

Earlier this week, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed EPA’s NPDES permit issued to San Francisco’s Oceanside sewer system. San Francisco had challenged the permit on the ground that EPA does not have authority to...more

DarrowEverett LLP

Stick It Where the Sun Don’t Shine: Land Use Challenges Siting Large-Scale Ground-Mounted Solar Projects

DarrowEverett LLP on

Federal and state authorities throughout the country have adopted pro-renewable energy policy goals to promote the growth of alternative energy sources using climate-friendly technologies. With the passage of the Inflation...more

Best Best & Krieger LLP

Costa Mesa Sent Back to District Court to Defend Group-Home Ordinance

Appellate court comment hints at improper motivation for regulation - The Ninth Circuit recently sent Costa Mesa back to the trial court to continue litigating two challenges to its group-home ordinance. The issue on...more

Farrell Fritz, P.C.

Court of Appeals Affirms Appellate Division Decision Invalidating Town's Discharge Ordinance

Farrell Fritz, P.C. on

In a unanimous decision, the Court of Appeals upheld the Second Department’s decision in Hunters For Deer v Town of Smithtown that the Town may not regulate discharge setbacks for bow and arrow in a manner inconsistent with...more

Foley Hoag LLP - Environmental Law

State Law Climate Damage Cases (Still) Belong in State Court

In the first appellate decision to decide the issue since the Supreme Court decision in BP P.L.C. v. Mayor & City Council of Baltimore, the 10th Circuit ruled this week that climate damage claims brought by several Colorado...more

Mitchell, Williams, Selig, Gates & Woodyard,...

Waterworks/Condemnation Proceedings: Arkansas Court of Appeals Addresses Applicable Statutory Authorities

The Arkansas Court of Appeals (“ACA”) addressed in a February 2nd Opinion an issue arising out of a municipality’s use of statutory condemnation authorities to construct a treated-water transmission line....more

Farrell Fritz, P.C.

Slings and Arrows At The Court Of Appeals

Farrell Fritz, P.C. on

On January 4, 2022, the New York Court of Appeals heard oral argument in the case of Hunters For Deer, Inc. v Town of Smithtown, where conflicting provisions of a Town of Smithtown firearm ordinance and the Environmental...more

Perkins Coie

Informal Communications Failed to Meet Requirement to “Petition” City Officials for Appeal

Perkins Coie on

A project challenger failed to exhaust administrative remedies because an email exchange and dinner meeting with city officials expressing general concerns about a recent permit approval did not satisfy the burden to...more

Perkins Coie

Court Upholds California Law Limiting Local Governments’ Ability to Deny Housing Development Applications

Perkins Coie on

In a major recent decision, the California Court of Appeal rejected a city’s interpretation of what constitutes an “objective” standard under the Housing Accountability Act (HAA), Government Code section 65589.5, and upheld...more

182 Results
 / 
View per page
Page: of 8

"My best business intelligence, in one easy email…"

Your first step to building a free, personalized, morning email brief covering pertinent authors and topics on JD Supra:
*By using the service, you signify your acceptance of JD Supra's Privacy Policy.
- hide
- hide