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Sorting Out Vested Rights and Non-Conforming Uses

BY Stewart E. Sterk
March 29, 2010

Pre-existing non-conforming use doctrine and “vested rights” doctrine are two different, but related, mechanisms for protecting landowners from the impact of a newly enacted zoning ordinance. Both are state law doctrines with constitutional underpinnings: they both operate to obviate the need for landowners to raise, and courts to consider, claims that a newly enacted ordinance works a “taking.” In Global Aggregates LLC v. Town of Yorkshire (NYLJ 2/19/2010, p. 41., col. 3), the Court of Appeals decided a case in which the landowner raised both doctrines.

The Case

Glacial was formed to engage in sand and gravel mining in Western New York. In 1996, for a total price of $250,000, Glacial purchased or acquired options on a promising 375-acre site in an area without any zoning law. Glacial then sought a permit from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, expending about $500,000 to create plans for the mining operation and to conduct the studies necessary to comply with SEQRA. In 1998, the town board enacted a moratorium on gravel mining, but when, in September 1999, DEC issued a five-year mining permit, the town board lifted the moratorium. Glacial then excavated 40 truckloads of gravel over a two-year period, and did some exploratory digging. Glacial did not finish a bridge or haul road required by DEC.

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