Administrative Appeals

Overview                                                                                                                                                                                     

Administrative appeals ask a court or other reviewing body to overturn, alter, or delay the legal effect of an underlying administrative decision, such as the decision of a local zoning or planning authority, the decision of a state environmental agency on a permit application, or an administrative agency’s enforcement order alleging a regulatory violation. These proceedings are critically important to property owners, developers, municipalities, and other community stakeholders because they decide significant matters of property rights, fairness and due process, economic development, neighborhood compatibility, and public policy. Robinson+Cole land use lawyers combine their extensive experience in administrative permitting proceedings with their experience in litigation to give clients exceptional service in administrative appeals.

Our Services

Robinson+Cole land use lawyers represent clients in bringing and defending many kinds of appeals to courts and administrative hearing officers that arise out of administrative decision-making. Key areas of our courtroom experience include the following:

  • appeals from municipal decisions involving inland wetlands and watercourses permits, site plans, special permits, variances, and subdivisions for an array of land use proposals such as these:

– supermarkets

– warehouse clubs

– multifamily market rate and affordable housing

– mixed-use projects

– energy projects

– office and industrial projects

– gasoline stations

– coastal facilities

– billboards 

  • appeals from municipal decisions involving sewer and water authorities
  • appeals from municipal decisions involving legislative decision-making, such as amendments to zoning regulations and zoning maps
  • appeals from municipal zoning and wetlands enforcement decisions
  • appeals from state agency decisions relating to environmental permitting, such as sanitary sewer systems, and coastal permits and approvals for ports, ferry terminals, marinas, docks, pilings, and similar structures
  • appeals to higher-level appellate courts from decisions of trial courts
  • actions for high stakes injunctive relief arising from project opponent attempts to stall or kill projects

Our Team

Our lawyers who have strong skills in administrative permitting procedures collaborate with our lawyers who have strong litigation skills. In addition to the litigation support of our Land Use Group, Robinson+Cole’s deep bench of experienced trial lawyers provides additional resources for larger or more complex litigation.  

Our Team

Members