BFJ Planning is a consulting firm providing professional expertise in planning and related fields since its establishment in 1980. BFJ provides the following services for public, private, and non-profit clients throughout the country and overseas:
- Planning
- Urban design
- Environmental analysis
- Real estate consulting
- Transportation planning
This range of services enables BFJ to bring a project from the initial feasibility stage, through planning and approvals, to site design and implementation.
Principals and staff provide expertise in many areas, which is highly beneficial for complex development projects that require informed, innovative thinking from different professional points of view. This inclusive approach ensures that BFJ’s planning and design recommendations are realistic and achievable within project constraints.
BFJ’s expertise includes developer negotiations, impact mitigation, and government programs. The firm also has extensive experience with consensus building and the public participation process, conducting public meetings, workshops, and other community liaison programs aimed at public participation and review. These pro- grams allow the firm to provide innovative solutions that fulfill the needs of clients and communities. BFJ has successfully completed more than 1,000 projects in the U.S., East Asia, Europe, and South America.
BFJ is supported by its affiliate, Urbanomics. Since 1984, Urbanomics has provided public- and private-sector clients with an array of economic development planning studies, market studies, tax policy analyses, program evaluations, and economic and demographic forecasts.
Bond, Schoeneck & King, founded in 1897, has developed a reputation for professional excellence, integrity and success. With 250 attorneys, Bond is ranked by American Lawyer among the top 200 law firms in the nation. From our origin in Syracuse, New York, we have expanded to eight offices across the Empire State (Albany, Buffalo, Garden City, New York City, Rochester, Saratoga Springs, Syracuse and Utica).
Our public sector roster includes over 300 municipalities, including villages, towns, cities and counties as well as other public sector entities, such as public benefit corporations and numerous public authorities – housing, industrial and special districts.
Drawing upon the experience of more than 55 attorneys, Bond provides smart and effective counsel to address the varied and sophisticated needs of its municipal clients. We have extensive experience advising public sector boards and commissions in matters of:
- Bond Counsel/Public Finance
- Construction
- Eminent Domain
- Energy Law
- Environmental Law
- FOIL
- Government Relations
- Labor and Employment
- Litigation
- Municipal Dissolution, Annexation, Consolidation and Shared Services
- Special Projects
- Tax Assessment
- Zoning and Planning
Bond represents municipalities in all aspects of administrative and regulatory proceedings and has extensive experience in formal adjudicatory hearings. We also advise municipalities on the development and implementation of comprehensive plans and public works projects including landfills, water and wastewater treatment plants. Our attorneys address all aspects of municipal infrastructure project development and review, including applications for state and federal environmental permits, establishment of improvement districts and the adoption of needed local laws such sewer use laws. Furthermore, as part of our extensive experience in representing municipalities, school districts and other public entities, Bond has substantial experience in leases of public property and financing on either side of the transaction.
Areas served: All of New York State
Contact information:
Richard Finkel: https://www.bsk.com/people/richard-s-finkel/municipalities
Brody Smith: https://www.bsk.com/people/brody-d-smith/municipalities
CLA SITE Landscape Architecture, Engineering & Planning, P.C., is a New York State Certified Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) specializing in Landscape Architecture, Land Planning, Civil and Environmental Engineering, and Environmental Permitting.
Founded in 1997, we take great pride in being a dedicated group of multi-disciplined professionals with excellent planning, site design, construction, and project management skills. Our ability to effectively lead or collaborate on a wide variety and complexity of projects has been the key to our success.
We offer proven expertise in projects requiring collaborative participation through design workshops and with the support of local municipalities, state and federal agencies.
CLA SITE’s portfolio of projects demonstrates a tradition of creative low impact development and lasting community enhancements with a focus on parks, trails, and recreation; municipal streetscape and community revitalization; higher education and K-12 schools, historic restoration; housing; commercial/retail; mixed-use development; water/wastewater infrastructure; industrial manufacturing; construction aggregate mine/reclamation planning; industrial and construction sector stormwater permitting; visual impact assessment; and full service environmental permitting.
Established in 1817, Hodgson Russ is one of the oldest law firms in the United States. Former firm attorneys include U.S. Presidents Millard Fillmore and Grover Cleveland, former Congressman and World Bank President Barber Conable, and former Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Treasury Donald C. Lubick. The firm is a partnership whose approximately 200 attorneys assist clients with virtually every legal issue an organization may face.
Every engagement receives our attorneys’ full focus and the benefit of decades of collective wisdom and experience. We look beyond the books to craft sophisticated solutions to our clients’ legal and business problems with creativity and flexibility, always mindful that efficiency and diligence are critical to the bottom line. Central to our approach is the delivery of workable, practical plans and strategies that make sense from all legal and business perspectives.
Hodgson Russ is frequently recognized for excellence in the practice of law. The firm, our practices, and our attorneys are honored by clients, other lawyers from around the country, national legal publications, and ranking organizations.
Led by former municipal officials, our team understands government from the inside, and provides cost effective assistance across the full range of issues, including labor and employment, economic development and public finance, zoning and land use, energy and environmental law, real property tax and eminent domain, construction project advice, as well as general municipal law, all backed by relentless advocacy for our clients in state and federal judicial and administrative forums.
Areas served: All areas of the state.
Contact information:
Charles Malcomb – https://www.hodgsonruss.com/professionals-Charles-Malcomb.html
Daniel Spitzer – https://www.hodgsonruss.com/professionals-Daniel-Spitzer.html
Since 1964, Laberge Group has partnered with communities and private clients throughout New York State — providing engineering, architectural, planning, government operations, surveying, and grants and funding solutions. Our experienced project management and design teams collaborate seamlessly to provide clients with creative, integrated, and distinctive solutions. That teamwork extends to our clients as well, and is an essential component in devising effective solutions that turn challenges into opportunities.
With more than 55 years of experience, we have established lasting client relationships, amassed a diverse portfolio of successfully completed projects, and established a proven track record of completing projects on time, within budget, and with exceptional service. In recent years, Laberge Group’s planning professionals have worked with numerous New York communities to develop effective and impactful Comprehensive Plans. Our team collaborates with elected officials, community leaders, stakeholders, business owners, and residents to establish a common vision for the future of their municipality and then develop specific strategies to attain that vision. While each Comprehensive Plan is developed to meet the unique needs of each client community, common elements include tools to effectively address the need for: a vibrant local economy; a safe and healthy local environment; active engagement of residents and other stakeholders; strong public transportation and other transportation infrastructure; a well-integrated mix of housing types; quality local public services; a diverse and vibrant local culture that encourages pride in the community; and a ‘sense of place.’
Services provided:
Laberge Group is a multidiscipline firm that provide the following services for municipalities:
- Engineering services, including Water, Wastewater, Transportation, Park and Recreation, Site Planning, and Construction Solutions.
- Architectural services, including Municipal Facilities Building Design, Renovation, and Rehabilitation; Interior Space Planning; Feasibility Studies; Facility Evaluations and Master Planning; and Code Analysis/Compliance Studies.
- Planning services, including Comprehensive Planning, Economic Development, Brownfield Planning, and Zoning & Land Use Solutions.
- Government Operations & Efficiency services, including Village Dissolution and Municipal Consolidation; Shared Services; and County Wide Shared Services Initiatives.
- Surveying services, including Municipal Utility and Pipeline Surveys; Topographic Surveys; Boundary Surveys; Right of Way Surveying and Mapping; and Easement Preparations.
- Grant and funding services, including Funding Application Development, Grant Administration, Grant Program Delivery, and Annual Service Agreements.
Areas served: Laberge Group serves municipalities throughout New York State.
Contact information:
Ben Syden, AICP, Vice President
bsyden@labergegroup.com
(518) 458-7112
4 Computer Drive West
Albany, New York 12205
Nelson Pope Voorhis (NPV), established in 1997, delivers creative environmental, land use, and planning solutions to public, private, institutional, and governmental clients on Long Island, in the Hudson Valley, and in the greater New York Metro area.
NPV’s primary focus is to provide quality planning services that meet the needs and goals of our clients while respecting the environment. We strive to build better communities by providing relevant, timely, and accurate advice to our clients and building consensus and understanding between all stakeholders.
NPV prepares comprehensive plans and zoning laws, designs downtowns, and develops sustainable project solutions. We advise planning and zoning boards and implement State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR). NPV’s clients are secure in knowing that they will receive quality professional services, on-budget and on-schedule, from project inception through completion.
NPV’s offers the following services:
- Comprehensive and Land Use Planning
- Municipal Services
- Environmental and Planning Analysis
- Housing and Community Development
- Economic and Analysis Development
- Design and GIS Mapping
- Coastal and Waterfront Management
- Stormwater
- Ecology and Wetlands
- Environmental Assessments
With our affiliates Nelson + Pope (engineering, traffic, architecture, surveying) and East Coast GeoServices (drilling, borings), NPV provides a full suite of integrated services that connect the right disciplines and appropriate resources to craft innovative solutions for our clients.
For more information visit us at nelsonpopevoorhis.com.
Contact Information
Long Island:
Kathryn Eiseman, AICP
70 Maxess Road, Melville, NY 11747
(631) 427-5665 · keiseman@nelsonpopevoorhis.com
Hudson Valley:
Maximilian Stach, AICP
156 Route 59, Suite C6, Suffern, NY 10901
(845) 368-1472 · mstach@nelsonpopevoorhis.com
Since its founding in 1975, Whiteman Osterman & Hanna has grown to become the largest and one of the most well-respected law firms in the Capital Region with 90 attorneys, over 20 of whom regularly counsel municipalities throughout New York State.
Our Municipal Practice Group guides over 40 towns, villages, cities and counties through the complex maze of local, State and federal laws associated with governing and improving their communities. In addition to serving many Capital District municipalities, we also provide counsel to municipalities located in the Mohawk Valley, Hudson Valley, Long Island and in the North County.
NYPF members may recall our attorneys’ regular presentations on SEQRA, wetlands, planning and zoning statutes, caselaw updates and ethics, among other topics at annual and regional NYPF sponsored training programs over the last 40 years.
We identify the relevant legal requirements and help municipalities achieve their goals in an appropriate, timely and cost-effective manner. The practice is also experienced in helping municipalities to cooperate on a regional basis to solve common problems efficiently. We also defend municipalities in Article 78 challenges to the planning and zoning decisions.
The attorneys in our Municipal Practice have held local government zoning, planning and legal positions. No matter the scope of the project, we pride ourselves on providing responsive, effective services to our municipal clients. Our experience includes:
› Development of comprehensive plans, zoning laws and other land use legislation including local legislation concerning environmental sustainability.
› Redevelopment of contaminated properties under State and federal brownfields programs.
› Siting and review of wind power and solar projects and conventional power plants.
› Litigation involving environmental claims, tax assessment review, employment, construction and other matters.
› Establishment and expansion of sewer, water and other special districts.
› Siting and permitting of solid waste facilities and contracting with private solid waste providers.
› Permitting and enforcement proceedings before local, State and federal agencies in all areas.
› SEQRA review of residential and commercial projects.
› Funding and approval for infrastructure projects such as water and sewage systems including regionalization and public and private partnerships.
› Collective bargaining and employment-related issues.
› Establishment and expansion of Empire Zones.
› Redevelopment of former military bases and State facilities.