Land Use Law Center

Established in 1993, the Land Use Law Center is dedicated to fostering the development of sustainable communities and regions through the promotion of innovative land use strategies and dispute resolution techniques. Through the work of its programs, centers, and institutes, the Land Use Law Center offers conferences, seminars, clinics, academic law school courses, continuing legal education programs, audio podcasts, and frequent publications and resources on contemporary land use, real estate, and environmental issues.

Looking for our Gaining Ground Database?

Click here to visit our Gaining Ground Information Database featuring a comprehensive collection of land use resources, including federal, state, and local ordinances; commentaries; research papers; and research aids.

Seventeenth Annual
Alfred B. DelBello Land Use and Sustainable Development Conference

Sustainable Development as a Market Driver

The 17th annual Alfred B. DelBello Land Use and Sustainable Development Conference was held on Thursday, December 6. This year’s conference “Sustainable Development as a Market Driver” brought together more than 250 attorneys, business professionals, and local leaders who spent the day learning about national, regional, and local innovations, challenges, and best practices. The featured sessions covered comprehensive and target area plans, zoning tools for a new economy, water resources and energy projects, among other topics. The morning keynote address - “Walkable Urbanism is the Future of the Suburbs; Identifying Winners and Losers of this Trend” - was given by  Christopher Leinberger, a land use strategist, professor, real estate developer, researcher, speaker, and author. The luncheon keynote speaker was Sam Schwartz discussing his new book, No One at the Wheel.

This year also marks the 25^th anniversary of the Land Use Law Center at Pace Law. Established in 1993, the Land Use Law Center is dedicated to fostering the development of sustainable communities and regions through the promotion of innovative land use strategies and dispute resolution techniques. Through the work of its programs, centers, and institutes, the Land Use Law Center offers conferences, seminars, clinics, academic law school courses, continuing legal education programs, audio podcasts, and frequent publications and resources on contemporary land use, real estate, and environmental issues. The Center has spent more than two decades educating local and regional land use leaders and supporting municipalities. The annual Land Use and Sustainable Development conference is one example of how the Center brings together leaders, policy makers, and attorneys to analyze, discuss, and offer solutions to the challenges faced in land use.

Additionally, on Wednesday, December 5th, the Center hosted a dinner to allow local leaders and sponsors an opportunity to add to their conference experience and network with conference presenters and to honor our Founder’s Award recipient Richard O'Rourke, Keane & Beane. This year, the Center bestowed its first Distinguished Young Attorney Award to Noelle C. Wolfson, Associate Attorney, Hocherman, Tortorella, & Wekstein, LLP, a 2006 graduate of Pace Law and former Land Use Law Center Honors Fellow, who has demonstrated excellent service and commitment to land use law. 

Click here to view conference page.

Popping Climate Change Bubbles:
Responding to Alarming New Evidence of Global Warming

Click on the link below to listen to Professor Nolon explain how to use land use law to mitigate and adapt to climate change .

https://mediaspace.pace.edu/media/Distinguished+Lecture+Series+-+04-12-16/1_fi3o90z3/31792771

U.S. Green Building Council & Land Use Law Center
Announce Two Resources to Help Local Governments
Create Sustainable Neighborhoods

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and the Land Use Law Center announce two new free resources – the Technical Guidance Manual for Sustainable Neighborhoods and the Neighborhood Development Floating Zone – to help local governments leverage the LEED for Neighborhood Development (LEED-ND) rating system as a sustainability tool. Read more…

 Promoting the Use of Green Infrastructure

On behalf of the City of Newburgh Conservation Advisory Council (CAC), the Center completed a Green Infrastructure Guide.  The guide directs CAC decision-making, recommending the use of natural processes to address stormwater and air quality impacts from development and is available by clicking here.

Connect with the Land Use Law Center!

Connect with students, alumni, LULA graduates, and many others on the Land Use Law Center’s social media pages. See Center updates, photos, videos, event information, and more. Click the icons below to join our Facebook page, follow us on Twitter, join us on LinkedIn, and subscribe to our YouTube page.

Click here to view our Upcoming Events!

Professor John Nolon’s new book, Protecting the Environment Through Land Use Law:  Standing Ground, describes in detail how a greener planet and appropriate development can be achieved through zoning and other land use laws. It explains countless practical strategies that local governments are using as they continue their historical struggle to balance land development with natural resource conservation.  Professor Nolon is the founder of, and Counsel to, the Law School’s Land Use Law Center and a professor at Pace.  He has taught land use planning and policy at Yale for over 12 years.  Standing Ground is published by the American Planning Association and American Planning Association and Environmental Law Institute and is his latest in a series of publications that define and describe a framework for sustainable development.  Read more about the new publication here.