Evan Seeman concentrates his practice in land use and zoning, real property litigation, and municipal law. He is a member of the firm’s Real Estate + Development Group, and he represents developers, landowners, municipalities, corporations, and advocacy groups.
Land Use – Zoning
Evan advises clients on meeting requirements for land development and coastal management development, and securing the necessary municipal and state permits to do so. He routinely appears before municipal land use agencies and the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP). He also works with planning professionals, and currently serves as the Chair of the Planning and Law Division of the American Planning Association.
Most recently, Evan successfully argued before the Connecticut Appellate Court a zoning appeal involving a planning and zoning commission's issuance of a special permit to a Greenwich, Connecticut food pantry serving those less fortunate. Evan also successfully argued in Superior Court on behalf of the fourth oldest lighthouse in the United States to permit public tours as a legally permitted non-conforming use. Evan previously represented applicants in contested administrative hearings before DEEP hearing officers for coastal development projects and received favorable judgments. He represented a municipality and obtained the dismissal of an injunction action brought by neighboring property owners who were contesting municipal approval of a 130,000-square-foot ground mounted solar array system to generate energy for a local elementary school. He also represented an applicant and obtained dismissal of a zoning appeal challenging the re-zoning and special permit approved for youth baseball fields. Evan has been involved in dozens of administrative appeals.
Real Property Litigation
Evan handles most other real property disputes. He recently represented a commercial landlord in prosecuting action for monetary damages against a Fortune 500 tenant and negotiated a favorable settlement. Evan also represents clients in cases involving inverse condemnation, easements, restrictive covenants, quiet title actions, First Amendment and equal protection issues, landlord/tenant disputes, and real property tax appeals.
Eminent Domain
Evan represents property owners in eminent domain matters, challenging both the condemning authority’s right to take property and the authority’s compensation for the property. He previously served as an affiliate member of the Owners Counsel of America, a national network of condemnation lawyers protecting private property rights. Evan represented a landowner whose plans for a mixed-use development were thwarted when part of his land was condemned by a state agency. He was part of a team that tried the case and obtained nearly double the amount of damages assessed by the agency (almost $400,000 more in damages). He also has experience in advising condemning authorities in the eminent domain process.
More Legal and Business Bylines From Evan J. Seeman
- Eleventh Circuit Clarifies RLUIPA Substantial Burden Inquiry - (Posted On Friday, February 02, 2024)
- Eleventh Circuit Finds City of Mobile Violated Religious Freedom Laws - (Posted On Wednesday, January 17, 2024)
- Fourth Circuit: Church Seeking to Operate as Brewery or Farm Winery Did Not State RLUIPA Claim - (Posted On Sunday, May 28, 2023)
- Madison, Wisconsin’s Denial of Athletic Field Lights Upheld Over Claims of Religious Discrimination - (Posted On Friday, January 20, 2023)
- Court Rules Meriden, CT’s Zoning Regulations Discriminatory - (Posted On Friday, January 06, 2023)
- Federal Court Dismisses RLUIPA Challenge to Missouri Emergency Public Health Orders - (Posted On Thursday, June 03, 2021)
- St. Pete Beach, Florida Enjoined from Prohibiting Church’s Beach Parking Lot Evangelism - (Posted On Thursday, February 11, 2021)
- First Circuit Rejects Signs For Jesus’ RLUIPA and Constitutional Appeal - (Posted On Friday, October 09, 2020)
- Florida Court Finds RLUIPA Protects Transition Home for Registered Sex Offenders - (Posted On Friday, September 18, 2020)
- U.S. Supreme Court Upholds California’s COVID-19 Restrictions on Religious Worship - (Posted On Monday, June 01, 2020)