Last Updated on 10/30/2026
This page is being updated as we build our program of topics and speakers. It may change as we progress. Please check back often!
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Town and Village Boards (Track A)
Hot Topics for Town Boards – NYAOT
Micromobility – Scott Earing, Governor’s Traffic Safety Council
Public Meetings and Hearings – Wade Beltramo, NYCOM
Crossover 1 (Track B)
Planning Boards (Track C)
Spot Zone or Grant the Illegal Use Variance? – NYSDOS, Division of Local Government Services
Neither, we hope. The title of this course is to catch your attention and aspires to help avoid both spot zoning and the granting of illegal use variances. This course explores how situations in which a proposed use different from those around it (which local officials agree would not be a detriment to the community) might best be handled—with a review of the use variance test, the definition of spot zoning, and a few cases that will help local officials make sure their zoning works for their municipality.
Land Use and SEQRA Case Law Update – Matthew Fitzgerald, Phillips Lytle
This session will provide attendees with an overview of changes in the laws relating to land use and zoning in New York State. The latest cases from New York courts have been reviewed and the speaker will discuss new trends in municipal land use and zoning issues. The session will also include discussion about the latest decisions relating to the State Environmental Quality Review Act.
Choose Wisely: How Allocation of Land Uses Drives Local Government Revenue and Operations – Matt Horn, MRB Group
Land use and development regulations factor prominently in local community in so many ways – placemaking, quality of life, community health. Local governments should be evaluating changes to land use regulations for their impacts on each of these. However, as communities consider changes to local land use allocations, they should also consider how those changes impact costs and revenues. We will share case studies and ideas about how some communities have maximized land use to mitigate the costs of growth and enhance revenues, along with case studies of some who have not.
SEQRA 101: The Essentials – Corey A. Auerbach, Barclay Damon LLP
SEQRA shapes nearly every land use decision a board makes, yet boards too often treat it as a formality rather than a tool for making better decisions. Drawing on experience guiding some of New York’s largest projects through SEQRA, this session demystifies the process from start to finish: classifying the action, establishing a lead agency, and preparing a determination of significance that will withstand judicial review. It offers practical lessons for new and seasoned board members, planners and practitioners alike.
Zoning Boards of Appeals (Track D)
Zoning Interpretation Appeals: Who Gets the Last Word? – Corey A. Auerbach, Barclay Damon LLP
The ZBA’s power to grant variances is well known. Its power to interpret the zoning code is every bit as consequential, and far less appreciated. When a determination of the code enforcement officer is appealed, the ZBA decides what the code means, and that reading often determines whether a project moves forward. This session examines the source and scope of that authority, the procedural requirements that govern an interpretation appeal, and the principles courts apply in deciding whether a board’s interpretation will stand. It then follows an actual interpretation appeal from the ZBA through the Appellate Division, Fourth Department, with practical lessons for board members, code enforcement officers and practitioners alike.
Questions and Answers for Planning Boards and Zoning Boards of Appeals – Matthew Fitzgerald, Phillips Lytle
This is your chance to ask the expert your burning legal questions. This session is an open-floor format for questions on planning and zoning issues.
Crossover 2 (Track E)
Rethinking Municipal Dams: Reducing Community Liability While Improving Flood Resilience and River Health – Tim Koch, NYSDEC/NYS Water Resources Institute at Cornell University
Over 1,000 dams in New York State are owned by local governments. Many are over 100 years old, no longer serve their original purpose, are out of compliance with modern dam safety regulations, and are unfit to handle future floods. Municipalities across the state are removing their dams to eliminate the maintenance and liability burden, increase community flood resilience, improve public safety, and restore their local rivers. This talk will highlight the multiple co-benefits of dam removal and discuss how municipalities can advance these beneficial projects.
Cannabis Update – Phillip Rumsey, NYS Office of Cannabis Management
This session will provide a general overview of the cannabis industry in New York and of changes over the past few years. Topics will include tax distribution, distance requirements, number of dispensaries, an overall economic analysis of the industry, and will include time for questions and answers.
Clerks (Track F)
Hot Topics for Municipal Clerks – NYAOT
Employee Handbooks – Lindsay Mastro, Conscious HR
Records Retention – Laura Montgomery, NYS Archives
Retention and Disposition are key concepts for managing records. This session will introduce legal requirements and best practices for managing records with a focus on retention schedules, using the Local Government Retention Schedule (LGS-1) with a practical demonstration, creating office schedules, and disposing of records that have met their retention.
Fraud Protection and Detection – Ingrid M. Otto, Division of Local Government & School Accountability, OSC
This session will identify steps local officials can take to help detect and prevent fraud and abuse. Participants will learn about the fraud triangle, common red flags, organizational vulnerabilities to fraud and how to minimize risks.