Joseph L. Hammer

Mr. Hammer is the firm’s land use and municipal property tax practice group chair.  He has years of experience in the areas of land use regulation, permitting and litigation, as well as property tax and eminent domain appeals.

In the land use area, Mr. Hammer has handled a diverse array of matters from municipal commission proceedings through court appeals and litigation.  Mr. Hammer brings a broad perspective to his land use matters as a result of his experience representing applicants and municipalities, and his long-standing service as a member of a municipal planning and zoning commission.  Mr. Hammer has handled zone change, regulation amendment, special permit, special exception, planned development, variance, site plan, subdivision and inland wetlands applications.  He has assisted clients in assembling multi-disciplinary teams of experts and coordinating the presentation of complex development applications, and has successfully defended third-party court appeals from land use approvals.  Mr. Hammer also has experience with interventions under the Connecticut Environmental Protection Act in land use proceedings and related litigation.

In the municipal property tax area, Mr. Hammer has represented commercial property owners in valuation appeals involving manufacturing, office, corporate headquarters and power generation facilities, and he has handled appeals involving exemption claims.  Mr. Hammer has also represented property owners in eminent domain matters in connection with both municipal and state takings, including valuation appeals involving issues of environmental impairment and the allocation of remediation costs.

Representative matters include the following:

• Handled municipal land use permitting proceedings for mixed-use transit-oriented development consisting of 200 dwelling units, commuter parking garage and commercial space.
• Represented developer in municipal land use permitting proceedings for $200 million mixed-use development including retail, office, restaurant and residential components, and parking garages.
• Represented of universities in obtaining municipal land use approvals for projects involving academic, residential and athletic facilities.
• Represented developer in obtaining wetlands, zoning regulation amendment and special permit approvals for 175,000 square foot warehouse and distribution facility.
• Managed complex series of contested land use proceedings and associated litigation involving non-profit facility.
• Handled municipal land use applications involving expansion of research and development facility.
• Represented applicant in municipal land use proceedings involving automobile dealership facilities.
• Defended court appeal from municipal zoning approval for 200-unit apartment project.
• Represented applicant in municipal land use proceeding involving facility for storage of spent nuclear fuel.

Affiliations

• Connecticut Bar Association, Planning and Zoning Section, Executive Committee
• New Haven County Bar Association, Land Use Committee, Co-Chair

Recognition

• Selected to the List of Connecticut Super Lawyers (Thomson Reuters), Land Use/Zoning, Environmental, 2006-2020
• Selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America (Woodward/White, Inc.) Litigation-Real Estate, 2011-2021, Real Estate Law, 2016-2021

Community Service

• Chair, Wethersfield Planning and Zoning Commission