Carolyn Zenk, Attorney at Law

Carolyn Zenk, Attorney at Law
Sworn in as Councilwoman, 1999

LAW FIRM EXPERIENCE

LAW FIRM OWNER AND MANAGER, Southampton, New York, 1998 to present

• Represented and/or advised Group for the South Fork, North Fork Environmental Council, Surfrider Foundation, Hampton Bays Historic Preservation Society, and numerous other civic, neighborhood organizations, and environmental groups.
  
• Ten years litigation experience. Handled fifteen Supreme Court cases, including five Article 78s solo.
  
• Successfully litigated and defended a multi-mllion dollar landlord/tenant/civil rights action against the owner of a multi-million dollar shopping center.
  
• Successfully litigated Article 78 against Town of Southold, which resulted in Trustees having to obey the newly enacted Waterfront Revitalization Law.
  
• Successfully sued and litigated Article 78 against the Town of Brookhaven, five limited liability companies, one corporation, and three attorneys to preserve one of Brookhaven’s largest remaining farm fields and preserve the Long Island Pine Barrens. (pending)
  
• Ten years management experience operating her own law firm
  
  

Carolyn Zenk, Attorney at Law has been
practicing Law for over twenty-five years. She was also a
Land Use Planner for four years & Environmental Analyst.

MUNCIPAL EXPERIENCE SOUTHAMPTON TOWN BOARD MEMBER

Southampton, New York, 2000 to 2003

Managed a seventy two (72) million dollar annual budget.

• Oversaw the work of one dozen department heads, who collectively managed eight hundred and twenty one employees (821), including, the Town Attorney- head of the Legal Department (seven lawyers)- Planning and Land Management, Building and Zoning, Community Preservation Fund Parks, and Code Enforcement.
• Co-sponsored new Coastal Erosion Hazard Area Law for length of Southampton Town coast, which made building shore-hardening structures such as bulkheads prohibitive, increased building setbacks, and limited clearing on barrier beach.
  
• Sponsored and enacted a “Superstore Law”, in commercial zones, which severely restricted the size of new buildings to maintain the Town’s historic character.
  
• Hired the first Community Preservation Fund Manager, who successfully implemented the two percent land transfer tax and land purchase program in Southampton.
  
• Managed and oversaw seventeen million dollar Town purchases of land each year with the Community Preservation Fund.
  
• Convinced the Town Board to purchase numerous beach parcels along the barrier island in Hampton Bays, as well as farms, wetlands, and Pine Barren’s lands.
  
• Sponsored and enacted strong “Grouper Law,” to address hundreds of nuisance complaints from citizens, which restricted the number of persons who could live together in summer rentals, and increased fines significantly Sponsored and enacted significantly increased fines for noise violations in Southampton in response to citizen complaints.
  
• Appointed community-minded members, such as the President of the League of Woman Voters, to key Southampton government boards, like the Southampton Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals.
  
  EXPERIENCE WITH NOT-FOR-PROFIT ENVIRONMENTAL AGENCY
  
  
• GENERAL COUNSEL: Group for the South Fork, Bridgehampton, N.Y. 1988 to 1998.
  
• Solo full-time in-house counsel (ten years) for leading regional not-for-profit environmental protection organization.
  
• Represented the organization before numerous town and village agencies, including town boards, village trustees, planning boards, zoning boards of appeals, and the Suffolk County Legislature on varied environmental issues hundreds of times.
  
• Reviewed hundreds of proposed environmental laws and dozens of draft and final environmental impact statements. Prepared or was the primary assistant for legal briefs, memoranda of law, motions, and court papers in over one-half dozen Article 78s filed on behalf of Group for the South Fork.
  
• Carolyn Zenk, Attorney at Law, has extensive experience protecting property on the coast. She was a co-sponsor of Southampton Town’s revised Coastal Erosion Hazard Area Law. Carolyn Zenk represented the Surfrider Foundation by reviewing new coastal laws in East Hampton.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Carolyn Zenk, Attorney at Law, has extensive experience protecting property on the coast. She was a co-sponsor of Southampton Town’s revised Coastal Erosion Hazard Area Law. Carolyn Zenk represented the Surfrider Foundation by reviewing new coastal laws in East Hampton.
  
  
  ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYST AND PLANNER: Group for the South Fork, 1980-1984.
  
• Reviewed and improved environmental legislation, environmental impact statements, zoning amendments, and hundreds of subdivision developments.
  
• Organized dozens of citizen groups against development projects or in favor of environmentally protective legislation or proposals.
  
• Prepared dozens of press releases, letters to the editor, and direct mail re: issues.
  
• Chaired numerous citizen committee meetings to protect natural resources.
  
• Made dozens of effective presentations before government agencies.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Carolyn Zenk, Esq.'s certificate in Natural Resources Law and her experience as a Land Use Planner give her an edge handling matters relating to farmland preservation and development.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  Carolyn Zenk, Attorney at Law, has extensive experience with the Wetland Laws
  and Regulations of New York State.

  
  COMMITTEE WORK
• Chairman of Committee to Protect the Long Pond Greenbelt.
  
• Zenk’s committee’s work resulted in the preservation of one of New York State’s most ecologically significant chains of fresh water ponds. 1980s
  
• Chairman, East End Solid Waste Action Management Committee, and member East End Recycling Association.
  
• Nominated by Southampton Town Supervisor to chair a five-town citizen committee opposed to incineration and in favor of recycling and composting. 1989 to 1990.
  
• Chairman, Citizens to Protect “The Great Dune”
  
• This committee’s work resulted in the preservation of a geologically significant and beautiful part of the barrier beach in Southampton Town.
  
• Member, Citizens Concerned About Temik Contamination.
  
• Worked with then Legislator Gregory Blass to force the Union Carbide Corporation to pay for water filters for private wells contaminated with the pesticide aldicarb.
  
  ASSEMBLYMAN FRED THIELE’S LAW CLERK: (Then Southampton Town Supervisor) Chosen by Fred Thiele as his Law Clerk in 1985.










Carolyn Zenk has expertise regarding development
In the Long Island Pine Barrens.