Daniel L. Steinhagen

Daniel (Dan) Steinhagen is a Member in the Firm’s Land Use, Redevelopment and Affordable Housing Group, where he specializes in zoning, land use, real estate development, affordable housing and environmental permitting. He represents developers, land owners, and municipal entities in all phases of land development and was named in Super Lawyer Magazine as a Rising Star in the field of Land Use and Zoning in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019, and as a Super Lawyer in Land Use and Zoning in 2023. His practice also extends into the fields of commercial real estate, trial and appellate litigation, and local government law. He currently serves as the attorney for the Borough of Closter Planning Board and Zoning Board of Adjustment and the Borough of Leonia Planning Board.

A relentless advocate for his client’s interests, Dan is known both for rolling up his sleeves and going the extra mile to get the job done. With an encyclopedic memory for caselaw, he specializes in land use litigation, particularly use variance appeals and zoning ordinance challenges with a string of litigation successes few can match. Separately, he is one of the leading Mt. Laurel attorneys in New Jersey, and has represented clients in many of the most contested affordable housing cases since 2015, including in Englewood Cliffs, South Brunswick, Wayne and the Millburn.

Dan is a member of the Bergen County Bar Association and has served as a lecturer at its annual Land Use Symposium, the New Jersey State Bar Association, the New York City Bar Association and the American Bar Association. He is a former member of the Borough of Tenafly Zoning Board of Adjustment and the board of directors of the Tenafly Junior Soccer League.

Personal

A former collegiate golfer currently suffering from an extended case of the driver yips, Dan spends his free time coaching his sons’ soccer teams, travelling with his wife and trying to turn his slice back into a power fade.

Representative Matters

Obtained land development approvals for a 370-unit residential development along the Hudson River waterfront and defended approvals on appeal in Law Division and Appellate Division against challenges by three separate objectors where approval included a use variance and 200-foot height variance, which is believed to be the largest height variance ever granted in the State of New Jersey.
Trial counsel for developer in a Round 3 declaratory judgment action that secured a judgment of noncompliance against the municipality, a builder’s remedy and land development approvals from a court-appointed special hearing officer consisting of 450 units after settlement with municipality. Defended settlement against challenge.
Represent national homebuilder in a Round 3 declaratory judgment affordable housing action where homebuilder secured a builder’s remedy after a judgment of noncompliance against the municipality.
Represent a developer seeking land use approvals for a mixed use development containing gas station/convenience store, a drive-through quick service restaurant and an 200+ unit inclusionary housing development.
Represent regional supermarket chain to obtain site plan and variance approval over objection of competitor supermarket, and defend municipal and county approvals on appeal. Pursue antitrust claims against competitor to successful resolution of all claims.
Obtained builder’s remedy in affordable housing litigation for a site already developed with multi-family housing. Innovated a relocation plan for existing tenants that would allow for redevelopment of existing garden apartment complex with high-rise towers at significantly higher density.
Land use litigation counsel for multiple regional operators of fast food franchised restaurants.