Carl N. WeinerFor over two decades, Carl N. Weiner has handled an enormous array of real estate law matters for Delaware Valley clients, ranging from zoning and land development to real-estate financing and acquisition. He is widely regarded as one of the area's leading lawyers in eminent domain proceedings and for his work in the development of over 100 condominium and homeowners' associations. Carl acquired his extensive experience in zoning litigation from numerous successful appearances before zoning hearing boards and appellate arguments. He has a reputation for effectively handling zoning cases and subdivision and land-development applications in a majority of townships and boroughs throughout Bucks and Montgomery Counties. Carl has represented developers, commercial landowners and banks with respect to the acquisition and financing of commercial properties held for future development. He is also known for his work structuring multimillion-dollar real-estate acquisitions with innovative contingencies for financing, land development and zoning approvals. A frequent lecturer for the Pennsylvania Bar Institute, the Community Associations Institute and the Montgomery Bar Association (MBA), Carl is a past Chairman of the MBA's Specialization Committee and Real Estate Land Use Committee. He is also a past President of the Pennsylvania/Greater Delaware Valley Chapter of the Community Associations Institute. Carl is past President of the Montgomery County Big Brothers/Big Sisters Association. Carl has been elected to a one-year term as Chair of the Pennsylvania Legislative Action Committee of the Community Associations Institute commencing October 1, 2009. Before joining the firm in 1984, he served as a law clerk to The Honorable Stanley M. Greenberg of the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia. A graduate of Boston University School of Law in 1981, Carl received his undergraduate degree from Brown University in 1978.
Recent Representative Cases:
Zoning and Land Development
* Successfully represented a major pharmaceutical company in opposing a zoning application by a radio-station owner to locate a 50,000-watt AM radio station near the company's newly constructed research facilities. Through comprehensive research and extensive interviews with a variety of planners and radio experts, he convinced the zoning hearing board of the potential adverse impact of the radio station. After three years of hearings, the zoning board agreed with the facts Carl presented and denied the application.
* Successfully resolved a significant curative-amendment challenge by a real-estate developer seeking to place mobile homes in a residential district zoned for one-acre lots. Carl presented an effective case on the negative impact on the local infrastructure from implementing this development project. Following a year of hearings, Carl was able to convince the township to approve smaller lot sizes for single-family homes.
* Successfully represented a township in defending a substantive challenge by a quarry owner seeking to expand an existing quarry into a residential district. Carl effectively demonstrated that, despite regulation by the Department of Environmental Protection, the quarry operations continued to adversely effect surrounding residences.
Condominium and Homeowners' Associations
* Created over 100 homeowners' associations and condominium associations throughout Bucks and Montgomery Counties. He has represented numerous developers in establishing programs which enabled the smooth and effective transition of operations to newly created homeowners' associations. He also has represented developers of condominium-conversion projects to effectively follow through on all rules and regulations required under the Pennsylvania Uniform Condominium Act.
* Represented various existing condominium and homeowners' associations in reviewing and revising their operating declarations and by-laws to adhere to existing and newly enacted regulations.
Eminent-Domain Proceedings
* Participated in all aspects of the eminent-domain process in Pennsylvania, from the filing of a declaration of taking and posting of estimated just compensation to hearings before the board of view in jury trials.
* Successfully defended a township against charges of collusion with a developer whose land benefited from a condemnation for a sewage-treatment plant. Carl was able to demonstrate that the plant was being constructed for a public purpose, notwithstanding the incidental benefit to the developer.
Speeches/Publications:
- Frequent Lecturer, Pennsylvania Bar Institute
- Recent Pennsylvania Bar Institute Seminars:
- How the Uniform Planned Community Act Really Works
- Condominium and Homeowners' Associations: Conflict and the Courts
- Condominium and Homeowners' Associations: A New Look at Development Issues
- Frequent Lecturer, Community Associations Institute
- Frequent Lecturer, Montgomery Bar Association
Professional and Civic Memberships:
- Montgomery Bar Association
- Past Chairman, Specialization Committee
- Montgomery Bar Association
- Past Chairman, Real Estate Land Use Committee
- Pennsylvania/Greater Delaware Valley Chapter of the Community Associations Institute
- Tiferet Bet Israel of Blue Bell
- Montgomery County Big Brothers/Big Sisters Association
- Pennsylvania Legislative Action Committee of the Community Associations Institute
Honors and Awards:
Community Associations Institute Robert H. Wise President's Award
