Atlantic Beach Wins Zoning Control Battle

In 1962, Atlantic Beach became an incorporated village – the most recent Nassau County hamlet to incorporate. It quickly earned the distinction of being the only incorporated village in New York State without zoning control as the Nassau County Charter prohibits villages created after 1938 from having such power and vests it in the town in which the village is located.

For the next four decades, the village fought, without success, for zoning control. That battle escalated to new heights in 1996 when Stephen Mahler was elected mayor. A successful trial lawyer, Mayor Mahler was relentless in challenging his village’s exclusion. Mayor Mahler harnessed the support of the NCVOA as he continued to press the issue. His unwavering tenacity finally paid off as Atlantic Beach in 2002 was granted zoning powers. Mayor Mahler, who was NCVOA President in 2005-2006, served as Atlantic Beach mayor until 2014.