2023 CANDIDATES
Alexander Lycoyannis
Attorney
Member, Ridgefield Zoning Board of Appeals
I grew up in Westchester County, NY and after having lived in New York State virtually my entire life, my family and I moved to Ridgefield in 2021. My wife Kim and I have been married for almost 18 years, and we have two sons currently at Ridgefield High School: Matthew, a junior, and Andrew, a freshman. In addition, on many days you can find one of us walking Lucy, our two-year-old Berniedoodle, down Main Street.
I graduated from Iona Prep in New Rochelle, NY in 1994, and then from SUNY Binghamton in 1998 and Boston University School of Law in 2001. Professionally, I am a real estate litigation and appellate attorney with over two decades of experience in private practice. I am currently a partner in the New York City office of Holland & Knight LLP, a global law firm with 34 offices in North and South America and Europe.
I enjoy skiing with my family and, whenever I get the chance (which isn’t often enough) and golf. I also enjoy walking on Main Street with Kim and admiring our beautiful town. Additionally, I was a volunteer for Ridgefield Youth Lacrosse and have recently joined the Board of the Ridgefield High School Lacrosse Booster Club.
What office are you running for?
What are the main issues facing the Ridgefield Zoning Board of Appeals?
Ridgefield Zoning Board of Appeals
The ZBA’s main role is to ensure that uses of real property within the town comply with our zoning regulations – and, if not, that the proposed use is one for which the ZBA can grant a variance. As a town board, the ZBA needs to ensure that it applies the zoning regulations in a fair, impartial and consistent manner, such that town residents can conform their proposed property uses accordingly.
Why are you the right candidate for the Ridgefield Zoning Board of Appeals this year?
I am right for this position because it aligns with my professional experience and interests. As a real estate attorney, one of my main duties involves advising clients on how to comply with laws, rules and regulations that apply to their properties. Those duties dovetail quite well with my duties on the ZBA, which involve, among other things, hearing applications from town property owners on whether our zoning regulations should be varied as applied to the owner’s particular circumstances. I view my role – and that of the ZBA as a whole -- not as a means of denying or being an obstacle to what owners wish to do with their properties, but to guide them to uses that will comply with the zoning regulations.
What do you hope to accomplish if elected?
As a Member of the ZBA, I aim to do my part to:
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Ensure that our local government is responsive to the needs and wishes of town residents; and
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In this era of hyper-political polarization, show that people of good will can come together in good faith – no matter their political party or views on national issues – to work for the common good of all town residents.