Person walking on the streets of a small town

Sabrina D. Charney Hull, AICP

Sabrina D. Charney Hull, AICP
Town of New Castle

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Sabrina D. Charney Hull, AICP, Town of New Castle

Sabrina's journey from the barnyards of Wisconsin to negotiating big deals in Albany is proof that her passion for protecting the environment knows no bounds! Her work on the historic New York City Memorandum of Agreement, designed to safeguard the city's drinking water, sparked a decades-long collaboration with local governments and kicked off her relationship with the Pace Land Use Law Center. Partnering with John Nolon, she helped launch one of the first LULA (Land Use Leadership Alliance) training programs, guiding community leaders in balancing economic development with watershed protection.

Armed with technical planning skills and a knack for collaboration, Sabrina spent ten years working with municipalities as part of her role in watershed planning at the Westchester County Department of Planning. She quickly realized that the real decision-makers were the local boards, committees, and governments, so she shifted her focus to building consensus and transforming land use as the Town Planner for Somers. In her eight years there, she became a master at fostering relationships with landowners and developers to bring smart, sustainable land use practices to life.

Sabrina then took her talents to New Castle, where she brought a fresh, welcoming approach to development. As the Town’s Stormwater Coordinator, she uses her mediation and team-building skills to keep New Castle compliant with state environmental standards. She’s also been the lead planner on the $15 million Chappaqua Hamlet revitalization project, and is actively working on plans to build a bridge over the Saw Mill River Parkway.

Sabrina’s crowning achievement? Authoring New Castle’s award-winning Comprehensive Plan Update, "A Framework for the Future," which has gained regional recognition for its best practices in land use planning. Despite a bump in the road with form-based zoning in the Chappaqua Hamlet, she bounced back by rallying support for the groundbreaking “Net-Zero Carbon Legislation,” paving the way for greener, more energy-efficient construction, and increasing affordable housing.

She’s now guiding New Castle through important decisions about future land use around the Chappaqua Train Station, balancing today’s needs (housing, environmental protection, transportation) with the community’s vision for the future. For Sabrina, it’s all about ensuring everyone’s voice is heard—and using her unique skills to shape the town’s land use decisions.

When she’s not busy shaping communities, Sabrina teaches the next generation of leaders about climate change, water quality, and planning as an adjunct professor at Purchase University. She lives in Newtown, Connecticut with her husband Gordon, daughter Sophie and son Spencer, making the most of her busy, fulfilling life.