Board of Zoning Appeals

The Board of Zoning Appeals considers requests for relief from the requirements of the zoning ordinance.

No matter how well a zoning ordinance is written, there are often situations in which

• the ordinance creates an unfair hardship on the property owner.
• the requirements of the ordinance as applied to a particular situation create a result that is inconsistent with the ordinance’s intent.
• the application of the ordinance to a particular situation is ambiguous or undefined.

In these cases the property owner can request relief from requirements of the zoning or subdivision regulations through a variance application at a public hearing.

Variance requests are reviewed in light of five criteria specified by state statute that are intended to evaluate the uniqueness of the property, the impact on adjacent property owners, the hardship caused by the requirement, public safety and welfare and the intent of the requirement.

In addition to considering variances on property zoned to a conventional zoning district, the Board considers nonconforming situation permits and appeals of administrative decisions. The decision of the board is considered final unless there is an appeal by the applicant.

Learn more about the purpose and procedures of the board in the Municipal Code.

Board Members

The Board of Zoning Appeals is a seven-member, non-partisan, volunteer board whose members are appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the City Council. Members serve three-year terms and may serve consecutive terms.

• Justin Howard, Chair
• Thomas Haag, Vice Chair
• Dr. Kathleen Brewer
• Max Gordon
• Jameia Haines
• Benee Hudson
• Robert Whitman

To learn more about this board’s members, terms and vacancies, visit the City’s agenda management portal.

Schedule

The Board of Zoning Appeals meets monthly, generally on the second Tuesday. Meetings are open to the public and posted on the city’s calendar. A full schedule with application deadlines is also available:

2024 Board of Zoning Appeals Schedule