Board of Appeals

Basic Responsibilities of the Zoning Board of Appeals – Roles, Responsibilities and Guidelines

How an Appeal Reaches the Zoning Board of Appeals

There are a number of steps that take place prior to a case being presented to the Zoning Board of Appeals.   Typically, the first contact with a potential applicant is made by the applicant contacting the staff of the Community Development Department.  These informal meetings or inquiries often provide useful background in developing the Appeal and help residents, developers and business owners determine if there is a hardship or practical difficulty.

  • Applicant contacts the Township to file and appeals.
  • Applicant completes application and submits to the Township
  • Staff coordinates application process, performs review and schedules public hearing and/or meeting as required including any public notices.

 What the Zoning Board of Appeals Does

There are basically three types of cases which the Zoning Board of Appeals will hear:

1.     An Appeal of an Administrative Decision.  This type of case occurs when a citizen appeals a decision made by the zoning administrator, other review body or other official under the guidelines of the Township’s ordinance.

2.     A Request for an Interpretation.  This type of case occurs when a citizen or public official requests an interpretation of the zoning ordinance in terms of a specific use, classification or zoning boundary.

3.     A Variance.  Townships are specifically authorized to grant dimensional variances, which are requests for relief from the typical enforcement and administration of the ordinance due to specific and varied circumstances.

Thomas Township General/Zoning Ordinances

Thomas Township