Zoning Board of Adjustment
PURPOSE AND GOALS:
The Zoning Board of Adjustment meets, on average, once a month, to hear and decide specific cases, brought by citizens of the town, to seek a variance, special exception, or an appeal of the ruling of a town official (usually the building inspector or another town board). The conduct and decisions of the Board are controlled by the Town Zoning Ordinance, State statutes, and controlling case law. The Board sometimes meets to decide only a single case; on average, two or three cases are scheduled for an evening. The Board conducts its hearings in a quasi-judicial manner, similar to a court case, first hearing the case, listening to comments by interested parties, and then proceeding to a deliberative session to decide the case, which includes a discussion of applicable zoning laws and rules. Board members are required to observe strict rules of impartiality in fairly deciding cases, granting relief from the ordinance if appropriate under the facts of the case.
REGULAR MEETING:
4th Thursday of each month; 7:00pm; Town Hall Community Room
MEMBERSHIP: (no more than)
5 regular and 5 alternate (3-year terms)
CRITERIA FOR MEMBERSHIP:
Specific criteria include:
- Must be a U.S. citizen;
- A resident of Hollis;
- A strong sense of impartiality, and the ability to analyze rules and laws and apply them to specific cases is necessary;
- The ability to listen, and to work with others is helpful;
- The role of the ZBA is to be a "safety valve" to the rigid application of the Zoning Ordinance to specific conditions or uses of a particular parcel of land, and to do so in a fair and consistent manner, while preserving the overall purposes and intent of theordinance;
- Willingness to be flexible on schedule and time commitment. ZBA meetings typically last until 9:00 or 10:00 pm, and are open to the public. It is sometimes necessary to meet on additional evenings during a month, to either deliberate the cases, or hear additional cases.