Revised02/21/2018
VARIANCE/APPEALINSTRUCTIONPACKET
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PleaseincludethefollowingdocumentswiththeVariance/AppealApplication:
LegalDescription:AdigitalcopyofthelegaldescriptioninMicrosoftWordformat.Thefilecanbeprovided
physicallythroughacompactdisc,flashdrive,ore‐mailedtothePrincipalPlanner.
SitePlan:Agraphiccomm unicatingtheApplicant’srequest,ifappropriate.
WrittenNarrative:AnarrativedetailingtheApplicant’srequest.
TypeofVariance/Appeal:
Non‐useVariance:TheburdenofproofrestswiththeApplicanttoclearlyestablishthat,asapracti cal
matter,thepropertycannotbeusedforapermittedusewithoutcomingintoconflictwithrestrictionsofthe
zoningregulations.Thefollowingspecificcriteriashallbeconsidered:
1. Howsubstan
tialthevarianceisinrelationtotherequirement;
2. Thepotentialeffectoftheincreasedpopulationdensityproduce dontheavailablegovernmentfacilities;
3. Thepotentialtoproduceasubstantialchangeinthecharacteroftheneighborhoodorasubstantial
detrimenttoadjoiningpropertyowners;
4. Theabilitytoobviateth
edifficultybysomemethod, feasiblefortheapplicantstopursue,otherthanthe
variance;and
5. Inviewofthemannerinwhichthedifficultyarose,andconsideringalloftheabovefactors,whetherthe
interestsofjusticewouldbeservedbygrantingthevariance.
UseVariance:Thebur
denofproofrestswiththeApplicantto:
1. Demonstrateanunnecessaryhardshipwhichisdefinedbythefollowingcriteria:
a) Thelandinquestioncannotyieldareasonablereturnifusedonlyforausepermittedinthezonein
whichitislocated;
b) Theowner'splightisduetouniqu
eandnottogeneralneighborhoodconsiderations;and
c) Thegrantingofthevariancewouldnotaltertheessentialcharacterofthelocality.
2. Provethatthereliefisnecessarybecauseoftheuniquecharacteroftheproperty;
3. Provethatthevariancewillnotdestroythepreservationofth
eComprehensivePlan;and
4. Provethatgrantingthevariancewillresultinsubstantialjustice.
InpresentinganyVarianceApplication,theburdenofproofshallrestwiththeApplicanttoprovethattheharm
complainedisnotself‐inflicted.
Appeal:TheburdenofproofrestswiththeApplicanttodemonstrate:
1. Theerrorinanorder,requirem
ent,decision,ordeterminationmadebyanAdministrativeOfficialinthe
enforcementofazoningregulationoranyadoptedOrdinance.
2. ThereasonwhytheBoardshouldreverseormodifytheorder,requirement,decision,ordetermination
oftheadministrativeofficial.
Fees:ThefeeforaVarianceApplicationincludes:
ApplicationFee:$1(dueattimeofApplication)
PostageFee:ThePostageFeeiscalculatedbytheCity,basedonthenumberofnoticessentbyCertified
and/orFirstClassMail,asrequiredbyStateStatute.ThePostageFeewillbeinvoicedtoth
eApplicantandis
duepriortothePublicHearingbeforethePlanning&ZoningCommission.
PublicationCost:ThePublicationCostistheactualcostofpublishing thePublicHearingNoticeinthe
newspaper,asrequiredbyStateStatute.ThePublicationCostwillbeinvoicedtotheApplica ntandisdue
priortotheP
ublicHearingbeforetheBoardofAdjustment.
VarianceProcess:
Pre‐ApplicationMeeting:APre‐ApplicationMeetingwiththeTechnicalReviewTeam(TRT)isrequired.
Application:Acompletea pplicationincludingalloftherequiredattachments.
Review:TheTechnicalReviewTeam(TRT)willreviewtheApplicationandprovidetheApplic antwithquestions
and/orcomments.