Township Zoning Board of Appeals Duties and Responsibilities

• Hears appeals on administrative matters relating to the community Zoning Ordinance. This can include a property owner appealing a decision he or she feels is too stringent or is inconsistent with the zoning ordinance, a property owner requesting a variance, or someone seeking clarification or interpretation of the zoning ordinance.
• Members of a Zoning Board of Appeals should always keep in mind the Statedefined criteria for granting a variance. Variances should only be granted when the applicant can show “practical difficulty,” meaning a unique situation on their property that Functionally prevents them from complying with the Zoning Ordinance.