Board of Zoning and Appeals

The Board of Zoning and Appeals is appointed by the Mayor with the consent of the Board of Trustees and acts as an independent body to hear petitions for variances of the zoning ordinance of the Village. The five member Board meets on request. One of the primary advantages of being incorporated as a village is the ability to control community growth and development through zoning ordinances, which govern all improvements to property in the Village. If building applications are denied, property owners may petition for a variance to the Board of Zoning Appeals. There are two kinds of variances, area variances and use variances, each of which is treated differently. In each case, the BZA must balance the benefit to the applicant against the detriment to the health, safety and welfare of the entire community. The application is added to the agenda of the next public meeting of the Board of Zoning Appeals. A notice of the hearing is published in the local newspaper and adjoining neighbors are notified by mail. The applicant will be advised of the hearing date at which time he will present reasons why the application should be approved. Others may then speak either in favor or in opposition to the petition.