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Budget Year / Version:
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Program Description

  Zoning Related Hearings and Administrative Appeals

The Board of Appeals hears requests for variances as provided in the Zoning Ordinance. Development standards for each zone are set by the Zoning Ordinance. Variances from these standards require approval by the Board. In addition, the Board hears appeals of conditional uses decided by the Hearing Examiner, as provided in the Zoning Ordinance. The Board of Appeals also holds hearings and rules on appeals from administrative actions of certain governmental departments and agencies, as provided in the County Code. Finally, the Board considers modifications to those special exceptions that were filed or approved before the October 30, 2014 changes to the Zoning Ordinance.

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Program Contacts

Contact Barbara Jay of the Board of Appeals at 240.777.6604 or Richard H. Harris of the Office of Management and Budget at 240.777.2795 for more information regarding this department's operating budget.

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Program Performance Measures

Program Performance MeasuresActual FY22Actual FY23Estimated FY24Target FY25Target FY26
Number of Administrative Appeals decided111111111
Average days to issue written Administrative Appeals decisions (within 45 days of close of record unless extended) 12125252525
Number of Variances decided 24252525252
Average days to issue Variance decision (within 30 days of close of record unless extended) 31111111111
Number of Conditional Use cases decided 422222
Average days to issue Conditional Use decision (must issue within 30 days of voting on the matter unless extended)1715151515
Number of Circuit Court appeals processed24444
Number of Administrative Actions taken 59086868686
1  Board of Appeals Rule 9.1 requires issuance of administrative appeal opinions within 45 days of close of record.
2  The Board continues to see a large number of variances relative to past years.
3  Board of Appeals Rule 9.1 requires issuance of variance opinions within 30 days of close of record.
4  Outyear projections are based on FY23 actuals.
5  Matters considered and/or decided at worksessions include, but are not limited to: preliminary motions in Administrative Appeals, requests for major modifications (following the issuance of a report and recommendation by the Office of Zoning and Administrative Hearings) and administrative modifications of existing special exceptions, requests for by-right hearings, requests for oral argument regarding appeals of conditional use decisions, requests for the revocation of special exceptions, requests for the reconsideration of earlier Board decisions, requests for show cause hearings, complaints regarding the operation of special exceptions, inspection reports from the Department of Permitting Services and the Department of Housing and Community Affairs regarding such complaints, and the submission of documents fulfilling various Board-imposed reporting requirements.
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Program Budget Changes

FY25 Approved ChangesExpendituresFTEs
FY24 Approved6449153.50
Increase Cost: Board Member Stipends70000.00
Shift: Move Tax Supported Charge Backs from Board of Appeals to the Office of the County Attorney-102600-0.50
Multi-program adjustments, including negotiated compensation changes, employee benefit changes, changes due to staff turnover, reorganizations, and other budget changes affecting multiple programs.393270.00
FY25 Approved5886423.00