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Mission Statement

The mission of the Board of Appeals is to implement the flexibility provided by the Zoning Ordinance, as approved by the County Council, in a fair and equitable manner, and to assist County residents, irrespective of race, ethnicity, nativity, gender, disability, or other relevant demographic or socioeconomic characteristics, in understanding and participating in the variance, administrative appeal, special exception modification, and conditional use appeal processes.

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Budget Overview

The total recommended FY26 Operating Budget for the Board of Appeals is $608,334, an increase of $19,692 or 3.35 percent from the FY25 Approved Budget of $588,642. Personnel Costs comprise 95.74 percent of the budget for three full-time position(s) and no part-time position(s), and a total of 3.00 FTEs. Total FTEs may include seasonal or temporary positions and may also reflect workforce charged to or from other departments or funds. Operating Expenses account for the remaining 4.26 percent of the FY26 budget.

County Priority Outcomes

While this program area supports all eight of the County Result Areas, the following is emphasized:

  • Effective, Sustainable Government

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Program Performance Measures

Performance measures for this department are included below (where applicable). The FY25 estimates reflect funding based on the FY25 approved budget. The FY26 and FY27 figures are performance targets based on the FY26 recommended budget and funding for comparable service levels in FY27.

MeasureActual
FY23
Actual
FY24
Estimated
FY25
Target
FY26
Target
FY27
Number of administrative appeals decided119999
Average days to issue written administrative appeals decisions (within 45 days of close of record unless extended) 1251919
Number of variances decided 25244444444
Average days to issue variance decision (within 30 days of close of record unless extended) 3111111
Number of conditional use cases decided 423333
Average days to issue conditional use decision (must issue within 30 days of voting on the matter unless extended)151818
Number of Circuit Court appeals processed45555
Number of administrative actions taken 58685858585
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 FY24 actuals.
5  Matters considered and/or decided at work sessions 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.

Program Descriptions

  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...

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Budget Trends
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Program Contacts

Contact Barbara Jay of the Board of Appeals at 240-777-6604 or Hamza Ahmed of the Office of Management and Budget at 240-777-2783 for more information regarding this department's operating budget.

Related Links
Budget Summary
TitleActual
FY24
Budget
FY25
Estimate
FY25
Recommended
FY26
%Chg
Bud/Rec
COUNTY GENERAL FUND
EXPENDITURES
Salaries and Wages495507.00444849.00 451273.00 465204.004.6
Employee Benefits118609.00107413.00 108506.00 117214.009.1
County General Fund Personnel Costs614116.00552262.00 559779.00 582418.005.5
Operating Expenses21782.0036380.00 21818.00 25916.00-28.8
County General Fund Expenditures635898.00588642.00 581597.00 608334.003.3
PERSONNEL
Full-Time3.003.00 3.00 3.000.0
Part-Time0.000.00 0.00 0.000.0
FTEs3.503.00 3.00 3.000.0
REVENUES
Board of Appeals Fees189710.00158064.00 158064.00 158064.000.0
Other Charges/Fees4380.000.00 0.00 0.000.0
County General Fund Revenues194090.00158064.00 158064.00 158064.000.0
 
GRANT FUND - MCG
EXPENDITURES
Salaries and Wages0.000.00 0.00 0.000.0
Employee Benefits0.000.00 0.00 0.000.0
Grant Fund - MCG Personnel Costs0.000.00 0.00 0.000.0
Grant Fund - MCG Expenditures0.000.00 0.00 0.000.0
PERSONNEL
Full-Time0.000.00 0.00 0.000.0
Part-Time0.000.00 0.00 0.000.0
FTEs0.000.00 0.00 0.000.0
Grant Fund - MCG Revenues0.000.00 0.00 0.000.0
 
DEPARTMENT TOTALS
Total Expenditures635898.00588642.00 581597.00 608334.003.3
Total Full-Time Positions3.003.00 3.00 3.000.0
Total Part-Time Positions0.000.00 0.00 0.000.0
Total FTEs3.503.00 3.00 3.000.0
Total Revenues194090.00158064.00 158064.00 158064.000.0
FY26 Recommended Changes
TitleExpendituresFTEs
COUNTY GENERAL FUND
FY25 ORIGINAL APPROPRIATION5886423.00
Other Adjustments (with no service impacts)
Increase Cost: FY26 Compensation Adjustment204390.00
Increase Cost: Annualization of FY25 Compensation Increases103120.00
Increase Cost: Board Member Stipend Adjustments [Zoning Related Hearings and Administrative Appeals]17520.00
Increase Cost: Retirement Adjustment8550.00
Decrease Cost: Annualization of FY25 Personnel Costs-32020.00
Decrease Cost: Printing and Mail Adjustment-104640.00
FY26 RECOMMENDED6083343.00
Funding Parameter Items ($000s)
TitleFY26FY27FY28FY29FY30FY31
COUNTY GENERAL FUND
EXPENDITURES
FY26 Recommended608.000000608.000000608.000000608.000000608.000000608.000000
No inflation or compensation change is included in outyear projections.
Labor Contracts0.0000001.0000001.0000001.0000001.0000001.000000
These figures represent the estimated annualized cost of general wage adjustments, service increments, and other negotiated items.
Subtotal Expenditures608.000000609.000000609.000000609.000000609.000000609.000000