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The Zoning Board of Appeals is a five-member body with three alternates appointed by the Board of Selectmen for five year terms and three associate members for three year terms. It acts as a quasi-judicial body deciding whether or not to vary from the Zoning By-Laws by issuing either
Variances or Special Permits. The Board also decides all appeals made by an aggrieved person trying to get enforcement action (or lack thereof) of the Building Commissioner who has refused to act on his/her request. Virtually all matters which come to the Board are initiated by residents or businesses seeking relief from the Zoning By-Law in the nature of a special permit or variance. In the majority of instances, the Board grants relief of some nature to the applicant, usually with conditions attached to the grant. These conditions are designed to make the proposal less intrusive to neighbors or to ensure compliance with what the Board perceived to be important limitations on an applicant's proposal.
The Zoning Board of Appeals derives its jurisdiction from Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 40A, and is the permit granting authority within the Town of Belmont for special permit applications and petitions for variances.
The Zoning Board of Appeals process takes at least six months from the filing of the application to conclusion. The Board conducts public hearings on the first Monday of each month unless it is a holiday when the following Monday is utilized. The Board only hears 5 applications a month and schedules them on a first come first serve basis. The hearings begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Belmont Public Library (336 Concord Avenue) although it is recommended that the town's web site be checked to confirm the date and time. All meetings are open to the public.
Additional information about the Zoning Board of Appeals and the application process should be directed to the Planning Division of the Community Development Office or contact Jeffrey Wheeler, Planning Coordinator, at jwheeler@town.belmont.ma.us.
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