The purpose of this article is to establish responsibilities
for the administration of this chapter, and the enforcement procedures
and penalties for noncompliance with the provisions of this Zoning
Ordinance. The purpose of this article is also to establish procedural
requirements for zoning text amendments, zoning map amendments, and
various development approvals under this chapter, including but not
limited to conditional use permits, temporary use permits, variances,
certificates of occupancy, and site plan review and approval.
The following activities do not require review or approval by
the City under this chapter.
A. Official public information street graphics installed by or at the
direction of a governmental unit.
B. The maintenance or improvement of a public road or railroad track
within the boundaries of the right-of-way.
C. Work by any utility not involving substantial engineering redesign
for the purpose of inspection, repair, renewal or construction on
established rights-of-way of any sewers, mains, pipes, cables, utility
tunnels, power lines, towers, poles, tracks, or the like.
The Building/Zoning Inspector is hereby designated as the administrative
and enforcement officer(s) for the provisions of this chapter. The
general duty of the Building/Zoning Inspector is to interpret and
administer this chapter. Examples of duties include:
A. Maintain records of this chapter, including, but not limited to,
all maps, amendments, conditional uses, temporary uses, site plans,
planned developments, Campus Master Plans, occupancy permits, variances,
appeals, interpretations, and applications thereof.
B. Receive, review, analyze, and develop written reports on all applications
for amendments to this chapter, zoning map amendments, conditional
use permits, temporary use permits, land use permits, site plans,
special area design review, planned developments, interpretations,
variances, appeals, violations and penalties, sign permits, or other
development matters.
C. Serve as staff to the Plan Commission, Board of Zoning Appeals, and
other boards and commissions as assigned.
D. Issue land use permits when the requirements of the chapter have
been met, and make and maintain records thereof.
E. Along with any authorized agent, issue citations for the enforcement
of this chapter.
F. Coordinate official development review processes among government
offices to the extent feasible.
G. Conduct inspections to determine compliance with the terms of this
chapter and to take remedial action when required.
H. Make interpretations regarding the provisions of this chapter per §
300-10.50.
I. Investigate all complaints made relating to the location of structures
and the use of structures, lands, and waters.
J. Initiate, direct, and review, from time to time, a study of the provisions
of this title, and make reports of its recommendations to the City
Plan Commission not less frequently than once a year.
A Board of Zoning Appeals is established to provide an appeal
procedure for persons who deem themselves aggrieved by decisions of
administrative officers in the enforcement of this chapter.
A. The Board of Zoning Appeals is established in §
14-3 of the City of Jefferson Municipal Code. Refer to this chapter for provisions related to membership, functions, and duties of the Board.
B. Powers. The Board of Appeals shall have the powers established in
Wis. Stats. § 59.694(7). Examples of such powers include:
(1)
Hear appeals. To hear and decide appeals where it is alleged
there is an error in any order, ruling, requirement, decision, or
determination made by the Building/Zoning Inspector.
(2)
Authorize variances. To authorize upon appeal in specific cases
such variance from the terms of this chapter as will not be contrary
to the public interest where, owning to special conditions, a literal
enforcement of the provisions of this chapter will results in practical
difficulty or unnecessary hardship, so that the spirit of the chapter
shall be observed, public safety and welfare secured, and substantial
justice done.
(3)
Extend districts. To permit the extension of a district where
the boundary line of a district divides a lot held in single ownership
at the time of passage of this chapter.
(4)
Interpret ordinances. Interpret the provisions of this chapter in such a way as to carry out the intent and purpose of this chapter as shown on the Official
Zoning Map where the actual street layout on the ground varies from the street layout on the aforesaid map.
(5)
Vary height and area regulations. To vary height and area regulations
where this is an exceptional or unusual physical condition of the
lot, which condition is not generally prevalent in the neighborhood
and which condition when related to the height and area regulations
of this chapter would present a reasonable or sensible arrangement
of structures on the lot.
(6)
Vary parking regulations. To vary the parking regulations where
an applicant demonstrates conclusively that the specific use of a
structure would make unnecessary the parking spaces required by this
chapter.
C. See Figure 300-10.20a for a summary of the role of the Board of Zoning
Appeals in administering this chapter.
See Chapter
14 of the City of Jefferson Municipal Code for the powers and duties of the Police and Fire Commission, Board of Health, Parks and Recreation Commission, Library Board, Museum Board, Vocational School Committee, Utilities Commission, Cable Television Local Access Commission, Landscape Committee, LMI Revolving Loan Fund Review Committee, and Energy Independence Initiative Committee.
In order to allow owners of property and other legitimately
interested parties to have a fair opportunity to be heard, adequate
notice shall be given of any public hearing required by the provisions
of this chapter.
A. Notice of any public hearing which the Council, Plan Commission,
or Board of Zoning Appeals is required to hold under the terms of
this chapter shall specify the date, time, and place of hearing, and
the matter to be presented at the hearing.
B. The notice for variances shall be published as a Class 1 notice.
The notice for zoning ordinance amendments, zoning map amendments,
and conditional use permits shall be published as a Class 2 notice.
C. The notice of public hearing shall be published in a newspaper of
general circulation in the City of Jefferson before the public hearing,
as prescribed by state statutes or local ordinances.
D. Notice of the public hearing shall be mailed to the last known address
of all parties-in-interest before the hearing. Parties-in-interest
shall be defined as the petitioner; the Clerk of any municipality
whose boundaries are within 1,000 feet of any lands included in the
petition; the owners of all lands included in the petition and all
lands lying within 100 feet of lands included in the petition; and
the owner or operator of an airport lying within one mile of lands
included in the petition. The failure to give any notice to any property
owner shall not invalidate the action taken by any of the aforementioned
bodies.
Determinations necessary for administration and enforcement
of performance standards set forth in this article range from those
which can be made with satisfactory accuracy by a reasonable person
using normal senses and no mechanical equipment, to those requiring
great technical competence and complex equipment for precise measurement.
It is the intent of this chapter that:
A. Where determinations can be made by the Building/Zoning Inspector,
using equipment normally available to the City or obtainable without
extraordinary expense, such determinations shall be so made before
notice of violations is issued.
B. Where technical complexity or extraordinary expense makes it unreasonable
for the City to maintain the personnel or equipment necessary for
making difficult or unusual determinations, procedures shall be available
for causing corrections or apparent violations of performance standards,
for protecting individuals from arbitrary, capricious, and unreasonable
administration and enforcement of performance standard regulations,
and for protecting the general public from unnecessary costs for administration
and enforcement.
(1)
The Building/Zoning Inspector shall give written notice to the
person or persons responsible for the alleged violations. The notice
shall describe the particulars of the alleged violation and the reasons
why the Building/Zoning Inspector believes there is a violation in
fact, and shall require an answer or correction of the alleged violation
to the satisfaction of the Building/Zoning Inspector.
(2)
The notice shall state that failure to reply or to correct the
alleged violation to the satisfaction of the Building/Zoning Inspector
within the time limit set constitutes admission of violation of the
terms of this chapter. The notice shall further state that upon request
of those to whom it is directed, technical determination as described
in this chapter will be made, and that if violations as alleged are
found, costs of such determinations shall be charged against those
responsible for the violation, in addition to such other penalties
as may be appropriate, but that if it is determined that no violation
exists, the cost of the determination will be paid by the City.
Fees for procedures and permits shall be established and amended
by the City Council.