(a) 
There is hereby created a board of adjustments consisting of five (5) regular members and two (2) alternate members who shall be appointed by the city council. The members shall serve for a period of two (2) years and until their successors are duly appointed and qualified. Members may be removed for cause by the city council upon written charges and after public hearing. A vacancy for the unexpired term of any member will be filled in the same manner as the original appointment was made.
(b) 
The members of the board of adjustments shall meet the requirements of section 1.05.001 of this code.
(Ordinance 2016-01-00826, sec. 3, adopted 1/7/16; Ordinance 2024-03-00998 adopted 3/21/2024)
The board of adjustments will have the authority to adopt rules consistent with state law. Meetings of the board of adjustments shall be held at the call of the chairman and at such other times as the board of adjustments may determine. The chairman or, in his absence, the acting chairman, may administer oaths and compel the attendance of witnesses. All meetings of the board of adjustments shall be open to the public. The city shall keep minutes of its proceedings, showing the vote of each member upon each question or, if absent or failing to vote, indicate such fact, and shall keep records of its examinations and other official actions, all of which shall be immediately filed in the office of the board of adjustments and shall be a public record.
(Ordinance 2016-01-00826, sec. 3, adopted 1/7/16; Ordinance 2024-03-00998 adopted 3/21/2024)
Cases must be heard by a minimum of seventy-five percent (75%) of the members of a board panel. The concurring vote of seventy-five percent (75%) of the members of a panel is necessary to:
(1) 
Reverse an order, requirement, decision, or determination of an administrative official involving the interpretation or enforcement of the zoning ordinance;
(2) 
Decide in favor of an applicant on a matter on which the board is required to pass under state law, the city charter, or city ordinance; or
(3) 
Authorize a variation from the terms of the zoning ordinance. For purposes of this section, administrative official means that person within a city department having the final decision-making authority within the department relative to the zoning enforcement issue.
(Ordinance 2016-01-00826, sec. 3, adopted 1/7/16; Ordinance 2024-03-00998 adopted 3/21/2024)
(a) 
The board of adjustments shall have the authority, subject to the standards established in chapter 211 of the Texas Local Government Code, as amended, and those established herein, to exercise the following powers and perform the following duties:
(1) 
To hear and decide an appeal that alleges error in an order, requirement, decision, or determination made by an administrative official in the enforcement of this chapter or an ordinance adopted under this chapter;
(2) 
To interpret the intent of the zoning district map when uncertainty exists because the actual physical features differ from those indicated on the zoning district map and when the rules set forth in the zoning district boundary regulations do not apply;
(3) 
To hear and decide special exceptions that are expressly provided for in this chapter;
(4) 
To grant variances from the front yard, side yard, rear yard, lot width, lot depth, lot coverage, floor area for structures accessory to single-family uses, height, minimum sidewalks, off-street parking or off-street loading, or landscape regulations provided that:
(A) 
The variance is not contrary to the public interest and, due to special conditions, a literal enforcement of the ordinance would result in unnecessary hardship, and so that the spirit of the ordinance is observed and substantial justice is done;
(B) 
The variance is necessary to permit development of a specific parcel of land that differs from other parcels of land by being of such a restrictive area, shape, or slope that it cannot be developed in a manner commensurate with the development upon other parcels of land with the same zoning; and
(C) 
The variance is not granted to relieve a self-created or personal hardship, nor for financial reasons only, nor to permit any person a privilege in developing a parcel of land not permitted by this section to other parcels of land with the same zoning.
(5) 
Hear and decide special exceptions to the requirements when necessary or appropriate to:
(A) 
Permit the erection and use of a building or the use of premises for railroads if such uses are in general conformance with any master plan and present no conflict or nuisance to adjacent properties.
(B) 
Permit a public utility or public service structure or building in any district with a ground area or of a height at variance with those provided for in the district in which such public utility or public service building is permitted to be located, when found reasonably necessary for the public health, convenience, safety, or general welfare.
(C) 
Grant a permit for the extension of a height or area regulation into an adjoining district which divides a lot into a single ownership on the effective date of this chapter.
(D) 
Permit the reconstruction of a nonconforming building which has been damaged by explosion, fire, act of God, or the public enemy, to the extent of more than fifty percent (50%) of its fair market value, where the board finds some compelling necessity requiring a continuance of the nonconforming use and the primary purpose of continuing the nonconforming use is not to continue a monopoly.
(E) 
Waive or reduce the parking and loading requirements in any of the districts whenever the character or use of the building is such as to make unnecessary the full provision of parking or loading facilities, or where such regulations would impose an unreasonable hardship upon the use of the lot, as contrasted with merely granting an advantage or a convenience.
(F) 
Determine, in cases of uncertainty, the classification of any use not specifically named in this chapter.
(b) 
In exercising its authority, the board may reverse or affirm, in whole or in part, or modify the administrative official's order, requirement, decision, or determination from which an appeal is taken and make the correct order, requirement, decision, or determination, and for that purpose has the same authority as the administrative official.
(Ordinance 2016-01-00826, sec. 3, adopted 1/7/16; Ordinance 2024-03-00998 adopted 3/21/2024)
(a) 
Procedure.
A decision made by an administrative official of the city may be appealed to the board of adjustment by a person aggrieved by the decision or by any officer, department, board or bureau of the city affected by the decision. Such appeal shall be made by filing a notice of appeal with the office of the board and with official from whom the appeal is taken specifying the grounds thereof. The office, official or department from which the appeal is taken shall forthwith transmit to the board of adjustment all of the papers constituting the records upon which the action appealed from was taken. The appeal must be filed within twenty (20) days after the date of the decision of the administrative official from which the appeal is taken.
(b) 
Stay of proceedings.
An appeal shall stay all proceedings in furtherance of the action appealed from unless the official from whom the appeal is taken certifies in writing to the board facts supporting the official's opinion that a stay would cause imminent peril to life or property. In such case, the proceedings may be stayed only by a restraining order granted by the board or by a court of record on application, after notice to the official, if due cause is shown.
(c) 
Notice of hearing on appeal.
The board shall set a reasonable time for the hearing on the appeal or other matter referred to it, and shall mail notices of such hearing to the petitioner and to the owners of property lying within five hundred feet (500') or less of street frontage of any point of the lot or portion thereof on which a variation is desired. The city shall give public notice of the hearing and due notice to the parties in interest. A party may appear at the appeal hearing in person or by agent or attorney. The board shall hear and decide the appeal within a reasonable time. Notice of such hearings may be sent by the board in writing, properly addressed to the last known addresses of the proper parties, and such notices shall be deemed complete when deposited in the mail.
(Ordinance 2016-01-00826, sec. 3, adopted 1/7/16; Ordinance 2024-03-00998 adopted 3/21/2024)
(a) 
Every decision of the board shall be final, subject, however, to such remedy as any aggrieved party might have at law or in equity. The decision shall be in writing and shall indicate the vote upon the decision. Every decision shall be promptly filed in the office of the city secretary and shall be open to the public for inspection. A true and correct copy of the decision shall be sent by mail or otherwise to the appellant and a copy shall be publicly posted in the office of the city secretary for two (2) weeks after the filing thereof.
(b) 
The board shall in every case reach a decision without unreasonable or unnecessary delay.
(c) 
If a decision of the board reverses or modifies a refusal, order, or disallowance of the building official, or varies the application of any provision of this code, the building official shall immediately take action in accordance with such decision.
(d) 
Any person, firm, or corporation aggrieved by any decision of the board may present to a court of competent jurisdiction a petition duly verified setting forth that such decision is illegal, in whole or in part, specifying the grounds of the illegality. Unless such verified petition (appeal) shall be presented to the court within ten (10) days of the date that the decision of the board is filed with the city secretary, the decision of the board shall become final.
(Ordinance 2016-01-00826, sec. 3, adopted 1/7/16; Ordinance 2024-03-00998 adopted 3/21/2024)