The Board of Adjustment shall consist of the
Chief Engineer of the Street and Sewer Department, the Town Solicitor
and the Mayor or an authorized agent of the Mayor. If the Town has
no Town Engineer or Town Solicitor, then the Mayor shall appoint two
members, each to be appointed for a term of three years and removable
for cause by the Town Council upon written charges and after public
hearing, who, with the presiding officer of the Planning and Zoning
Commission, shall constitute the Board of Adjustment for the Town.
Vacancies shall be filled for the unexpired term of any member whose
term becomes vacant.
Appeals for the Board of Adjustment may be taken
by any person aggrieved or by any officer, department, board or Bureau
of the Town of Selbyville affected by any decision of the Building
Inspector. Such appeals shall be taken within 15 days of the date
of the decision appealed from by filing with the Building Inspector
from whom the appeal is taken and with the Board of Adjustment a notice
of appeal specifying the grounds therefor. The Building Inspector
from whom the appeal is taken shall forthwith transmit to the Board
of Adjustment all the papers constituting the record upon which the
action from which the appeal was taken.
An appeal shall stay all proceedings in furtherance
of the action appealed from unless the Building Inspector from whom
the appeal is taken certifies to the Board of Adjustment after the
notice of appeal has been filed with him that, by reason of facts
stated in the certificate, a stay would, in his opinion, cause imminent
peril to life or property. In such case, proceedings shall not be
stayed otherwise than by a restraining order which may be granted
by the Board of Adjustment or by a court of record on application
on notice to the Building Inspector from whom the appeal is taken
and on due cause shown.
The Board of Adjustment shall fix a reasonable
time for the hearing of the appeal, give public notice thereof, as
well as due notice to the parties in interest, and decide the same
within a reasonable time. Upon the hearing a party may appear in person,
by agent or by attorney.
The Board of Adjustment shall have the following
powers:
A. To hear and decide appeals where it is alleged there
is error in any order, requirement, decision or determination made
by an administrative official in the enforcement of this chapter or
by any amendment or supplement thereto.
B. To hear and decide special exceptions to the terms
of the chapter upon which such Board is required to pass under the
terms of such chapter.
C. To authorize upon appeal, in specific cases, such
variance from the chapter as will not be contrary to the public interest,
where owing to special conditions, a literal enforcement of the provisions
of the chapter will result in unnecessary hardship or exceptional
practical difficulties to the owner of the property, and so that the
spirit of this chapter shall be observed and substantial justice done,
provided such relief may be granted without substantial detriment
to the public good and without substantially impairing the intent
and purpose of the chapter or Zoning Map.
In exercising the aforementioned powers, the
Board of Adjustment, in conformity with the law, may reverse or affirm,
wholly or partly, or may modify the order, requirement, decision or
determination appealed from and may make such order, requirement,
decision or determination as ought to be made, and to that end shall
have all the powers of the Building Inspector from whom the appeal
is taken.
The Board of Adjustment shall adopt rules as
to the manner of filing appeals or applications for special exceptions
or for variance in the terms of this chapter and for the conducting
of hearings and for the giving of such notice or notices as may be
required or deemed advisable by the Board of Adjustment, all of which
rules and regulations shall conform with the requirements of this
chapter and law in that behalf.
Unless otherwise specified by the Board of Adjustment,
a special exception or a variance shall expire if the applicant fails
to obtain a building permit or, where no structure is involved, fails
to use the property in accordance with the special exception or variance,
within three months from the date of authorization thereof.
Each application for an appeal, exception or
variance as provided for in the chapter shall be accompanied by fee
payable to the Town of Selbyville to be set by the Mayor and Town
Council to cover costs, no part of which shall be refundable.
Meetings of the Board of Adjustment shall be
held at the call of the Chairman thereof and at such other times as
the Board of Adjustment may determine. Such Chairman, or in his absence,
the acting Chairman, may administer oaths and compel the attendance
of witnesses. All meetings of the Board of Adjustment shall be open
to the public. The Board of Adjustment shall keep minutes of its proceedings
showing the vote of each member upon each question, or if absent or
failing to vote, indicating such fact, and shall keep records of its
examinations and other official actions, all of which shall be filed
in the office of the Board of Adjustment and shall be a public record.