The Board of Adjustment shall adopt such rules
and regulations as it may deem necessary to govern its procedure.
Meetings of the Board shall be held at the call of the Chairman and
at such other times as the Board may determine. The Chairman of the
Board or, in his or her absence, the Acting Chairman shall have power
to issue subpoenas for the attendance of witnesses and the production
of records and may administer oaths. Upon the failure of any person
to answer in response to a subpoena of such officer, application may
be made to the Supreme Court or any Justice thereof for an order compelling
the attendance of such witnesses. All meetings of the Board shall
be open to the public. The Board 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 immediately
filed in the office of the Board and shall be a public record.
Appeals to the Board of Adjustment may be taken
by any person aggrieved or by any officer, department or board of
the Borough of Closter affected by any decision of the Zoning Officer.
Such appeal shall be taken within a reasonable time, as provided by
the rules of the Board, by filing with the Board of Adjustment and
Zoning Officer a notice of appeal specifying the grounds thereof.
The Zoning Officer shall forthwith transmit to the Board all the papers
constituting the record upon which the action appealed from was taken.
An appeal shall stay all proceedings and the
Board of Adjustment shall fix a reasonable time for the hearing, giving
due notice to the applicant. Said applicant shall, at least five days
prior to the time for hearing, give personal notice to all owners
of property within 200 feet of the property to be affected by the
appeal. Personal notice shall be by handing the notice to the property
owner or by leaving a copy at the owner's usual place of abode when
the property owner is a resident of the Borough of Closter. Where
the property owner is a nonresident of the Borough, notice shall be
by registered mail to the address shown on the most recent tax list
of the Borough or the last known address of said owner. Service on
one partner shall be sufficient for a partnership, and service upon
an officer shall be sufficient for service on a corporation. At the
time of the hearing, the appellant shall file an affidavit following
proper serving of notice. Any party may appear at the hearing, in
person or by agent or attorney.
The Board of Adjustment shall render its decision
within 60 days from the date of hearing.
In addition to the above powers and duties,
the Board of Adjustment shall have the power to hear and decide cases
and assume the powers granted to them by the Laws of the State of
New Jersey as set forth in N.J.S.A. 40:55D-36 to 40:55D-46, and all
other laws now in existence or to be hereafter enacted pertaining
to said Board of Adjustment and its powers and duties.