Application for Variance

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VARIANCE PROCEDURE

Prepared by: JULY 1, 2008
The Department of Planning
City of Thomasville, NC

To facilitate those individuals initiating a request for Variance to the City through the Board of Planning & Adjustment the following information is presented.

VARIANCE:  An authorization to do something contrary to the strict terms of a zoning ordinance, such as building a structure inside a required setback area.  Variances are quasi-judicial decisions that require an evidentiary hearing.  That may only be issued upon a finding of practical difficulty or unnecessary hardships as a result of strict compliance and that the variance would be consistent with the spirit, purpose and intent of the ordinance.  Variance petitions are assigned to the Board of Planning & Adjustment for hearing and decision.

INITIATION
The initiation of an application for variance is made by application to the City Planning Department and added to the Board of Planning and Adjustment Agenda.  The application is submitted to the department of Planning no later than the first day of the month in which the petition needs to be heard at the regularly scheduled meeting of the Board of Planning & Adjustment, which meets the last Tuesday of each month at 5:30 P.M. in the Thomasville City Council Chambers, 7 West Guilford Street (unless otherwise noted).  The specific requirements of a petition are: 

  1. That the application be filed on forms furnished by the Department of Planning.
  2. That the application be accompanied by a filing fee of $350.00 which covers the cost of advertising and processing the request.
  3. That the application states the date submitted and a description of the appeal.
  4. That the application includes a site plan of the area for which the variance is being sought.  The map must show the classification of the property for which the change is sought as well as the classification of all property within one-hundred (100) feet of any boundary line of the requested property.  The name of all owners of property within one-hundred (100) feet and their current mailing address as shown on the current year’s tax records for Davidson County must be provided.

PROCEDURE
After submission of an application meeting all of the attached requirements, an application for variance is placed upon the agenda for the Board of Planning & Adjustment’s consideration. 

Notice is placed in the newspaper once each week for two successive weeks prior to a public hearing.  Notice will also be made by posting the property.

BOARD OF PLANNING & ADJUSTMENT ACTION
An application approved by the Board of Planning & Adjustment for variance will become effective immediately.  The owner/applicant will receive an order granting or denying the variance.  The order will be mailed by certified mail to confirm receipt by owner/applicant.  

Application for Variance

Applicant Information

Property Owner Information

If the appeal is an exception or variance

Placing your name in the signature block has the same effect as signing your name in pen on a written document.

Checking the "I agree to terms" affirms that you understand and accept the terms described in the application. Clicking on this box means that you are signing the application electronically.

For Dept Use Only Fee Received: $ Parcel ID: Public Hearing Date: Board of Zoning Adjustment Action: Approve Denied Appealed to Superior Court Signature of Secretary to Board