A. Right To Appeal: The applicant or any affected aggrieved persons with lawful standing and who also appeared in person or in writing before the commission may appeal the decision of the commission to the commission or board as provided in this chapter.
B. Zoning Administrator Decisions: Appeals of decisions of the zoning administrator shall be determined by the planning and zoning commission. An appeal shall be in writing and shall include the specific legal basis for appeal and the results sought. The commission will render a written decision that will be communicated to the appellant and applicant.
C. Commission Decisions: Appeals of decisions made by the commission shall be determined by the board of county commissioners. The procedure for an appeal shall be as follows:
1. Fees governing appeals must be paid at the time of the filing of the appeal. The legal basis for the appeal must be stated in writing before an appeal will be deemed accepted for consideration. The written notice of appeal shall contain the name, address and phone number of the appellant and, if different, the name, address and phone number of the property owner; and it shall include the street address and legal description of the property which is the subject of the appeal. The record of the proceedings before the commission shall be transmitted to the board before consideration of the appeal by the board.
2. Appeals of final decisions made by the commission may only be appealed to the board if a written request for reconsideration has been previously submitted to the commission within fourteen (14) days of the final decision of the commission. The request for reconsideration shall state the issues to be considered on reconsideration and the legal basis for the relief sought. The commission shall respond in writing to any request for reconsideration at its next scheduled meeting, either modifying its original decision or affirming its prior action. Only following issuance of the commission's written decision regarding reconsideration, may the appeal process proceed before the board. The appeal to the board must also include a copy of the request for reconsideration of the appeal before the commission and the commission's decision on reconsideration. Any appeal to the board for which there is no request for reconsideration before the commission shall be dismissed by the county clerk.
3. A request for appeal to the board shall include the explanation of the basis for appeal and the result sought and must be filed no more than fourteen (14) days after the reconsideration decision of the commission is entered. The issues on appeal shall be limited to those raised in the request for reconsideration submitted to the commission.
4. After considering the written decision of the commission, the decision on reconsideration, the record on appeal and the written appeal submitted by the applicant, the board may determine that the appeal has no legal basis and dismiss it, may rule upon the appeal based upon the written record placed before it or schedule an appeal hearing to allow oral presentation of the issues associated with the appeal. Following conclusion of the procedures it chooses to invoke, the board will render a written decision that will be communicated to the appellant and applicant.
D. Grievance: An aggrieved party may seek judicial review of a decision of the board of any final decision of the board.
E. Final Decision; Reconsideration: A decision of the board is not final until it has been rendered in writing and delivered to the applicant. Also, it is not a final decision, subject to review, until a written request for reconsideration has been submitted to the county clerk within fourteen (14) days of the final decision of the board, stating the issues to be reconsidered and specific legal basis for the relief sought.
1. The board shall respond in writing to any request for reconsideration within fourteen (14) days of its filing, either modifying its original decision or affirming its prior action. The board may determine that the request for reconsideration has no legal basis and dismiss it, may rule upon the request based upon the written record placed before it, or schedule a hearing to allow oral presentation of the issues associated with the request. The board will render a written decision that will be communicated to the appellant and applicant.
2. Failure to request reconsideration is a failure of the appellant to exhaust administrative remedies.
F. Fees: During the process of appeal or of reconsideration, should either the commission or the board determine that new or additional public hearings must be held, requiring new notice of hearing to be sent or published, the cost of such shall be borne by the applicant. The cost of such shall be paid in advance of giving any such notice. Any other fee for filing any request for reconsideration shall be paid in advance in the amount set by board resolution. (Ord. 2016-09-13-J, 9-13-2016)