There is hereby established the Department of Community Planning and Development and the office of Director of said Department. For purposes of this Code, any reference to the Zoning Administrator shall be deemed to be a reference to the Director of Community Planning and Development. Any person appointed to the office shall be qualified by education, experience or training to administer and enforce the provisions of this chapter. Any person so appointed shall maintain no interest in any matter which may be construed by the Mayor and Common Council of Westminster to be in conflict with the duties and decisions of his office.

The Director of Community Planning and Development shall be responsible for the administration and enforcement of this chapter and shall perform such other duties as the Mayor and Common Council shall from time to time direct. He shall have the authority to adopt rules, regulations and procedures for the performance of his responsibilities and may delegate, in writing, such responsibilities as he deems necessary.

Appeals may be made by any person, board, association, corporation, jurisdiction or official allegedly aggrieved by the grant or refusal of a zoning certificate, as authorized by the Annotated Code of Maryland, Land Use Article, Division I, as amended, or by any other administrative decision of the Director of Community Planning and Development based, in whole or in part, upon this chapter, including the Zoning Map. Such appeals shall be made to the Board in accordance with the provisions of Article XXII of this chapter.

Except as otherwise provided, it shall be unlawful for an owner to use or to permit the use of any building, structure or land or part thereof hereafter created, erected, changed, converted or enlarged, wholly or partly, until a zoning certificate shall have been issued by the Zoning Administrator. A fee shall be charged for each zoning certificate issued as provided in the General Fee Ordinance.[1] A zoning certificate shall be revocable for failure to comply with all requirements and conditions.

All applications for zoning certificates shall state the name and address of the applicant and the name and address of the owner of the property and shall be accompanied by plans drawn approximately to scale, showing the dimensions and shape of the lot to be built upon, the size and location of existing buildings, if any, and the location and dimensions of the proposed building or alteration. Where no buildings are involved, the location of the proposed use to be made of the lot shall be shown. The application and/or plans shall authorize the Zoning Administrator to inspect the property and shall include such other information as may be reasonably required by the Zoning Administrator to determine conformance with and provide for the enforcement of this chapter. All applications and plans shall be retained in the office of the Zoning Administrator, who shall furnish copies of them at a reasonable cost to any person upon request.

The Zoning Administrator shall approve the issuance of a zoning certificate only if the application complies with the requirements of this chapter, and provided that such zoning certificate shall not be granted until all agencies concerned have given their approval, including the site plan approval required under Article XXV.

No departments, officials or public employees which are vested with the duty or authority to issue permits or licenses shall issue any permit or license for any use, building or purpose if the same would be in conflict with the provisions of this chapter. Any permit or license issued in conflict with the provisions of this chapter shall be null and void.

A zoning certificate shall become void 12 months after the date of issuance if the construction or use for which the certificate was issued has not been initiated.

Construction or use under prior zoning certificate. Where a zoning certificate has been validly issued prior to the adoption of this chapter, the construction or use so authorized may be completed or continued in accordance with the conditions then required, provided that such construction or use shall have been started within 12 months of the date of issuance of such zoning certificate and is completed within a reasonable time under the particular circumstance. Where an appeal is pending for a conditional use under the terms of the Interim Zoning Ordinance No. 355 and which has been filed not more than 90 days prior to the adoption of this chapter, the Board shall consider such appeal under the terms of Interim Zoning Ordinance No. 355, provided that all papers constituting the appeal have been filed with the Zoning Administrator prior to the adoption of this chapter.

Authorization to grant.

The criteria and procedures regarding the granting of administrative adjustments shall be adopted by the Director and approved by resolution of the Mayor and Common Council. Any decision by the Director on an application for an administrative adjustment shall include written findings of fact

The Mayor and Common Council is authorized to establish fees for the review of administrative adjustment requests as provided in the General Fee Ordinance.[1]

The final action of the-Director on an application for approval of an administrative adjustment may be appealed by any person aggrieved by such action to the Circuit Court for Carroll County. Any such appeal shall be taken in accordance with the Maryland Rules of Procedure as set forth in Title 7, Chapter 200.