Legal Documents of Sweetwater

A board of zoning appeals is hereby established in accordance with Tennessee Code Annotated, §§ 13-7-205 through 13-7-207. As permitted by Tennessee Code Annotated, § 13-7-205, the Sweetwater Planning Commission is hereby designated as the board of zoning appeals.

1. Procedure. Meetings of the board of zoning appeals shall be held at the call of the chairman, and at such other times as the board 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 shall be open to the public. The board shall adopt rules of procedure and shall keep records of applications and action taken thereon which shall be public records.
2. Appeals to; how taken. An appeal to the board of zoning appeals may be taken by any person, firm, or corporation aggrieved, or by any governmental officer, department, board, or bureau affected by any decision of the building inspector based in whole or in part upon the provisions of the zoning code. Such appeal shall be taken by filing with the board of zoning appeals a notice of appeal specifying the grounds thereof. The building inspector shall transmit to the board all papers constituting the record upon which the action appealed was taken. The board shall fix a reasonable time for the hearing of the appeal, give due notice to the parties in interest, and decide the same within a reasonable time. Upon the hearing, any person or party may appear in person, by agent, or by attorney.
3. Power. The board of zoning appeals shall have the following powers;
   
   1. Administrative review. To hear and decide appeals where it is alleged by the appellant that there is error in any order, requirement, permit, decision, determination, or refusal made by the building inspector or other administrative official in the carrying out of enforcement of any provision of the zoning code.
   2. Special exceptions. To hear and decide application for special exceptions as specified in the zoning code, hear requests for interpretation of the zoning map, and for decision on any special questions upon which the board of zoning appeals is authorized to pass.
   3. Variances. To hear and decide applications for variances from the terms of the zoning code. (1982 Code, § 11-606, as amended by Ord. #768, May 2004)