Zoning Board of Adjustment
Frank Vuoso,
Director of Community Development
908-725-2300 x1962
fvuoso@somervillenj.org
Toni Wortman
Board Secretary
908-725-2300 x1964
twortman@somervillenj.org
The Zoning Board of Adjustment consists of seven members and two alternates, pursuant to the Municipal Land Use Law.
Membership- appointment:
No member may hold any elective office or position under the Borough.
All members shall be citizens of the Borough of Somerville.
All members shall be appointed by the Borough Council.
Alternate members shall be designated as "Alternate No. l" and "Alternate No. 2" by the Borough Council at the time of appointment.
Terms of Office:
The term of regular members shall be for four years.
The term of alternate members shall be for two years.
All terms shall run from January 1 of the year in which the appointment is made.
Nothing contained herein shall affect the terms of any present members of the Zoning Board of Adjustment, all of whom shall continue as members until the completion of terms for which they were appointed.
Powers and duties of the Zoning Board of Adjustment:
The Zoning Board of Adjustment shall follow the provisions of the Municipal Land Use Law and accordingly shall have authority to:
1. Hear and decide appeals where it is alleged by the appellant that there is error in any order, requirement, decision or refusal made by the Zoning Officer based on or made in the enforcement of the zoning regulations.
2. Hear and decide requests for interpretation of the Zoning Map or zoning regulations or for decisions upon other special questions upon which the Board is authorized to pass by any zoning regulation or official map regulation, in accordance with the Municipal Land Use Law.
3. Hear and decide requests for variances. Notwithstanding the above, the Zoning Board of Adjustment shall not have the power to hear and decide variances if the application also requires subdivision, site plan or conditional use approval, unless the application involves a "D", variance.
4. Exercise control over and review of subdivisions, site plans and conditional uses, only when such applications involve a "D", variance.
5. Direct the issuance of building permits for buildings or structures in certain areas shown on an Official Map, unless such building permits also require subdivision, site plan or conditional use approval.
6. Direct the issuance of building permits for buildings or structures on a lot not related to a street, unless such building permits also require subdivision, site plan or conditional use approval.
7. Prepare at least once a year, a report for the Borough Council and Planning Board, based upon its review of its decisions on applications and appeals for variances since any previous report. The report shall be adopted by resolution of the Zoning Board of Adjustment, and shall comment on the zoning regulations, which were the subject of variance request, and shall make recommendations for any amendments to the zoning regulations that the Board may deem appropriate based upon prior variance applications.
Meetings:
The Zoning Board of Adjustment meets every third Wednesday of each month at 7:00 P.M. in the Council Chambers, Police Headquarter’s Building, 24 South Bridge Street, Somerville.
2012 Zoning Board Members
- Arthur Adair-Chairman
- Dan Radziewicz
- Morgan McLachlan
- Nancy Roberts
- Veronica Guarraia
- Ed Allatt
- Rich O’Neill
- Ellen Brain
- Teena Utter