Zoning Ordinance

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.

B. Appeals to the Board:

An appeal to the Athens Board of Zoning Appeals may be taken by any person, firm, or corporation aggrieved, or by any governmental office, department, board, or bureau affected by any decision of the building inspector based in whole or in part upon the provisions of this ordinance. 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 public notice thereof, as well as 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.

C. Powers of the Board:

The Board of Zoning Appeals shall have the following powers as regulated by Tennessee Code Annotated Section 13-7-207:

1. Administrative Review:

To hear and decide appeals where it is allowed 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 or enforcement of any provision of this ordinance;

2. Uses Permitted on Review:

To hear and decide applications for Uses Permitted on Review as specified in this ordinance, 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 this ordinance.

6.08. VARIANCES.

The purpose of a variance is to modify the strict application of the specific requirements of this ordinance in the case of exceptionally irregular, narrow, shallow, or steep lots, or other exceptional physical conditions, whereby such strict application would result in practical difficulty or unnecessary hardship, which would deprive an owner of the reasonable use of his land. The

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