Zoning Board of Adjustment

About the Board

Established in 1927, as the Mountain Lakes Zoning Board of Appeals, the Zoning Board of Adjustment is a quasi-judicial body that handles requests to utilize property in a manner not consistent with Borough’s zoning laws. The Board principle duties are to hear appeals, to interpret the Zoning Officer’s decisions, to interpret the zoning map, to grant variances from the strict application of the zoning ordinances and to rule on applications where the “use” is not permitted in the zone. The Board has the ability to grant exceptions to the zoning ordinances in cases where literal and ridged interpretation and enforcement would be a hardship or injustice. It is the Board of “non-permitted uses” granting variances for such things as parcel size, setbacks required, height, signs, building size, lot coverage, conditional uses and other such regulations. These requests are generally associated with the construction or alteration/addition of single-family dwellings and/or accessory structures.

The Zoning Board has seven regular members and two alternates. The seven regular members and two alternates are members of the public. Members are appointed by the Council; with the chairmen and vice chairmen being chosen by the board itself from among the public member group. Terms of office for members are four years (two years for alternates).

Committee Members

All inquires and/or correspondence for the Zoning Board should be submitted to the Board Administrator/Secretary, Cynthia Shaw.