BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENTS

The Board of Zoning Adjustment (BZA) is a volunteer board of citizens appointed to hear and decide on variance requests, special exception requests, and appeals from zoning decisions by staff.

Meetings

The BZA’s normal meeting times are the second Tuesday of the month, at 4:00 p.m., in the City Council Chambers at City Hall.

The deadline to apply to appear before the BZA is a month prior to the meeting.  Please consult the submission calendar for dates.

Duties of the Board

The BZA has the following powers and functions:

1. To hear and decide appeals where it is alleged there is error in any order, requirement, decision, or determination made by an administrative official in the enforcement of the zoning ordinance;
2. To hear and decide special exceptions to the terms of the zoning ordinance; and
3. To authorize upon appeal in specific cases such variance from the terms of the zoning ordinance as will not be contrary to the public interest, where, owing to special conditions, a literal enforcement of the provisions of the ordinance will result in unnecessary hardship and so that the spirit of the ordinance shall be observed and substantial justice is done.

The membership and powers of the BZA are prescribed by the Code of Alabama.  Please consult the Code and the Prattville Zoning Ordinance for further and more detailed information.

History

Prattville’s Board of Zoning Adjustment was first formed in 1953 with the following members:

• L. Quinn, Chairman
• G. E. Newton
• Joe Dillard
• J. L. Eason
• M. Carwile

Mary Alice Baker, the City Clerk, was selected to serve as the BZA’s first clerk.

Today, the board consists of five regular members and two supernumerary members (alternates to be called in the absence of a regular member) appointed by the City Council for three-year terms. The current members can be found on our Boards & Committees.