ZONING HEARING BOARD
Formation: Any municipality enacting a zoning ordinance must also create a zoning hearing board as required by Section 901 of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code (MPC). The Zoning Hearing Board is a quasi-judicial board comprised of three volunteer members appointed by the Board of Supervisors to 3-year terms. Members must be residents of Nockamixon Township.
Meeting Dates: The Zoning Hearing Board meetings are scheduled on as needed basis.
Purpose: The primary purpose of the Zoning Hearing Board is to help assure fair and equitable application and administration of the zoning ordinance by hearing appeals on the zoning officer's determinations and by granting relief from the literal enforcement of the ordinance in certain hardship situations. The right to appeal for relief is an important step in ensuring that due process is followed when restricting use of private property for a predetermined public good.
The Zoning Hearing Board has no legislative power, it can neither make nor modify zoning policy and does not have enforcement powers. The Zoning Hearing Board schedules hearings on applications and appeals that come before it, takes evidence, and issues written decisions with findings of fact and conclusions of the law. The Zoning Hearing Board must limit its scope of activities to those permitted by the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code (MPC) and by the Nockamixon Zoning Ordinance.
Members:
- Steven Sears, Chair
- Lloyd Traven, Vice Chair
- John Courtney, Secretary
Solicitor: Jonathan Reiss, Esq./William Oetinger, Esq., Grim, Biehn & Thatcher
Supervisor Liaison: Jennifer McCandless