(A) The Board of Adjustment shall hear and decide appeals from and review any order, requirement, decision or determination made by the Administrator or the Historic District Commission and apply the interpretation to particular fact situations. In addition, the Administrator may ask the Board of Adjustment to make an interpretation of this chapter.
(B) The Board of Adjustment may, after having held a public hearing on the matter, reverse or affirm, wholly or partly, or modify the order, requirement, decision or determination appealed or make an interpretation or determination with reference to the appeal.
(C) Any person who has standing under G.S.§ 160D-1402(c) or the city may appeal a decision to the Board of Adjustment. An appeal is taken by filing a notice of appeal with the Administrator in accordance with § 153.280. The notice of appeal shall state the grounds for the appeal.
(D) The Administrator shall give written notice to the owner of the property that is the subject of the decision and to the party who sought the decision, if different from the owner. The written notice shall be delivered by personal delivery, electronic mail, or by first-class mail. In the absence of evidence to the contrary, notice by first-class mail shall be deemed received on the third business day following deposit of the notice for mailing with the United States Postal Service.
(E) The owner or other party shall have 30 days from receipt of the written notice within which to file an appeal. Any other person with standing to appeal shall have 30 days from receipt from any source of actual or constructive notice of the decision within which to file an appeal.
(F) It shall be conclusively presumed that all persons with standing to appeal have constructive notice of the decision from the date a sign containing the words “Zoning Decision” or “Subdivision Decision” or similar language for other determinations in letters at least six inches high and identifying the means to contact an official for information about the decision is prominently posted on the property that is the subject of the decision, provided the sign remains on the property for at least ten days. Posting of signs is not the only form of constructive notice. Any such posting shall be the responsibility of the landowner or applicant. Verification of the posting shall be provided to the Administrator. Posting of signs is not required.
(G) The Administrator shall transmit to the Board of Adjustment all documents and exhibits constituting the record upon which the action appealed from is taken. The Administrator shall also provide a copy of the record to the appellant and to the owner of the property that is the subject of the appeal if the appellant is not the owner.
(H) An appeal of a notice of violation or other enforcement order stays enforcement of the action appealed from unless the Administrator certifies to the Board of Adjustment after notice of appeal has been filed that because of the facts stated in an affidavit, a stay would cause imminent peril to life or property or because the violation is transitory in nature, a stay would seriously interfere with enforcement of this chapter. In that case, enforcement proceedings shall not be stayed except by a restraining order, which may be granted by a court. If enforcement proceedings are not stayed, the appellant may file with the Administrator a request for an expedited hearing of the appeal and the Board of Adjustment shall meet to hear the appeal within 15 days after such a request is filed. Notwithstanding the foregoing, appeals of decisions granting a permit or otherwise affirming that a proposed use of property is consistent with this chapter shall not stay the further review of an application for permits or permissions to use such property; in these situations the appellant may request and the board may grant a stay of a final decision of permit applications affected by the issue being appealed.
(I) The Administrator shall be present at the hearing as a witness. The appellant shall not be limited at the hearing to matters stated in the notice of appeal. If any party or the city would be unduly prejudiced by the presentation of matters not presented in the notice of appeal, the Board shall continue the hearing.
(J) When hearing an appeal pursuant to G.S.§ 160D-947(a) or any other appeal in the nature of certiorari, the hearing shall be based on the record and the scope of review shall be as provided in G.S. § 160D-1402(j).
(K) The parties to an appeal that has been made under this section may agree to mediation or other forms of alternative dispute resolution.
(Prior UDO, § 15.2) (Ord. ZTA-3-2013, passed 10-3-2013; Ord. passed - - )