Land Use & ZoningIntermediateAlabama Exam

Which government body in a typical Alabama municipality is responsible for hearing variance and special-use permit applications?

AThe City Council

BThe Zoning Board of Adjustment / Board of Zoning AppealsCorrect

CThe Planning Commission, as is typical in most transactions

DAREC

Why The Zoning Board of Adjustment / Board of Zoning Appeals Is Correct

Answer B: The Zoning Board of Adjustment / Board of Zoning Appeals

In Alabama, Boards of Zoning Adjustment (or Boards of Zoning Appeals) hear applications for variances, special-use permits, and appeals of administrative zoning decisions. The City Council typically adopts zoning ordinances, and the Planning Commission advises on long-range planning.

Key Land Use & Zoning Terms in This Question

Zoning

Local government regulations that control land use by dividing areas into zones specifying permitted uses, building sizes, and densities.

Variance

Official permission to use land in a way that does not conform to the applicable zoning ordinance, granted by a zoning board when strict enforcement would cause undue hardship.

People Also Study

Key Terms to Know

Zoning

Local government regulations that control land use by dividing areas into zones specifying permitted uses, building sizes, and densities.

Variance

Official permission to use land in a way that does not conform to the applicable zoning ordinance, granted by a zoning board when strict enforcement would cause undue hardship.

Eminent Domain

The power of government to take private property for public use, with the requirement to pay the owner just compensation.

Adverse Possession

A doctrine by which a person can gain legal title to another's land by openly, continuously, and adversely occupying it for a statutory period.