Learn About The Law
Get help with your legal needs
FindLaw’s Learn About the Law features thousands of informational articles to help you understand your options. And if you’re ready to hire an attorney, find one in your area who can help.
Current as of January 01, 2025 | Updated by Findlaw Staff
(a) Appeals to the board of adjustment may be taken by any person aggrieved by his inability to obtain a building permit or by the decision of any administrative officer or agency based upon or made in the course of the administration or enforcement of the provisions of the zoning ordinance. Appeals to the board of adjustment may be taken by any officer, department, board or bureau of the county affected by the grant or refusal of a building permit or by other decision of an administration officer or agency based on or made in the course of the administration or enforcement of the provisions of the zoning ordinance. The time within which such appeal must be made and the form or other procedure relating thereto shall be as specified in the general rules provided by the county commissioners to govern the procedure of such board of adjustment or in the supplemental rules of procedure adopted by such board.
(b) Upon appeals, the board of adjustment shall have the following powers:
(1) To hear and decide appeals where it is alleged by the appellant that there is error in any order, requirement, decision or refusal made by an administrative official or agency, based on or made in the enforcement of the zoning ordinance.
(2) To hear and decide, in accordance with the provisions of any such ordinance, requests for special exceptions or for interpretation of the map or for decisions upon other special questions upon which such board is authorized by any such ordinance to pass.
(3) Where, by reason of exceptional narrowness, shallowness or shape of a specific piece of property at the time of the enactment of the regulation, or by reason of exceptional topographic conditions or other extraordinary and exceptional situation or condition of such piece of property, the strict application of any regulation enacted under this subdivision would result in peculiar and exceptional practical difficulties to or exceptional and undue hardship upon the owner of such property, to authorize, upon an appeal relating to said property, a variance from such strict application so as to relieve such difficulties or hardship, provided such relief may be granted without substantial detriment to the public good and without substantially impairing the intent and purpose of the zone plan and zoning ordinance.
(c) The concurring vote of four members of the board in the case of a five-member board and of three members in the case of a three-member board shall be necessary to reverse any order, requirement, decision or determination of any such administrative official or agency or to decide in favor of the appellant.
Cite this article: FindLaw.com - Pennsylvania Statutes Title 16 P.S. Counties § 5230. Appeals to the board of adjustment - last updated January 01, 2025 | https://codes.findlaw.com/pa/title-16-ps-counties/pa-st-sect-16-5230/
FindLaw Codes may not reflect the most recent version of the law in your jurisdiction. Please verify the status of the code you are researching with the state legislature before relying on it for your legal needs.
A free source of state and federal court opinions, state laws, and the United States Code. For more information about the legal concepts addressed by these cases and statutes, visit FindLaw’s Learn About the Law.
Get help with your legal needs
FindLaw’s Learn About the Law features thousands of informational articles to help you understand your options. And if you’re ready to hire an attorney, find one in your area who can help.
Search our directory by legal issue
Enter information in one or both fields (Required)