Authorization and Composition

The chair of the county board shall appoint a board of land use appeals consisting of 5 members appointed for staggered 3 year terms. The county board chair formally shall solicit recommendations to fill vacancies on the board of land use appeals from the various town boards operating within the general provisions of this subtitle. All appointments shall be subject to confirmation by the county board. Members of the board of land use appeals shall reside in the unincorporated areas of the county, three of whom shall be residents of any 3 of the towns in the county which are participants in county zoning. The remaining two members shall be selected at large from among the residents of unincorporated areas of the county.

The initial terms of office for members of the board of land use appeals shall be as follows: Members 1 and 4 shall be appointed for 3 years; members 2 and 5 for 2 years; member 3 for 1 year. Thereafter, all appointments shall be made for 3 year terms.

Procedural Rules

1. The board of land use appeals shall select its own chair, shall meet at the call of the chair and at such other times as the board may determine.

2. All meetings of the board shall be open to the public.

3. The board shall keep minutes of its proceedings, showing the vote of each member upon each question, or if absent or failing to vote indicating such fact. The board shall keep records of its examinations and other official actions, all of which shall be immediately filed in the office of the department and shall be of public record.

Powers and Duties

The board of land use appeals shall:

1. Adopt such rules as it considers necessary for the conduct of business, subject to the provisions of this subtitle and Wis. Stat. ch. 59.694;

2. Hear and decide appeals where it has been alleged there is an error in any order, requirement, decision or determination made by the committee or department in the enforcement or administration of the Zoning Code.

3. Grant variances from the terms of this subtitle where, owing to special conditions, the literal enforcement of this subtitle would result in unnecessary hardship.

The Bylaws of BLUA