Board of Adjustment

The Zoning  Board of  Adjustment meets on request to hear appeals from the decisions of the Building Inspector or to consider recommending a variance from the Zoning Ordinance in special circumstances. Members of the Board of Adjustment (5) are appointed by the Town Council for three year terms. Three alternate members are also appointed by council for a three year term. An Extraterritorial Jurisdiction representative (ETJ) is appointed by Dare County for a three year term. Current members and alternates are:

The purpose of the Board of Adjustment is to grant relief from the Southern Shores Zoning Ordinance under very special conditions. Go to Application to apply for a Board of Adjustment hearing. There is a $350.00 (three hundred fifty) filing fee to apply.

The Board of Adjustment is a quasi-judicial body, which means they act like a court. Like a court, they hear evidence, take testimony under oath, accept exhibits and make decisions based only on all of the evidence presented at the hearing.

A vote of four out of the five members of the Board is required to grant a variance.

An appeal from the Board’s decision can be made only to the Superior Court, and not to the Southern Shores Town Council.