Per the city website, “the Lakeland Board of Appeals (BOA) consists of five members, including a member of the Board of Commissioners. The other members are appointed by the Board of Commissioners.” The BOA is a quasi-judicial body that has the authority to review and grant the following: Conditional Use Permits. Certain land uses are permitted only when a Conditional Use Permit has been obtained from the BOA. These uses are established in Article III, Section 2 of the Land Development Regulations.
The most common request for appeal at BOA meetings are zoning variances. Requests for variances from the strict application of the Zoning Regulations are reviewed by the BOA. Before granting a Variance, the BOA must make specific findings related to physical and topographical conditions, the property’s relationship to other properties in the same zoning district, and the effect the Variance may have on neighboring properties, among other factors. Administrative Appeals. An applicant may appeal to the BOA a decision made by the Code Administrator or other City official in carrying out or enforcing the Zoning Regulations. Boundary Interpretations. The BOA is charged with interpreting the City’s official Zoning Map and resolving zoning boundary disputes. Stormwater Appeals. The BOA also serves as the City’s Stormwater Appeals Board which is a rarer use of the BOA.
New member but not new to Lakeland prior school board chair Kevin Floyd will serve on the BOA and the first meeting is this month December 19th. Current members also include Jason Eaton, Byron Ledbetter, Thomas Pickering and Board of Commissioners Liaison Commissioner Wesley Wright. The item this month is commercial and will be of interest to the general public, more on this item very soon.
