Zoning Board / Board of Adjustment 

Overview

The Zoning Board of Adjustment is the Board of “non-permitted uses.” Zoning Boards deal primarily with the issuance of variances. Variances are based upon the individual municipality’s Zoning Ordinance. The Zoning Ordinance establishes specific requirements for a land area within a municipality and regulates not only the uses permitted, but the: 

• Conditional Uses
• Parking
• Setbacks Required
• Signs
• Size of the Parcels
• Numerous Other Such Regulations

General Public Participation in Pending Planning & Zoning Board of Adjustment Matters

Any application together with all plans, maps, supporting documentation for which approval is sought at a hearing shall be on file and available for public inspection at least 10 days before the date of the hearing during normal business hours in the office of the Planning Administrator/Board Secretary at 309 Main Street, Fort Lee, New Jersey, and are available for inspection between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

All meetings, hearings and any action by the Boards, except executive sessions conducted pursuant to statute, shall be open to the public in accordance with the Open Public Meetings Act. The public shall have the right to cross-examine any and all witnesses, and the applicant shall have the right to cross examine any witnesses in opposition to the application.

After all of the evidence has been presented to the Board in support of or in opposition to the relief sought by the applicant, the Chair shall then open the floor to the public to allow any member of the public to make any statement relative to the application before the Board. Such member of the public shall identify themselves as to name and residence address. Except in the instance where a person or group of interested parties is represented by an attorney. In those cases, the representing attorney shall present to the Chair a list of the persons represented, and such persons shall participate in the proceedings only through their attorney.

Additional Information

For further information please refer to the documents “Rules of the Planning Board (PDF),” “Rules of the Zoning Board (PDF)” and NJAC Chapter40:55D - “Municipal Land Use Law."

General Information for Applicants

To all applicants going before the Planning Board and Zoning Board of Adjustment: 

Submission of Applications

In order to avoid receiving incomplete applications and subsequent delay in processing them, please be advised that packages for applications will be accepted only during the following hours from Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Number of Copies

Please be advised that every applicant is required to submit 20 copies of their sealed plans and application, including the Environmental Questionnaire and a W9 tax form, to the Board Secretary. Two copies are allocated for the Zoning Officer/Construction Official for his review and his issue of a Letter of Denial (which is part of the application). The Zoning Officer is the person who makes the determination as to which board your application will go before. Twelve copies are utilized for board members. Six copies are held in the file for possible review by Borough Planners, Engineers (site and/or traffic), and any other professional the board may request to assist them in the decision-making process.