Board of Appeals Committee

APPEALS The Board of Appeals have the power to hear any appeal by any person with legal standing from any decision, order, rule or failure to act by the Planning Board, the Sign Control Officer, the Building Inspector, the Plumbing Inspector, the Electrical Inspector, the Harbor Master, or the Health Officer. However, the Board of Appeals does not have authority to hear an appeal pertaining to enforcement or non-enforcement of a law or ordinance; any such appeal shall instead be directly to Superior Court. The Board of Appeals also hears any appeal where a Statute so directs. Any action or failure to act of any of the above may be modified or reversed by the Board of Appeals by concurring vote of at least four (4) members of the Board. VARIANCES A variance is an authorization by the Board of Appeals given to a property owner to use his/her property in a manner which is otherwise prohibited by the zoning ordinance. The Board of Appeals may grant a variance only when strict application of Wiscasset ordinances would cause undue hardship. A financial hardship shall not constitute grounds for granting a variance. When considering a request for a variance from any zoning ordinance, a variance is authorized only for height, area, and size of structure or size of yards or open places. Also, The Board of Appeals may grant a variance to an owner of a dwelling for the purpose of making that property accessible to a person with a disability who resides in or regularly uses the dwelling. MEMBERS Susan Blagden Chair, John Blagdon, Jr, Susan Van Alsenoy (Alternate), Kathleen Lincoln, Peter Rines, Joan Barnes, Denis Herbert (Alternate), Thomas Eichler