Cape Fear COG trainer tells Pender County Board of Adjustment to apply four variance findings and avoid ex parte contacts

Daniel Adams of the Cape Fear Council of Governments told the Pender County Board of Adjustment on Feb. 18 that members must decide variance requests using statutory standards and evidence presented in the hearing record. Adams, the presentation's primary speaker, reviewed the origin of local authority, the four findings required for a variance, limits in the county Unified Development Ordinance and related appeals rules.

Adams said a variance exists when "an unnecessary hardship would result from carrying out the strict letter of a zoning regulation," and outlined the four findings the board must make: hardship resulting from the regulation, conditions peculiar to the property, hardship not being self‑created by the applicant, and consistency with the spirit, purpose and intent of the regulation so that public safety is secured and substantial justice is…