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Adams County planners debate shrinking Board of Adjustment from five to three amid recruitment challenges
Summary
Staff told the committee state law requires a minimum of three members plus two alternates and said the county has struggled to fill seats; members discussed pros and cons of reducing the board size, outreach options, and whether to allow town board members to serve.
County staff told the committee that state statute requires at least three members for a board of adjustment and two alternates, and that Adams County’s ordinance currently establishes five members. Staff said the county has struggled to fill all seats and has been operating with three regular members and one alternate for about a year.
Committee members discussed options including keeping five members to maximize diversity of viewpoints or reducing to the state minimum to avoid vacancies. One member urged maintaining five members "you get more of a mind pool," while staff noted constraints in the county ordinance that exclude town‑board members from serving on the board of adjustment and a statutory limit preventing two members from coming from the same community. Committee members agreed to reach out to towns and advertise vacancies on town websites and revisit an ordinance change at a future meeting.
No ordinance change was adopted at the meeting; staff said they will continue recruitment and return the item for future consideration.
