§ 7.1. Board of adjustment.

7.101.

There may be a board of adjustment, the membership, terms of office, and rights and duties of which shall be provided in Title 33, Section 4727 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes (R.S. 33:4727). The board shall adopt rules in accordance with the provisions of this section. Meetings of the board shall be held at the call of the chairman and at such other times as the board may determine. All meetings shall be open to the public and preceded by due advertisement. In the absence of the city council appointing a board of adjustment as herein provided, appeals shall be made to the city council.

7.102.

The powers of the board of adjustment shall be:

To interpret the ordinance, being:

To hear and decide the appeals where, it is alleged there is an error in any order, requirement, decision, or determination made by the building inspector or in the enforcement of this ordinance.

To permit the extension of a district where the boundary line of a district divides a lot or separate tract with an area of less than one acre held in single ownership at the time of the passage of this ordinance.

To interpret the provisions of this ordinance in such a way as to carry out the intent and purpose of the plan, as shown upon the map fixing the several districts accompanying and made a part of this ordinance, where the street layout on the ground varies from the street layout as shown the map aforesaid.

7.103.

To permit the following exception:

Use of premises for public utility and railroad purposes, provided that the board shall find some compelling necessity for the use, and that any office, repair, storage, or garage uses are accessory to the main use.

7.104.

To permit the following variances:

Vary yard regulations, lot regulations, uses permitted and uses prohibited, when deemed appropriate; and allowing that any such variance may be made subject to any condition deemed appropriate, including but not limited to conditions related to ownership, use restrictions, building restrictions, and time limitations.

7.105.

The board shall always act with due consideration to promoting the public health, safety, convenience, and welfare, encouraging the most appropriate use of land and conserving property value, shall permit no building or use detrimental to a neighborhood, and may prescribe appropriate conditions and safeguards in each case. Such appropriate conditions and safeguards may include, among other things, provisions for the screening of parking areas by walls, fences, and planting and other such measures.

(Ord. No. 527, 7-7-1998)