Zoning Hearing Board Duty

New Salem has a 3-member Zoning Hearing Board appointed by Borough Council for 3 year staggered terms. They meet as needed on the third Tuesday of the month at 7:00 pm at the Municipal Building, 80 North Water Street.

The Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code (Act 247 of 1968 and subsequent amendments) requires that any community which administers and enforces a zoning ordinance have a Zoning Hearing Board in place. The primary purpose of the Zoning Hearing Board is to help assure fair and equitable application and administration of the zoning ordinance by hearing appeals from the Zoning Officer’s interpretation of the ordinance and hearing requests from residents and property owners for variances and special exceptions. Where they feel justified, the Zoning Hearing Board may grant relief from the literal enforcement of the zoning ordinance where they feel the applicant has met his burden of proof to show that the literal interpretation of the ordinance creates a true hardship on the property owner. The decision of the Zoning Hearing Board is binding on all parties involved and can only be appealed to Common Pleas Court.

Since the Zoning Hearing Board is a quasi-judicial body, all Zoning Hearing Board meetings are conducted in a professional manner with a Solicitor present to advise the Board and a court reporter present to make a stenographic record of the proceedings.