The Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) is established by state statute to hear appeals and to vary the application of Zoning Regulations in cases where enforcement of the regulations would result in exceptional difficulty or unusual hardship. However, variances granted by the ZBA must always be in the "spirit" of the Zoning Regulations, and courts have ruled that that the ZBA cannot consider economic hardship as a possible justification for granting a variance.

The ZBA has five members, elected at-large to four-year staggered terms, as well as three alternatives elected to serve two-year terms. Hearings are normally held once a month, and anyone needing a hearing must first obtain a referral from the Zoning Agent. Because of legal notice requirements, applications should be submitted according to established schedule.

Although the ZBA rules on appeals from the decisions of the Zoning Agent, appeals from decisions of the Planning and Zoning Commission (PZC) itself are not heard by the Board and are made directly to Connecticut Superior Court. As a quasi-judicial body, the ZBA must conduct public hearings before ruling on an application, and four of its five members must concur for most actions. Persons wishing to appeal a decision of the ZBA may take the appeal directly to Superior Court.

Members

Carol Pellegrine	Chairman	860.429.9598
Martha Fraenkel	Vice-Chairman
Julie Wright	Secretary
Shirley Katz
Suzanne Singer-Bansal

Alternates

• Jack Clauson
• Beverly H. Gotch
• Sarah J. Accorsi

Meeting Dates - 2007

Applications Due	Meeting Date
December 19, 2006	January 10, 2007
January 24, 2007	February 14, 2007
February 21, 2007	March 14, 2007
March 21, 2007	April 11, 2007
April 18, 2007	May 9, 2007
May 23, 2007	June 13, 2007
June 20, 2007	July 11, 2007
July 18, 2007	August 8, 2007
August 22, 2007	September 11, 2007 (Tuesday)
September 19, 2007	October 10, 2007
October 24, 2007	November 14, 2007
November 20, 2007	December 12, 2007