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Home Page Board of Appeals - Rules and Regulations
Date: Voted May 21, 1997, In-Effect through June 13, 1998
Location: Town of Billerica


BOARD OF APPEAL - Rules and Regulations

INSTRUCTIONS FOR FILING AN APPLICATION TO THE BOARD OF APPEAL FOR A SPECIAL PERMIT AND/OR VARIANCE, AS ALLOWED UNDER THE ZONING BY-LAW.

1.) Obtain application for a Board of Appeal public hearing from the Board of Appeal Office Monday - Friday, 9:00 A.M. - 3:00 P.M. (Room 105) Phone: (508) 671-0964 All documents shall be retained by the Board of Appeal and become property of the Board of Appeal for their records. The following information is required to be submitted to the Board of Appeal through the Town Clerk's Office for each application, except when noted.

3.) A copy of the deed of the owners/applicants parcel showing the Registry of Deeds Book and Page Numbers. Also, a copy of the Purchase and Sale Agreement, if the applicant is purchasing the parcel of land.

4.) A Certified Abutters List must be furnished with each application to the Board of Appeal. This information can be obtained at the Assessor's Office - Room 109.

5.) A check for $50.00 for each petition, made payable to the town of Billerica, is required with each application. (No Cash)

ADDITIONAL APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR A SPECIAL PERMIT UNDER SECTION 5.6 (FLOOD PLAIN) AND SECTION 6 (EARTH MIGRATION).

1.) All instructions, as printed under Section 5.6 and Section 6 of the Zoning By-Law, shall have the following:

All petitions are advertised in the Billerica Minuteman. The petitioner will be billed directly by the advertising company for the cost of each legal ad. All bills should be paid prior to the public hearing.

TIME FRAME INFORMATION FOR BOARD OF APPEAL CUSTOMERS APPLYING FOR A PUBLIC REARING.

Applications and instructions will be given to each customer upon receipt of a Denial Form from the Building Department. When an application package is completed and submitted to the Town Clerk, the time frame begins according to Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 40A, as follows:

1.) A public hearing will be heard regarding your petitions/s within the required 65 days of submittal to the Town Clerk.

2.) The Board of Appeal is required to write a decision for each petition and record the signed decision with the Town Clerk no later than (14) days from the date of decision by the board.

3.) There is a "20 Day Appeal Period" from the date stamped by the Town Clerk for each decision.

4.) If granted, after the (20) day appeal period has expired and within (90) days of the decision, the petitioner is required to return to the Town Clerk's Office to have the decision certified by the Town Clerk, proceed to the Registry of Deeds in Lowell to record said decision then bring/send a copy of the Registry Receipt Form to the Board of Appeal and Building Department, as soon as possible.

If you have any questions on this procedure, please contact our office at (508) 671-0964.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR PETITIOENRS FILING TO APPEAR BEFORE THE PERMIT OR SPECIAL PERMIT GRANTING AUTHORITY

1.) Please review all rules and regulations of the Authority prior to appearing before the Board of Appeal.

2.) An Appeal to the Permit Granting Authority shall be taken within thirty (30) days of the order of the decision which is being appealed.

3.) To be granted a Variance, a petitioner must establish that owing to circumstances relating to the soil conditions, shape or topography of such land or structures and especially affecting such land or structures but not affecting generally the zoning district in which it is located, a literal enforcement of the provisions of the ordinance or bylaw would involve substantial hardship, financial or otherwise, to the petitioner or appellant, and that desirable relief may be granted without substantial detriment to the public good and without nullifying or substantially derogating from the intent and purpose of such ordnance or bylaw.

4.) In order to expedite consideration of your appeal include all factors that may be relevant to the question of items set forth in Paragraph #3.

5.) If your petition is for a Special Permit rather than for a Variance, be prepared to present data that tends to indicate that the public convenience and welfare will be substantially served by granting the permission requested; that the permission requested will not tend to impair the status of the neighborhood; that the permission requested will be in harmony with the general purposes and intent of the regulations of the Zoning By-Laws.

BY THE ZONING BOARI) OF APPEALS

TOWN OF BILLERICA
(City or Town)

Note: This information is taken from the Guide Book for the Massachusetts Federation of Planning Boards and Appeals Boards, Inc.

NOTIFICATION PROCEDURE

Board of Appeal procedure for notification of abutters in regards to your petition/s

1.) Submit a Certified Abutters List to the Board of Appeal with each petition and keep a copy of the list for mailing reference.

2.) After publication of petition/s the Board of Appeal Office will send you a copy of the notification for the public hearing.

3.) Send a copy of the notification to each abutter Certified Mail, and one to each of the following abutting towns. (Certified Mail Slips can be obtained at Post Office.) Bedford Planning Board 10 Mudge Way Burlington Planning Board Burlington Planning Board 29 Center Street Burlington, Ma. 01803 Carlisle Planning Board P. O. Box N Carlisle, Ma. 01741 Chelmsford Planning Board 50 Billerica Road Chelmsford, Ma. 01824 Tewksbury Planning Board 999 Whipple Road Tewksbury, Ma. 01876 Wilmington Planning Board Middlesex Avenue Wilmington, Ma. 01887

4.) Bring the notifications to the Post Offce so that all the certified mail slips can be stamped at least 14 days before the hearing.

5.) Send or deliver the stamped Certified Mail Slips to the Board of Appeal Office, Town Hall, 365 Boston Road, Billerica, Ma., at least one week prior to the scheduled public hearing/s.

INACCURATE NOTIFICATION CAN BE A BASIS FOR APPEAL
DORIS M. PEARSON, CHAIRMAN

 

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