Text Amendment

City of Glendale — Regular Meeting (2022-09-22)

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[Additions are indicated by underline; deletions by strikeout.] 
 
 
SECTION 1.  That Glendale Zoning Ordinance Chapter 3 (Administration) regarding the Board 
of Adjustment, be amended to read as follows:  
 
GLENDALE ZONING ORDINANCE 
 
ARTICLE III. ADMINISTRATION 
 
3.701. GENERAL 
 
 
The Board of Adjustment has been granted the power to authorize variances from the terms 
of the Zoning Ordinance where due to special conditions a literal enforcement of the terms of the 
Zoning Ordinance would result in unnecessary hardship. The special conditions must relate to the 
land or structure in question and generally involve topography, shape, size, location or 
surroundings.  
 
 
Appeals to the Board of Adjustment, set forth in Section 3.103(E), may be made by any 
person aggrieved or by any officer, division, or board of the City affected by any decision or 
interpretation made by the Development Services Director or designee while administering this 
ordinance.  A variance from the terms of this ordinance may be requested by any person or their 
authorized agent having an interest in the real property affected by the request.  
 
3.702.  APPLICATION 
 
 
Applications shall conform with the provisions of Section 3.300.  Appeals and variance 
requests shall be made on an application form specifying the grounds for the appeal or variance 
with other required documentation as specified by the Development Services Director or designee 
include the appropriate fee.  An application for an appeal of any decision or interpretation made 
by the Development Services Director or designee shall be filed with the Planning division within 
thirty (30) calendar days of the date of the decision or interpretation is complete, a public hearing 
with the Board of Adjustment will be scheduled.  
 
 
Any variance application required fees and other documentation being submitted due to a 
pending enforcement action by the City shall be completed and filed with the Planning division 
within sixty (60) days of the date on the violation notice.  
 
 
3.703. EFFECT OF APPLICATION 
 
 
Any variance or appeal application, unless otherwise provided by law, shall stay all 
proceedings in the manner appealed from, unless the Development Services Director or designee 
certifies that a stay would cause imminent peril to life or property.  In such cases, proceedings will 
not be stayed except by a restraining order granted by the Board of Adjustment, or by a court of 
record on application and noticed to the Development Services Director or designee.

[Additions are indicated by underline; deletions by strikeout.] 
 
 
 
 
3.704. PUBLIC NOTICE 
 
 
The Board of Adjustment shall hold at least one (1) public hearing on the application for 
variances and appeals.  Prior to the public hearing, notice shall be provided as follows:  
 
 
A.  A notice shall be placed in the newspaper of general circulation of the area, or as may 
be designated by the City Council for legal public notices.  The notice shall describe the type and 
nature of the request and be published at least fifteen (15) calendar day prior to the date of the 
scheduled hearing; 
 
 
B.  A notice shall be posted on or near the property in at least one (1) location on a form 
prescribed by the Planning division for such public notice.  The posted notice shall be placed on 
the property at least fifteen (15) calendar days prior to the date of the scheduled public hearing.  
It shall not be the responsibility of the City to maintain the posting once erected;  
 
 
C.  A notice by First Class Mail shall be made to adjacent or adjoining nearby property 
owners who are potentially affected as determined by the Development Services Director or 
designee;  
 
 
D.  Notwithstanding the notice requirements set forth in this section the failure of an 
person or entity to receive notice shall not constitute grounds for any court to invalidate the 
action for which the notice was given. 
 
3.705.  FINDINGS FOR APPEALS 
 
 
When considering an appeal of a decision or interpretation made by the Development 
Services Director or designee, the Board of Adjustment shall make its determination based on the 
following findings and the preponderance of the evidence presented:  
 
 
A.  The Development Services Director or designee did or did not evaluate all relevant 
provisions of this Zoning ordinance;  
 
 
B.  The Development Services Director or designee did or did not consider all relevant 
information related to the decision or interpretation. 
 
 
C.  The Development Services Director or designee decision was in error. 
 
 
D.  A Hardship was created by the literal interpretation of the provisions of the zoning 
ordinance.   
 
 
If the Board of Adjustment determines that the decision or interpretation made by the 
Development Services Director or designee was made in error, the resulting decision by the Board 
shall not constitute an amendment to the ordinance by permitting a use which is not otherwise 
allowed or waive the development standards of the zoning district in which the property is located.

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3.706. FINDINGS FOR A VARIANCE 
 
 
A.  The purpose of a variance is to restore equity when, due to special circumstances or 
conditions, the ordinance restricts one (1) property more severely than other properties in the 
same zoning district.  The circumstances or conditions must be beyond the control of the owner 
and relate to the property as opposed to the owner.  Personal hardship or inconvenience does not 
justify a variance.  The burden of proof is on the property of the owner.  
 
 
B.  The Board of Adjustment shall make the following findings based on the evidence in 
the record prior to granting a variance:  
 
1.  There are special circumstances or conditions applicable to the property 
including its size, shape, topography, location or surroundings which were not self 
I imposed by the owner.  
 
2.  Due to the special circumstances, the strict application of the zoning ordinance 
would deprive the property of privileges enjoyed by other properties in the same 
classification in the same zoning district; 
 
3.  Granting the variance will not have a detrimental effect on the property, 
adjoining property, the surrounding neighborhood, or the city in general. 
 
 
C.  The Board of Adjustment shall not grant a variance when:  
 
1.  The special circumstances applicable to the property are self-imposed by the 
owner.  This includes:  
 
a.  A hardship that has been intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly created. 
 
b.  The failure of the owner to consider other reasonable alternatives which 
do not require a variance. 
 
2.  The variance would constitute a change to the uses permitted in any zoning 
district.  
 
3.  The variance would constitute a grant of special privileges inconsistent with the 
limitations on other properties in the zoning district.  
 
 
No variances may be granted that will result in giving the applicant special privileges that 
are denied to others owning land or structures in the same zoning district, or that may substantially 
injure other properties.  Additionally, the Board may not grant variances for reasons of personal 
inconvenience, financial hardship, or for self-imposed hardships which are the result of the 
applicants’ own actions.  Further, the Board is not authorized to grant “use” variances that would 
permit uses other than those allowed in the particular zoning district.

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3.707. CONDITIONAL APPROVAL 
 
 
The Board of Adjustment may place conditions on the variance to assure that the 
adjustment authorized will not grant special privileges inconsistent with the limitations on other 
properties in the vicinity.  
 
3.7018 EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE VARIANCE OR APPEAL 
 
 
The decision of the Board of Adjustment shall be final thirty (30) calendar days from the 
date of the public hearing unless an appeal is filed as provided for in this ordinance.  
 
3.7029.  APPEAL TO SUPERIOR COURT 
 
The City or any person aggrieved by a decision of the Board of Adjustment may within thirty 
(30) calendar days of the Board’s decision, file a complaint for special action in Superior Court in 
accordance with A.R.S. § 9-462.06(K) now in effect or as it may be amended from time to time. 
 
(Ord. No. 1772, 7-23-93; Ord. No. 2260, § 7, 6-11-02; Ord. No. 2531, § 1, 10-24-06) 
 
3.70310.  MODIFICATION OF A VARIANCE 
 
Any alteration or expansion of a project for which a variance was approved shall comply with 
all current provisions and regulations of this Zoning Ordinance.  Any request for modification or other 
change in conditions of approval of the variance shall be reviewed according to provisions of this article 
as a new application. 
 
(Ord. No. 1772, 7-23-93; Ord. No. 2531, § 1, 10-24-06) 
 
3.70411. REVOCATION OF A VARIANCE 
 
When provisions of this ordinance related to the variance, or conditions or stipulations, made a 
part of the variance approval, have not been satisfied, the variance may be revoked as follows: 
 
The Board of Adjustment shall, by first class mail, notify the holder of the variance of its intention 
to hold a hearing to consider revocation of the variance.  The notice shall be made at least fifteen (15) 
calendar days prior to date of the scheduled hearing.  At the hearing, the Board of Adjustment shall 
consider evidence from all interested parties, and after deliberation, may revoke the variance or take any 
actions as may be necessary to insure compliance with the regulations or conditions of the approved 
variance. 
 
(Ord. No. 1772, 7-23-93; Ord. No. 2531, § 1, 10-24-06)

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3.70512.  REAPPLICATION 
 
Where a variance or appeal has been denied, no application for a variance or appeal for the same 
or substantially the same issue on the same or substantially the same site shall be filed within one hundred 
eighty (180) calendar days from the date of denial. 
 
(Ord. No. 1772, 7-23-93; Ord. No. 2531, § 1, 10-24-06) 
 
3.70613.  APPLICABILITY OF THE VARIANCE 
 
Except as may be otherwise stipulated or provided in this Zoning Ordinance, a variance granted 
pursuant to provisions of this article shall run with the land and continue to be valid upon a change of 
ownership of the site or structure which was subject to the variance.