City of Hardeeville - Permit Center | Administrative Adjustment

Administrative Adjustment

Description The Planning and Development Director, or their designee, has the authority to authorize variance up to 25 percent from any numerical standard in Article 4 as set forth in the MZDO. Any request for variance greater than 25 percent shall be treated as a variance request and handled by the BZA.

Approval Criteria The Planning and Development Director or designee may approve the administrative adjustment only if the adjustment meets all of the following criteria:

The requested adjustment is consistent with the comprehensive plan and the stated purpose of the MZDO;
The requested adjustment meets all other applicable building and safety codes;
The requested adjustment does not encroach into a recorded easement;
The applicant must obtain written agreement including an attached site drawing to scale indicating adjustment from affected, adjacent property owner of record;
The requested adjustment will have no significant adverse impact on the health, safety, or general welfare of surrounding property owners or the general public, or such impacts will be substantially mitigated; and
The requested adjustment is necessary to either: (a) compensate for some practical difficulty or some unusual aspect of the site of the proposed development not shared by landowners in general; or (b) accommodate an alternative or innovative design practice that achieves to the same or better degree the objective of the existing design standard to be modified. In determining if "practical difficulty" exists, the factors set forth in Section 7.10.C, Approval Criteria (for Variances), shall be considered.

Decisionmaker The Planning and Development Director makes the final decision.

Appeals The Director's decision can be appealed to the Zoning Board of Appeals.

Application Fee

$_______

Submittal Deadline

None - This application can be submitted anytime.

Frequently Asked Questions

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What is a determination of completeness?

When we receive a development application, staff will review the materials to make sure the application submittal is complete and ready for formal review. If an application submittal is not complete, staff will notify the applicant and describe the parts that are not complete.

A determination that an application is complete means the application is ready for formal review and does not suggest the applicant has provided sufficient information in all regards or preclude the reviewing authority from requesting additional information it deems appropriate.

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If I submit an application and it is not approved, can I get my application fee back?

Application fees are not refundable. They are intended to cover the costs necessary to review the application.

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This procedure includes a pre-application meeting. What's that for?

A pre-application meeting is conducted by staff with the applicant before an application is submitted for formal review. Staff will be able to provide some initial feedback on any preliminary plans or concepts and go over the development process, submittal requirements, and expectations.

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What is the difference between an administrative adjustment and a variance?

They are similar because they both allow a deviation to a dimensional standard that's stated in the zoning code. If the requested deviation is within 125 percent of the standard, the deviation is treated as an administrative adjustment. Any request more than 125 percent of the standard is handled as a variance.

View all Frequently Asked Questions

Primary Staff Contact

Brana Snowden, Planning Director

843-784-2231

[email protected]

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City of Hardeeville Zoning Code | Permit Center | Administrative Adjustment