Board of Adjustment

Every interested person, or his or her qualified agent, appearing at a public meeting of the Teaneck Zoning Board of Adjustment has the opportunity to present any information or give statements concerning any application requiring a hearing by the Board.  Fairness to all parties concerned requires that the Board follow an orderly procedure with regard to the receipt of evidence and/or statements.

A printed agenda is available before the meeting from the Secretary to the Board and is posted on the Municipal Building Bulletin Board.  Some applications for variances on the agenda are not heard or completed during a given meeting and may only be on the agenda to set a future meeting date.  To confirm whether a particular application will be on an agenda, please call the Secretary to the Board during regular business hours at 201-837-1600 Extension 1110.

Run by the Chairperson, a hearing is similar to a court proceeding.  The Chairperson and Board are unbiased fact finders .  The applicant provides testimony by fact and /or expert witnesses to support the application.  The Board,  its staff and the public have the right to ask questions of these witnesses and, finally, to comment on the application.  The applicant also has the right to ask questions of anyone who testifies.

The Chairperson introduces each application and ascertains whether the jurisdictional requirements have been met.  Each applicant will present his or her case.  Then members of the Board and the Board attorney may question the applicants and their witnesses.

The Board is limited by law to consideration of legal evidence.  Legal evidence consists of testimony given after the speaker has sworn or affirmed to tell the truth.  All testimony, questions and statements will be recorded steno graphically by the Board’s reporter and/or electronically recorded.  Signed petitions and/or letters are not acceptable unless all signators are at the meeting to testify.  This forms the record for the hearing of each application.

At the conclusion of the questioning by the Board, any member of the public may ask the witness any  questions concerning the application.  Anyone represented by an attorney must direct any questions or statements only through their attorney.  Once a witness has completed his or her testimony and questions have been asked by the Board and the public, the witness is excused and the next witness is called.  Orderly procedure requires that members of the public are not permitted to make speeches or statements at this time.

After all testimony is completed, any member of the public not represented by an attorney who wishes to support or oppose the application will be given the opportunity to state his or her position.  They may be questioned by the Board, the applicant, his or her agent, and the public, subject to the same limitations as stated above.

Once the case is completed, the public hearing is closed and the matter is referred to an immediate or subsequent Executive Session.  All Executive Sessions are open to the public.  However, no further evidence may be presented nor any comment made by the applicant, supporters or objectors.  After the matter is discussed and decided, the decision will be embodied in a Resolution which is then adopted by the Board.  Any decision of the Board can be appealed through the County Court system.

Again, we request your cooperation in limiting cell phone use and private conversations as they are extremely distracting and disturb the procedure of the meeting.

We thank you for participating in this vital democratic process.

All appointed members of the municipal Zoning Board of Adjustment serve as volunteers in the public interest and receive no compensation.