Responsibilities

The Sawyer County Board of Appeals is a 7 member board consisting of 5 primary members and 2 alternate members, all appointed by the Sawyer County Board of Supervisors. The basic function of the Board is to hear appeals as they relate to the provisions of Sawyer County Zoning Ordinance. These appeals may involve general zoning issues and also shoreland zoning matters. Appeals to the above issues are in the form of a variance application from the party requesting relief from existing zoning requirements.

The Board also hears appeals of administrative decisions. These are appeals based on decisions made by members of the Zoning Office staff (i.e., if a request for a permit or the opportunity to apply for a variance is denied, the applicant may appeal the Zoning Office decision to the Board, likewise if the request is approved, other aggrieved persons may appeal the Zoning Office decision to the Board) and decisions made by the Sawyer County Zoning Committee.

The Board is a quasi-judicial body and must make its decisions based on facts presented at public hearing. Decisions made by the Board are founded in state statutes and the Zoning Ordinance. A taped record of hearing proceedings is maintained by the Zoning Office. Board decisions may be appealed to the Circuit Court via a Writ of Certiorari.