The Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) is established by state statute to hear appeals and to vary the application of Zoning Regulations in cases where enforcement of the regulations would result in exceptional difficulty or unusual hardship. However, variances granted by the ZBA must always be in the "spirit" of the Zoning Regulations, and courts have ruled that that the ZBA cannot consider economic hardship as a possible justification for granting a variance.

The ZBA has five members, elected at-large to four-year staggered terms, as well as three alternatives elected to serve two-year terms. Hearings are normally held once a month, and anyone needing a hearing must first obtain a referral from the Zoning Agent. Because of legal notice requirements, applications should be submitted according to established schedule.

Although the ZBA rules on appeals from the decisions of the Zoning Agent, appeals from decisions of the Planning and Zoning Commission (PZC) itself are not heard by the Board and are made directly to Connecticut Superior Court. As a quasi-judicial body, the ZBA must conduct public hearings before ruling on an application, and four of its five members must concur for most actions. Persons wishing to appeal a decision of the ZBA may take the appeal directly to Superior Court.

Members

Carol Pellegrine	Chairman	860.429.9598
Shirley Katz	Vice-Chairman
Julie Wright	Secretary
Martha Fraenkel
Suzanne Singer-Bansal

Alternates

• Jack Clauson
• Beverly H. Gotch
• Sarah J. Accorsi

Meeting Dates - 2009

Applications Due	Meeting Date
December 24, 2008	January 14, 2009
January 21, 2009	February 11, 2009
February 18, 2009	March 11, 2009
March 18, 2009	April 7, 2009 (Tuesday)
April 22, 2009	May 13, 2009
May 20, 2009	June 10, 2009
June 17, 2009	July 8, 2009
July 22, 2009	August 12, 2009
August 19, 2009	September 9, 2009
September 23, 2009	October 14, 2009
October 21, 2009	November 10, 2009 (Tuesday)
November 18, 2009	December 9, 2009

Meeting Dates 2010

Applications Due December 23, 2009 January 20, 2010          February 17, 2010 March 24, 2010           April 21, 2010              May 19, 2010              June 23, 2010              July 21, 2010               August 18, 2010           September 22, 2010 October 20, 2010 November 17, 2010

Meeting Date January 13, 2010 February 10, 2010 March 10, 2010 April 14, 2010 May 12, 2010 June 9, 2010 July 14, 2010 August 11, 2010 September 7, 2010 (Tuesday) October 13, 2010 November 10, 2010 December 8, 2010