Zoning Hearing Board

Members

  • Brent L. Hershey – Chairman
  • Marvin K. Nissley – Vice-Chairman
  • R. Keith Vogt – Secretary
  • Tony Brubaker- Alternate

The purpose of the Zoning Hearing Board is to help assure fair and equitable application and administration of the Zoning Ordinance by interpreting the ordinance, by hearing appeals from the Zoning Officer’s decisions, and by granting relief from the literal enforcement of the ordinance in certain hardship situations. Since the Board has no legislative power, it can neither make nor modify zoning policy, it cannot enact or amend the Zoning Ordinance, and it cannot create or change any zoning classifications. It is a quasi-judicial body; that is, its powers are judicial in nature and it is the first step in the judicial system.  Its scope of activities is limited to those permitted by the Municipalities Planning Code and the local zoning ordinance.

The Board schedules hearings on application of appeals that come before it, at which time it hears evidence and then issues written decisions which may contain findings of fact and conclusion of law. The meetings are held at the East Donegal Township Municipal Building, 190 Rock Point Road. The Board is scheduled to meet the second Monday of each month at 7:00 pm.  Although the Board meets only when an application is submitted to them for consideration, meeting notices are provided in the Legal Notices of the Lancaster newspaper.  The Board encourages all residents to attend its hearings.