How do I request a variance?

Apply to the Board of Adjustment (BOA) under Sec. 11.13.1. The Administrator reviews the application and writes a staff report, then the BOA holds a quasi-judicial public hearing and votes to approve, approve with conditions, or deny. You must show unnecessary hardship from strict application of the UDO, that the hardship comes from conditions peculiar to the property (not the neighborhood generally or personal circumstances), that the hardship was not self-created, and that the variance is consistent with the UDO's spirit and intent (Sec. 11.13.D). A Variance cannot be granted for density/intensity limits, use-table restrictions, or matters governed by state or federal law (Sec. 11.13.B). For minor setback relief, ask the Administrator about an Administrative Adjustment instead: it can approve encroachments up to 10 percent of a required setback or 24 inches, whichever is greater, for specific hardships like an undersized lot or topography, without a public hearing (Sec. 11.13.2).