Title
Amending Section 14-303 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Common Procedures and Requirements," by providing for additional requirements with respect to the granting of variances by the Zoning Board of Adjustment; all under certain terms and conditions.
Body
THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA HEREBY ORDAINS:
SECTION 1. Section 14-303 of The Philadelphia Code is hereby amended to read as follows:
?14-303. Common Procedures and Requirements.
Procedures that are common to several types of applications for permits, approvals, or variances are provided for in this section.
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(8) Zoning Variances.
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(e) Criteria for Approval.
The Zoning Board shall grant a variance only if it determines that the applicant has demonstrated that the criteria of this ? 14-303(8)(e) (Criteria for Approval) have been met and that any applicable criteria in ?? 14-303(8)(f) (Additional Criteria for Floodplain Variances) through 14-303(8)(h) (Additional Criteria for Height Variances Near the Airport) have been met. The granting of a variance should be a rare event, and the Zoning Board is authorized to grant a variance only if it expressly concludes that there are substantial, serious and compelling reasons to do so. Otherwise, the Zoning Board shall deny the variance.
(.1) General Criteria.
The Zoning Board may grant a lesser variance than requested, and may attach such reasonable conditions and safeguards as it may deem necessary to implement this Zoning Code, including without limitation a limitation on the size or duration of the variance, consistent with ? 14-303(9) (Conditions on Approvals). The Zoning Board shall, in writing, set forth each required finding for each variance that is granted, set forth each finding that is not satisfied for each variance that is denied, and to the extent that a specific finding is not relevant to the decision, shall so state. The Zoning Board shall see...
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