Bill > SB78

This bill modifies the zoning board of adjustment's appeal process by removing the board's discretionary ability to set appeal timelines and replacing it with a mandatory 30-day appeal period. Currently, appeals could be taken within a "reasonable time" as determined by the board's rules, but the new legislation standardizes this by requiring all appeals to be filed within 30 days. The bill allows appeals to be filed by the applicant, an abutter (a property owner adjacent to the subject property), or any municipal official affected by a decision. To file an appeal, the appellant must submit a notice of appeal to both the original decision-making officer and the board of adjustment, specifying the grounds for the appeal. The officer who made the original decision must then promptly send all relevant documentation to the board. This change provides more clarity and predictability in the appeals process by establishing a fixed timeframe. The bill will take effect 60 days after its passage, giving municipalities time to adjust to the new requirements.

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https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/legacy/bs2016/bill_status.aspx?lsr=304&sy=2025&sortoption=&txtsessionyear=2025&txtbillnumber=SB78