Zoning Board of Appeals

The Zoning Board of Appeals hold public hearings on applications, in the form of an Administrative Appeal, from persons aggrieved because they were unable to obtain a building permit or an enforcement action from the Building Inspector related to interpretation(s) of the Winchendon Zoning Bylaws. Public hearings are also held on applications for Special Permits as provided for in the Zoning Bylaws as well as requests for Variances from certain, clearly specified, provisions of the Zoning Bylaws. 

The process takes a minimum of 60 days from the time of the application to the time of decision through a 20 day appeal period. Hearings are held at regularly scheduled Board meetings on the first and third Wednesday evening of each month. The hearings must be published in a local newspaper at least 14 days before the hearing. Notices of the hearing, as well as the resulting decision, are sent by first class mail to all property owners on the same side of the street within 300 feet of the subject property as well as to those property owners located directly across the street of the subject property.

After a decision is written, signed, and filed with the Town Clerk, parties aggrieved by the Board's decision have 20 days in which to appeal the decision in Superior Court.

INFORMATION ON THE ZONING AUDIT AND UPDATE CAN BE FOUND HERE