Portland BZA re-elects officers (03/11/2009)

A local board will keep the same officers this year.

Members of the Portland Board of Zoning Appeals met very briefly Tuesday afternoon and voted to retain Ron May as chairman, Lee Newman as vice chairman and Susan Schutz as secretary.

Pati McLaughlin also will again serve as recording secretary and Bill Hinkle will serve as attorney for the board.

In other business, May asked if the sluggish economy is why so few people have applied for building permits recently. There were only three permit applications in February.

McLaughlin, administrative assistant for Jay/Portland Building and Planning, said activity has picked up since March 1. She said she has been busy recently with people applying for permits.

Also during Tuesday's three-minute meeting, Bill Milligan, Jay/Portland Building and Planning administrator said proposed changes to the city's zoning ordinance may be viewed at his office by any interested board members.

The proposed changes, which were presented to the Portland Planning Commission last week, include changing the definition of neighborhood business, requiring site development plans for certain projects to be reviewed by a committee, and adding guidelines for the exteriors of new buildings.[[In-content Ad]]