Public hearing scheduled for Monday, Feb. 4

COLUMBUS — Polk County is looking to add members to its board of adjustment.

Commissioners met Monday and scheduled a public hearing for 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 4.

Polk County Planner Cathy Ruth said the request came to the planning board to increase the amount of board members. The planning board recommended the board of adjustment increase from three alternates to five. There is also a minor change being proposed to the ordinance to take out a word.

County Manager Marche Pittman said after an article ran in the Bulletin he has had a good response in applications for the board of adjustment.

“That’s not the only board we have,” Pittman said. “A lot of them have vacancies.”

Earlier this month Pittman said the county needed help filling members for volunteer boards, particularly the board of adjustment and planning board.

The county has 28 volunteer boards. The board of adjustment was having issues holding meetings because they often did not have enough members to have a quorum. The board of adjustment hears and decides conditional use permits, requests for variances, applications for vested rights and appeals decisions of administrative officials charged with enforcement of applicable county ordinances. It is a quasi-judicial board. The board currently consists of five members and three alternates, but if the recommendation is approved, the alternates will be increased to five.

Anyone who is interested in being a member of a volunteer board for the county should visit the county manager’s office at the Womack building in Columbus for an application, or call 828-894-3301. Information about the county’s volunteer boards can be found at polknc.org.

The public hearing on Monday, Feb. 4 will be held in the R. Jay Foster Hall of Justice, located on the second floor of the Womack building in Columbus.