If supervisors adopt land-use regulations, they must create a board of adjustment. The board handles variance petitions, keeps records, adopts procedure rules, and may authorize variances in hardship cases.
§1212. Board of adjustment Where the supervisors of any district organized under the provisions of this Part shall adopt an ordinance prescribing land-use regulations in accordance with the provisions of R.S. 3:1209, they shall further provide by ordinance for the establishment of a board of adjustment. Such board of adjustment shall consist of three members, each to be appointed for a term of 3 years, except that the members first appointed shall be appointed for terms of 1, 2, and 3 years, respectively. The members of each such board of adjustment shall be appointed by the state soil conservation committee, with the advice of the supervisors of the district for which such board has been established, and shall be removable, upon notice of hearing, for neglect of duty or malfeasance in office, but for no other reason, such hearing to be conducted jointly by the state soil conservation committee and the supervisors of the district. Vacancies in the board of adjustment shall be filled in the same manner as original appointments, and shall be for the unexpired term of the member whose term becomes vacant. Members of the state soil conservation committee and the supervisors of the district shall be ineligible to appointment as members of the board of adjustment during their tenure of such other office. The members of the board of adjustment shall receive compensation for their services at the rate of three dollars per diem for time spent on the work of the board, in addition to expenses, including traveling expenses, necessarily incurred in the discharge of their duties. The supervisors shall pay the necessary administrative and other expenses of operation incurred by the board, upon the certificate of the chairman of the board. The board of adjustment shall adopt rules to govern its procedure, which rules shall be in accordance with the provisions of this Part and with the provisions of any ordinance adopted pursuant to this Section. The board shall designate a chairman from among its members, and may, from time to time, change such designation. Meetings of the board shall be held at the call of the chairman and at such other times as the board may determine. Any two members of the board shall constitute a quorum. The board shall keep a full and accurate record of all proceedings, of all documents filed with it, and of all orders entered, which shall be filed in the office of the board and shall be a public record. Any owner of land within the district may file a petition with the board of adjustment alleging that there are great practical difficulties or unnecessary hardship in the way of his carrying out upon his lands the strict letter of the land-use regulations prescribed by ordinance approved by the supervisors, and praying the board to authorize a variance from the terms of the land-use regulations in the application of such regulations to the lands owned by the petitioner. The board of adjustment shall fix a time for the hearing of the petition and cause due notice of such hearing to be given. The supervisors of the district and the state soil conservation committee shall have the right to appear and be heard at such hearing. Any owner of land within the district who shall object to the authorizing of the variance prayed for may intervene and become a party to the proceedings. Any party to the hearing before the board may appear in person, by agent, or by attorney. If, upon the facts presented at such hearing, the board shall determine that there are great practical difficulties or unnecessary hardship in the way of applying the strict letter of any of the land-use regulations upon the lands of the petitioner, it shall make and record such determination and shall make and record findings of fact as to the specific conditions which establish such great practical difficulties or unnecessary hardship. Upon the basis of such findings and determination, the board shall have power by order to authorize such variance from the terms of the land-use regulations, in their application to the lands of the petitioner, as will relieve such great practical difficulties or unnecessary hardship and will not be contrary to the public interest, and such that the spirit of the land-use regulations shall be observed, the public health, safety, and welfare secured, and substantial justice done. Any petitioner aggrieved by an order of the board granting or denying, in whole or in part, the relief sought, the supervisors of the district, or any intervening party, may appeal to the appropriate district court of competent jurisdiction wherein the case shall be tried de novo. Power is hereby vested in the courts to grant such temporary relief as shall be just and proper, and to make and enter a decree enforcing, modifying, and enforcing as so modified, or setting aside, in whole or in part, the order of the board.