Zoning laws aren't always set in stone. Sometimes, zoning ordinances can be changed or waived through quasi-judicial proceedings, in which an applicant will present a case and a board renders a decision on the request.

In this short video, Womble Carlyle Land Use and Zoning attorneys John Cooke and Michael Thelen discuss quasi-judicial zoning proceedings. Cooke and Thelen answer such questions as:

  • In what instances will I encounter a quasi-judicial zoning proceeding?
  • How is this different from other zoning proceedings?
  • Who are the "players" in a quasi-judicial proceeding?
  • For the participant in a quasi-judicial proceeding, what are some strategic points to heed?
  • If I win and the quasi-judicial body finds in my favor, what's next?
  • If I lose and the quasi-judicial body rules against me, what are my options?
  • At what point should I involve a lawyer when I may be facing a quasi-judicial proceeding?

The video is the third in a series of Womble Carlyle Land Use Videos. The series of short videos will address such topics as zoning, the relationship between planning and zoning, municipalities and land use, and the interpretation of zoning laws, particularly as these issues relate to North Carolina landowners and developers.

Click here to watch the first installment, in which Cooke and Thelen examine development agreements, and the second video, which examines zoning.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.