Zoning Board of Adjustment members present: John Berndt, Michael Cantrell, Bob Cassell, Allan Koeppel, Larry Snead, Eric Strom and Gaines Weaver.

Staff Present: Chris Simpson, Tracy Roberts, Joseph Jeffries and Joanne Gunther

1. Ideas for more effective meetings and general board comments.

· Develop a better understanding of procedures and rules of conduct.

· Materials provided are good.

· Need more details in motions and votes.

· Why positive and negative motions?

· Staff presentations are good.

· Model motions. (Chris Simpson is working on these).

· Staff recommendations. (Board members were mixed on this. Chris Simpson suggested that no staff recommendation be provided. Instead, she felt that staff could provide review criteria to help the Board in its deliberations).

· Maps – need large image of nearest major intersection with a page number and grid coordination inserted in the Zoning Board of Adjustment packets. Mr. Michael Cantrell, Zoning Board of Adjustment Alternate, would like a Wake County map mailed to him.

· Findings of facts/guidelines – (a) "Motion to Grant Application with the following conditions" be placed first on the staff report and motion for denial be placed second because all grants of applications contain conditions, (b) the Board also recommended that staff considerations be bulletined with pertinent facts of the cases being presented to the Board in order to help the Board more clearly review them. Chris Simpson will work on a set of guidelines to assist the Board in establishing finds of fact.

· The Board members indicated that they would like to have a seating chart included with their packets.

· For the April meeting, Mr. Strom suggested that the Chairman meet one-half hour earlier to go over meeting protocol with new appointed members.

2. Rules of Procedure: The Zoning Board of Adjustment requested that this subject be voted on at their next regularly scheduled meeting to change Section II, Paragraph B), to indicate "Vice-Chairperson. A Vice-Chairperson shall be appointed from the membership of the Board, by the Zoning Board of Adjustment, for the same term as the Chairperson." Other amendments will also be considered.
   
3. Consideration of changing meeting time - the Board would like this item placed on the April agenda to have a vote on changing the meeting time from 7:30p.m. to either 6:30p.m. or 7:00p.m.
   
4. Training opportunities: A recommendation was made by staff for the Zoning Board of adjustment to consider having a representative from the Institute of Government make a presentation/orientation session at a future meeting. Some Board members felt Chris Simpson would also be a good choice as an alternative to the Institute of Government. The Board felt it might be a good idea to have a work session with other Boards of Adjustment in Wake County as well.
   
5. Nomination of Vice Chair – to take place at a future date after the Zoning Board of Adjustment Rules of Procedure have been amended and re-adopted by the Board.