WAHOO — Filling the Saunders County Board of Adjustment has long been an elusive feat, according to county Planning and Zoning Director Mitch Polacek. And for months, the board has had just three members — less than the four needed to constitute a quorum.
But after last week’s Saunders County Board of Supervisors meeting, the inactive board will be returned to its fully operational state. Within the last two months, eight county residents applied for the open Board of Adjustment seats.
The supervisors appointed Lezlie Thomas and Jodi Curtis, both of Ashland, to the Board of Adjustment seats previously held by Laurie Smaus and John Zaugg. They will join Jason Gabel, John Trutna and Joann Simanek. Ryan Hall of Malmo was chosen to serve as the board’s alternate, meaning he would take the place of an absent board member.
The Board of Adjustment’s primary role is to deny or approve zoning regulation appeals and zoning variance requests, which Polacek said are generally related to property line setback exceptions. Four “yes” votes are required by the board to approve variance requests. The board meets as needed — typically about three times per year.
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The Board of Supervisors also appointed Matt Treadway of Ashland to the county Planning Commission. Treadway will fill the seat of the long-serving John Starns, who announced in April that he would be stepping down.
