The Zoning Board of Adjustment Application is the City of El Paso Planning and Inspections Department form used to ask the Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBA) for a special exception or a variance on a property. It is one of the El Paso zoning applications and is signed by the property owner before a notary. On this page you can fill out the form online on FillingPDF and download or print the completed PDF; the original PDF is published by the City of El Paso at elpasotexas.gov.
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What is Zoning Board of Adjustment Application – El Paso, TX?
The Zoning Board of Adjustment Application is the City of El Paso, Texas form on which a property owner, or a representative, asks the Zoning Board of Adjustment for a special exception or variance. The Planning Division of the Planning and Inspections Department receives and reviews it.
The form has five numbered sections: contact information, parcel information, the special exception or variance request, a note to the applicant, and an additional information block with the owner's attestation and a notary acknowledgment. A box at the bottom is reserved for office use: case number, received date, application fee, ZBA review date and who accepted the application.
Page 2 lists the required documentation: a zoning map sheet, a generalized plot plan, structural drawings for a carport special exception, cashier's validation of the fee, attendance at the public hearing, and the terms of the Board's authorization. Page 3 is a sample plot plan with a setbacks table.
Submitting the application does not mean it is accepted. The form says acceptance for processing happens only after the Planning Division checks it for accuracy and completeness.
Who needs to file Zoning Board of Adjustment Application – El Paso, TX?
Property owners in the City of El Paso who want the Zoning Board of Adjustment to grant a special exception or a variance for their property use this application. The form asks for the owner's name and address and has a separate line for a representative, so an owner may name someone to act for them.
Specific groups the form addresses:
- Owners requesting a Carport Special Exception (a carport over a driveway) must also provide structural plans, framing plans and elevations, drawn to scale.
- The property owner signs the application, and the signature must be notarized.
- The applicant or representative must attend the scheduled public hearing.
The form states that, under Section 2.16.060 F of the El Paso City Code, the Board will not consider an appeal or application that is the same as, or very similar to, one that has been denied, for one year. Applicants in that position should wait or contact the Planning Division at 915-212-0088.
When to file Zoning Board of Adjustment Application – El Paso, TX
File the application when you need a special exception or variance from the Zoning Board of Adjustment for your property. The form prints no filing deadline, and it is not accepted for processing until every item is completed and all required documentation is submitted.
After approval, the Board's authorization lasts 12 months from the date of approval, and a building permit must be obtained in that time. You may ask the Board for an extension before the 12 months end, except that an extension may not be granted for required demolition; otherwise a new application and a new application fee are required.
If your case is denied, the Board will not consider the same or a very similar application for one year. If you cannot attend your hearing, you may request a postponement before the meeting.
Documents you need
- Notarized application: the property owner's signature must be notarized on the form before it is accepted for processing.
- Zoning map sheet with the subject property accurately outlined in red ink.
- Generalized plot plan on letter (8½"x11") or legal (8½"x14") format, drawn to scale, showing the legal description and street address, structures, accessory structures, streets and driveways, lot lines, setbacks and the other items listed on page 2.
- For a Carport Special Exception only: structural plans, framing plans and elevations, drawn to scale, indicating the types and colors of building materials.
- Payment of the application fee at the Cashier after the Department accepts the application; the form says fees are nonrefundable.
- The applicant's initials on page 2, above the line printed for them.
How to fill out Zoning Board of Adjustment Application – El Paso, TX
Enter owner and representative contacts
In section 1, write the property owner(s) with address, ZIP code and phone. Add the representative(s) with address, ZIP code, phone, e-mail address and fax if someone acts for the owner.
Identify the parcel
In section 2, enter the property identification number, the legal description and the street address or location, along with the representative district.
Add property details
Still in section 2, fill in acreage, zoning, land use and year built.
Describe your request
In section 3, enter the type of request, such as a special exception or variance, and explain the request in the lines provided.
Read the note to the applicant
Section 4 says the applicant or representative must be present at the hearing and that the Board will not consider a same or very similar denied application for one year.
Sign before a notary
In section 5, the property owner signs under the attestation that the application is complete and accurate. The notary completes the acknowledgment block for the State of Texas, County of El Paso.
Initial the required documentation page
On page 2, review the documentation requirements and write the applicant's initials on the line at the bottom.
Prepare the map and plot plan
Outline the property in red ink on the zoning map sheet and draw the generalized plot plan with the items listed on pages 2 and 3. Add carport plans if requesting a Carport Special Exception.
Review and download the completed PDF
Check every section, then download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF. Assemble the package described under How to submit.
How to submit Zoning Board of Adjustment Application – El Paso, TX
The form points to the City of El Paso Planning and Inspections Department, Planning Division, 811 Texas Avenue, El Paso, TX 79901 (telephone 915-212-0088). It prints no mailing or online submission channel; call that number to confirm how to deliver the application.
- Review: the Planning Division checks the application for accuracy and completeness. Until it does, submitting does not count as acceptance.
- Fee: after the Department reviews and accepts the application, a fee is paid at the Cashier, Planning and Inspections Department. The amount is not stated in the form; ask the Department. After the payment is validated, the application form is returned to the Planning Division. Fees are nonrefundable.
- Zoning map sheet: get one at the Planning and Inspections Department, One Stop Shop, 811 Texas Avenue, or use the interactive zoning map at https://gis.elpasotexas.gov/planning/.
- Hearing: the ZBA review date is set at 1:30 p.m. at City Hall, 300 N. Campbell St.; the owner or representative must attend.
FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the channels above.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Submitting the application without the owner's notarized signature; the form says it must be notarized with the property owner's signature.
- Leaving items blank or omitting required documentation; the form is not accepted for processing until every item is completed.
- Outlining the subject property on the zoning map sheet in a color other than red ink.
- Drawing the plot plan without a scale, or leaving out items such as setbacks, easements, driveways or lot-line dimensions.
- Applying for a carport without structural plans, framing plans and elevations that show building materials and colors.
- Planning a carport larger than 1/5 of the first-floor dwelling area, or not matching the home's material and color scheme and open on three sides.
- Not attending the hearing; the Board may postpone, approve or disapprove the application with or without you present.
- Refiling the same or a very similar request within one year of a denial, which the Board will not consider.
- Waiting beyond the 12-month authorization to obtain a building permit or to request an extension.
Frequently asked questions
What is the El Paso Zoning Board of Adjustment Application?
It is the City of El Paso Planning and Inspections Department form for asking the Zoning Board of Adjustment for a special exception or variance on a property. The Planning Division reviews it for accuracy and completeness before accepting it for processing.
Does the Zoning Board of Adjustment Application have to be notarized?
Yes. The form states the application must be notarized with the property owner's signature. Section 5 includes a Texas notary acknowledgment block for the State of Texas, County of El Paso.
What do I need to attach to the El Paso ZBA application?
A zoning map sheet with the property outlined in red ink and a generalized plot plan drawn to scale on letter or legal paper. A carport special exception also needs structural plans, framing plans and elevations showing building materials and colors.
Do I have to attend the Zoning Board of Adjustment hearing?
Yes, the applicant or representative must be present. The Board's policy is to postpone when no one appears, but it may also postpone, approve or disapprove anyway. If you cannot attend, request a postponement before the meeting.
Is there a fee for the Zoning Board of Adjustment Application?
Yes. After the Department reviews and accepts the application, the fee is paid at the Cashier, Planning and Inspections Department, and the fee is nonrefundable. The form does not print the amount, so call 915-212-0088 to confirm it.
How long is a Zoning Board of Adjustment approval valid?
Authorization lasts 12 months from the approval date, and you must obtain a building permit in that time. You can request an extension from the Board before the 12 months end, except for required demolition; otherwise a new application and fee are required.
Can I reapply after my application is denied?
Not right away with the same request. Under Section 2.16.060 F of the El Paso City Code, as quoted on the form, the Board will not consider an application that is the same or very similar to a denied one for one year.
Can I fill out the El Paso Zoning Board of Adjustment Application online?
You can fill out the PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF is an independent service and does not file the application with the City of El Paso; you deliver it through the City's channels.
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