Review Bodies and Administration

This section describes the powers and duties of the review bodies and ordinance administrators. A review body is a body of the City of Buffalo that exercises decision-making authority or makes recommendations, pursuant to this Ordinance. An ordinance administrator is an official of the City of Buffalo that exercises regulatory authority, makes recommendations, provides staff support, and/or has duties, pursuant to this Ordinance.

Review bodies and ordinance administrators are established by the City Charter, except as follows:

1. The Zoning Board of Appeals is established by Article 13 of this Ordinance.
2. The Zoning Administrator is designated by the Executive Director of Strategic Planning, established by the City Charter

Table 11A: Application Review summarizes which review body and/or ordinance administrator makes recommendations or decisions on each application. Specific powers and duties for each review body and ordinance administrator are detailed below.

1. Common Council. The Common Council has the following powers, pursuant to this Ordinance:
   1. To hear and make decisions on text amendments.
   2. To hear and make decisions on Zoning Map amendments.
   3. To hear and make decisions on special use permits.
   4. To hear and make decisions on adaptive reuse permits.
   5. To hear and make decisions on planned unit developments.
   6. To review and make decisions on major encroachment permits.
2. City Planning Board. The City Planning Board has the following powers, pursuant to this Ordinance:
   1. To make recommendations to the Common Council on text amendments.
   2. To make recommendations to the Common Council on Zoning Map amendments.
   3. To make recommendations to the Common Council on special use permits.
   4. To make recommendations to the Common Council on adaptive reuse permits.
   5. To hear and make decisions on major site plan review.
   6. To make recommendations to the Common Council on planned unit developments.
   7. To make recommendations to the Commissioner of Public Works, Parks, and Streets on thoroughfare plans.
   8. To hear and make decisions on minor subdivisions and major subdivisions.
3. Zoning Board of Appeals. The Zoning Board of Appeals has the following powers, pursuant to this Ordinance:
   1. To hear and make decisions on zoning variances.
   2. To hear and make decisions on administrative appeals.
4. Zoning Administrator
   1. The Zoning Administrator, or his/her designee, has the following powers and duties, pursuant to this Ordinance:
      1. To review and make decisions on minor site plan review.
      2. To make recommendations to the Commissioner of Permit and Inspection Services on written interpretations.
   2. The Zoning Administrator, or his/her designee, has the following administrative duties, pursuant to this Ordinance:
      1. To receive applications and review applications for completeness for all matters decided by the Zoning Administrator, City Planning Board, and Zoning Board of Appeals.
      2. To staff pre-application conferences and, if required, arrange for public notice for matters reviewed by the Zoning Administrator, City Planning Board, and Zoning Board of Appeals.
      3. To maintain permanent and current records, as required by law, regarding all matters reviewed by the Zoning Administrator, City Planning Board, and Zoning Board of Appeals, and to file decisions with the City Clerk.
      4. To furnish annual reports on the performance of this Ordinance.
5. Commissioner of Permit and Inspection Services
   1. The Commissioner of Permit and Inspection Services, or his/her designee, has the following powers, pursuant to this Ordinance:
      1. To review and make decisions on sign permits.
      2. To review and make decisions on temporary use permits.
      3. To make decisions on written interpretations.
      4. To review and make decisions on exempt alteration of lots.
   2. The Commissioner of Permit and Inspection Services, or his/her designee, has the following administrative duties, pursuant to this Ordinance:
      1. To receive applications, review applications for completeness, and staff pre-application conferences all matters reviewed by the Commissioner of Permit and Inspection Services.
      2. To register, and identify all required City approvals for, projects requiring an application under this Ordinance.
      3. To maintain permanent and current records, as required by law, regarding all matters decided by the Commissioner of Permit and Inspection Services.
      4. To verify compliance of all applications with the rules and procedures of this Ordinance, including any conditions on approvals imposed by the Common Council, City Planning Board, or Zoning Board of Appeals, concurrent with the issuance of a building permit or certificate of occupancy.
      5. To conduct inspections of structures, uses, and land to determine compliance with this Ordinance and, in the case of any violation, to order corrective action.
6. Commissioner of Public Works, Parks, and Streets
   1. The Commissioner of Public Works, Parks, and Streets, or his/her designee, has the following powers, pursuant to this Ordinance:
      1. To review and make decisions on minor encroachment permits.
      2. To review and make recommendations to the Common Council on major encroachment permits.
      3. To review and make decisions on curb cut permits.
      4. To review and make decisions on right- of-way work permits.
      5. To review and make decisions on tree work permits.
      6. To review and make decisions on thoroughfare plans.
   2. The Commissioner of Public Works, Parks, and Streets, or his/her designee, has the following administrative duties, pursuant to this Ordinance:
      1. To receive applications, review applications for completeness, staff pre- application conferences for all matters reviewed by the Commissioner of Public Works, Parks, and Streets.
      2. To maintain permanent and current records, as required by law, regarding all matters reviewed by the Commissioner of Public Works, Parks, and Streets.
      3. To conduct inspections of City rights- of-way and City parks to determine compliance with this Ordinance and, in the case of any violation, to order corrective action.
7. City Clerk. The City Clerk, or his/her designee, has the following administrative duties, pursuant to this Ordinance:
   1. To receive applications, review applications for completeness, and, if required, arrange for public notice for all matters decided by the Common Council.
   2. To maintain permanent and current records, as required by law, regarding all matters decided by the Common Council, and to file decisions of the Common Council.
   3. To receive and record all decisions and certificates related to this Ordinance, as required by law.
   4. The maintain and make available the official copies of the Unified Development Ordinance and Zoning Map.