Mission - top

The mission of the Office of Zoning and Administrative Hearings (OZAH) is to provide a hearing process for land use and other administrative matters that protects the due process rights of the participants as well as the public interest.

Duties and Responsibilities - top

The OZAH performs a quasi-judicial function which involves the processing of applications for individual zoning and special exception requests, and conducting administrative hearings for Executive and Legislative Branch agencies. OZAH is responsible for collecting filing fees and maintaining a current monthly hearing docket. OZAH is also responsible for insuring that applications contain pertinent information, that proper notice is given to all interested parties, that adequate pre-hearing disclosure is made, that parties are accorded an opportunity to testify and cross-examine witnesses, and that the record includes all pertinent materials. The hearing examiner must prepare and issue a report containing findings of fact and conclusions of law based on the evidence of the record which is referred to the ultimate decision maker (i.e., the County Council, the Board of Appeals, or other agencies using the hearing examiner’s services).   OZAH issues a quarterly report of political contributions by zoning applicants and a quarterly report of workload and performance.

Legal Basis - top

OZAH was originally established in 1967 and its duties and responsibilities are found in both state and local laws. Art. 28, Md. Code Ann. §§8-104(a)(2) and (3); Mont. Co. Code §§2-139, 2-140; 59-H-5; County Charter, §512.

Staffing - top

The OZAH currently has four positions: the Director/Hearing Examiner, who works three-quarters time, a full-time Hearing Examiner, an Administrative Specialist I and an Office Services Coordinator.

Contact Us - top

Office of Zoning and Administrative Hearings
Stella B. Werner Council Office Building
100 Maryland Avenue, Room 200
Rockville, Maryland 20850
(240) 777-6660
E-mail: ozah@montgomerycountymd.gov

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