A. No airport zoning regulations shall be adopted, amended or changed under the Municipal Airport Zoning Law [3-39-16 to 3-39-26 NMSA 1978] except by action of the legislative body of the political subdivision in question, after a public hearing in relation thereto, at which parties in interest and citizens shall have an opportunity to be heard. At least fifteen days' notice of the hearing shall be published in an official paper, or a paper of general circulation, in the political subdivision.

B. The legislative body of any political subdivision adopting airport zoning regulations under the Municipal Airport Zoning Law may delegate the duty of administering and enforcing such regulations to any administrative agency under its jurisdiction, but such administrative agency shall not be or include any member of the board of appeals. The duties of such administrative agency shall include that of hearing and deciding all permits under Section 3-39-21 NMSA 1978, but such agency shall not have or exercise any of the powers delegated to the board of appeals.

C. Airport zoning regulations adopted under the Municipal Airport Zoning Law shall provide for appointment of a board of appeals to have and exercise the following powers:

(1) to hear and decide appeals from any order, requirement, decision or determination made by the administrative agency in the enforcement of Sections 3-39-16 through 3-39-26 NMSA 1978, or of any ordinance adopted pursuant thereto;

(2) to hear and decide special exceptions to the terms of the ordinance upon which such board may be required to pass under such ordinance; and

(3) to hear and decide specific variances under Section 3-39-21 NMSA 1978.

D. Where a zoning board of appeals or adjustment already exists, it may be appointed as the board of appeals. Otherwise, the board of appeals shall consist of five members, each to be appointed for a term of three years and to be removable for cause by the appointing authority upon written charges and after public hearing.

E. The board shall adopt rules in accordance with the provisions of any ordinance adopted under Sections 3-39-16 through 3-39-26 NMSA 1978. Meetings of the board shall be held at the call of the chairman and at such other times as the board may determine. The chairman, or in his absence the acting chairman, may administer oaths and compel the attendance of witnesses. All meetings of the board shall be public. The board shall keep minutes of its proceedings, showing the vote of each member upon each question, or, if absent or failing to vote, indicating such fact, and shall keep records of its examinations and other official actions, all of which shall immediately be filed in the office of the board and shall be a public record.

F. Appeals to the board may be taken by any person aggrieved, or by any other officer, department, board or bureau of the political subdivision affected, by any decision of the administrative agency. An appeal must be taken within a reasonable time, as provided by the rules of the board, by filing with the agency from which the appeal is taken and with the board, a notice of appeal specifying the grounds thereof. The agency from which the appeal is taken shall forthwith transmit to the board all the papers constituting the record upon which the action appealed from was taken.

G. An appeal shall stay all proceedings in furtherance of the action appealed from, unless the agency from which the appeal is taken certifies to the board, after the notice of appeal has been filed with it, that by reason of the facts stated in the certificate a stay would, in its opinion, cause imminent peril to life or property. In such case proceedings shall not be stayed otherwise than by a restraining order which may be granted by the board or by a court of record on application on notice to the agency from which the appeal is taken and on due cause shown.

H. The board shall fix a reasonable time for the hearing of the appeal, give public notice and due notice to the parties in interest, and decide the same within a reasonable time. Upon the hearing any party may appear in person or by agent or by attorney.

I. The board may, in conformity with the provisions of the Municipal Airport Zoning Law, reverse or affirm, wholly or partly, or modify, the order, requirement, decision or determination appealed from and may make such order, requirement, decision or determination as ought to be made, and to that end shall have all the powers of the administrative agency from which the appeal is taken.

J. The concurring vote of a majority of the members of the board shall be sufficient to reverse any order, requirement, decision or determination of the administrative agency, or to decide in favor of the applicant on any matter upon which it is required to pass under any such ordinance, or to effect any variation in such ordinance.

History: 1953 Comp., § 14-40-20, enacted by Laws 1965, ch. 300.

Law reviews. — For note, "County Regulation of Land Use and Development," see 9 Nat. Resources J. 266 (1969).