Appointment Type: Non-District

Term: 3 years

Stipend: $35/meeting

Vacancies: 2

Must be a Dorchester County resident with a farm or forestry background.

Authorized By: Chapter 127 Right to Farm

Duties:  Arbitrate and mediate disputes involving agricultural or forestry operations conducted on agricultural lands and issue opinions on whether such agricultural or forestry operations are conducted in a manner consistent with generally accepted agricultural or forestry management practices.

Appointment Type: Non-District

Term: 3 years

Stipend: None

Vacancies: 2

Must be a County resident with a seafood industry background.

Duties:  Arbitrate and mediate disputes involving seafood operations and issue opinions on whether such seafood operations are conducted in a manner consistent with generally accepted seafood industry management processes.

Authorized By:  Bill No. 2005-10 Seafood Industry “Right to Work”

Appointment Type: Non-District, Gubernatorial Appointment

Term: 5 years

Stipend: $25/hour, as needed

Vacancies: 1

Appointed by the Governor pursuant to nominees from the County Council.

Duties:  Hears appeals from the State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT) decisions; Conduct appeals in a timely and efficient manner and render fair and accurate decisions.

Authorized By:  Maryland Tax Property Code

Appointment Type: District 2

Term: 3 years

Stipend: $100/meeting

Vacancies: 1

Contact the Council’s Office at 228-1700 or email [email protected] to determine if you reside in District 2.

Duties:  The Board of Zoning Appeals hears and decides appeals where it is alleged there is any error in any zoning order, requirement, decision, or determination. It also interprets district boundaries on official zoning maps. Upon appeal, in specific cases, the Board may authorize such variances as will not be contrary to the public interest where, owing to special conditions, a literal enforcement would result in unnecessary hardship or practical difficulty.

Authorized By:  Chapter 155 – Article IV 

Appointment Type: District 2

Term: 5 years

Stipend: $100/meeting

Vacancies: 1

Contact the Council’s Office at 228-1700 or email [email protected] to determine if you reside in District 2.

Duties:  Make investigations and recommendations with regard to zoning amendment applications as directed by the County Council as prescribed in §155-5 of this chapter; Advise the Board of Appeals on all applications for special exceptions and variances as prescribed in §155-24 of this chapter; Approve site plans when required by this chapter or when required by the Board of Appeals; Approve subdivision plans as prescribed in Chapter 140 of the County Code.

Authorized By:  Maryland Land Use Code Article 2-101 – 2-105