Appeals to the county board of adjustment may be taken by any person aggrieved or by a public officer, department, board or bureau affected by any decision of the county inspecting officer in administering the county zoning regulations or building line and setback regulations. Such appeals shall be taken within a period of not more than ten (10) days, by filing written notice with the county board of adjustment and the county inspecting officer, stating the grounds thereof. An appeal from the county board of adjustment shall stay all proceedings in furtherance of the action appealed from unless the officer from whom the appeal is taken shall certify to the board of adjustment that by reason of facts stated in the certificate a stay would, in his opinion, cause imminent peril to life or property. The county board of adjustment shall have the following powers and it shall be its duty:

1. To hear and decide appeals where it is alleged that there is error of law in any order, requirement, decision or determination made by the county inspecting officer in the enforcement of the county zoning regulations.

2. To hear and decide requests for map interpretations or for decisions on other special questions upon which it is authorized to pass by the regulations adopted by the board.

3. Where, by reason of exceptional narrowness, shallowness, shape, topography or other extraordinary or exceptional situation or condition of a specific piece of property, the strict application of any regulation adopted under this act would result in peculiar and exceptional difficulties to, or exceptional and demonstrable undue hardship upon, the owner of such property, to authorize, upon an appeal relating to such property, a variance from such strict application so as to relieve such demonstrable difficulties or hardships, provided such relief can be granted without substantially impairing the intent, purpose, and integrity of the zone plan or other element of the comprehensive plan as embodied in the zoning regulations and map.

In exercising the above powers, such board of adjustment may, in conformity with the provisions of this act, reverse or affirm wholly or partly, or may 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 officer from whom the appeal is taken.

In acting upon any appeal, such board of adjustment shall, in its consideration of and decision thereon, apply the principles, standards and objectives set forth and contained in all applicable regulations, ordinances and resolutions and in the comprehensive plan.

Added by Laws 1957, p. 136, § 23, emerg. eff. May 31, 1957.