Appeal.
Houston Code of Ordinances § 7-76
in effectSec. 7-76. - Appeal.
(a) Any applicant for a variance whose application has been denied may request a hearing regarding the denial of the variance. The request must be made in writing and provided to the director within ten business days of the date of the director's denial of the variance. If the applicant does not request a hearing within ten business days, the denial of the variance is effective on the 11 th business day after the date of the director's denial of the variance.
(b) The hearing shall be conducted within 20 business days of the director's receipt of the request and shall be conducted by a hearing officer employed by the municipal courts department of the city designated to conduct administrative hearings and enter orders in the manner provided in this section. The hearing officer shall deny the variance if he determines by a preponderance of the evidence that grounds exist to deny the variance. At the hearing, the applicant may be represented by an attorney, present evidence and cross-examine witnesses.
(c) The hearing officer shall give written notice to the applicant of his findings as to whether or not the variance should be granted and the reasons therefor. The notice shall be by certified mail, return receipt requested, as soon after the conclusion of the hearing as practicable, but in no event more than 30 days thereafter. The decision of the hearing officer shall be final.
(Ord. No. 2016-964, § 4(Exh. A), 12-7-2016)
Source: City of Houston, Code of Ordinances and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/tx/houston/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH7ANDECOMASCMEPRSEREREBU_ARTIIIMERE_DIV5VA_S7-76APFetched: 10/26/2026