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Rule *27. Appeals from Zoning Hearing Boards.

(a) Upon the filing of a praecipe for the entry of appearance and a declaration of position in which shall be set forth the side of the appeal to be supported and extent of the participation and the nature of the interest involved, the following may also become parties to the appeal:

(1) the municipality; or

(2) the applicant before the zoning hearing board or the municipality; or

(3) any property owner, whether real or equitable, whose land is the subject matter of the application.

(b) Any other person desiring to become a party shall make written application to the Court in conformity with the provisions of the procedural rules relating to intervention.

(c) No person may become a party more than thirty days after the filing of a zoning appeal except by leave of court upon cause shown.

(d) Any party may move the Court to fix a date for a conference to determine the necessity for, the nature of, the extent to which, and manner in which, the record may require supplementation. At such conference the Court may, inter alia:

(1) approve a stipulated supplementation of the record; or

(2) fix a time for a de novo hearing before the Court; or

(3) appoint a referee for the purpose of conducting a hearing and reporting thereon to the Court (in which case the Court may direct the posting of security for the purpose of defraying the costs incident to such hearing, including the compensation of the referee); or

(4) remand the record to the zoning hearing board; and

(5) direct the manner in which disposition shall be made of exceptions to the action of the Court or to the referee's report.

(e) When the matter is listed for argument, all briefs shall comply with the provisions of Bucks County Rule of Civil Procedure 201*(a). The appellant as the moving party, together with any other parties on the appeal, shall file briefs within fifteen days after notice of the listing for argument. Reply briefs shall be filed in accordance with Bucks County Rule of Civil Procedure 210*(d).

(f) After final disposition of the appeal, and after the expiration of any applicable appeal period, the prothonotary shall return the record of the proceeding below to the fact-finder below.