The Board shall review the recommendation of the Hearing Examiner at a public meeting and, after consideration of the recommendation, the application, public testimony, and other relevant evidence presented to it, shall determine if the application is consistent with the criteria for approval.

The Board may accept the Hearing Examiner recommendation to approve, approve with conditions, or deny the application along with the findings of fact and conclusions of law adopted by the Hearing Examiner.

If the Board rejects the Hearing Examiner recommendation, it may remand the matter back to the Hearing Examiner for further consideration or it may overturn the recommendation and approve, approve with conditions, or deny the application. The Board shall adopt findings of fact and conclusions of law based on the hearing record before the Hearing Examiner which support its decision.