A push by city aldermen to fast-track state-mandated planning and zoning board training met resistance Wednesday from Mayor Michael Lombardi III and Corporation Counsel David Blackley.
With PathStone Development submitting a request to rezone the Bewley Building’s parking lot in advance of renovation into apartments, four aldermen advocated Wednesday for the planning and zoning boards to be fully prepared before making any decisions.
John Craig, 1st Ward alderman, asked Lombardi whether Jason Dool, who oversees the boards, had determined which board members had completed training. Craig does not want anyone to wait until the year-end deadline to meet the requirement.
“I can’t see the rationale of waiting a year when they are already making decisions,” Craig said. “There should be some kind of orientation. This is not rocket science. It’s not sufficient. It’s a state standard, but we can make it better.”
Blackley responded that he had contacted Dool and “everyone is in compliance,” meaning members still had the remainder of 2026 to meet the mandate.
As Craig again questioned the delay and brought up comments from an April council meeting by Heather Brent, who said she had found that untrained board members were reappointed by Lombardi this year.
“For the planning board, only four out of the 10 documented members for 2025 have actually done their four hours of training,” Brent told the council. “For the zoning board of appeals, only two out of seven members have actually done their four hours.”
Kevin Kirchberger, alderman at large, said he was in agreement with Craig.
“When they get on the board, they start making decisions. We’re going to face one of the biggest decisions with the Bewley Building in years. How would that work for us if they came back to us?” he said, referring to a challenge to the zoning decision.
Lombardi responded that he had appointed people with relevant experience and there was no cause for concern.
Blackley said that he had performed a review of legal challenges to the city’s decisions and only found one Article 78 proceeding filed over the past several years, which he said the city won.
“My answer to anyone attacking the boards right now is that Jason Dool said they are in compliance,” Blackley said. “But I agree with Dr. Craig that it would be better to have a city policy.”
Questioning the re-appointment of untrained board members, Jon Wylie, 5th Ward alderman, asked, “Why isn’t appointment based on training?”
Marcus Wyche, 2nd Ward alderman, added, “We just need to have a city requirement.”
“If PathStone comes to the council, maybe we need training,” Lombardi said, referring to the aldermen. “We don’t have training.”
The mayor said in previous years he had served on city boards and understood the demands of the role.
“Did you wait a year to take the training?” Kirchberger asked him.