Sandusky commission approves change letting commission liaison vote on zoning board when members absent

The Sandusky City Commission on Aug. 25 adopted an amendment to the city’s board of zoning appeals rules to allow a city commission liaison to vote at BZA meetings when the full board is not in attendance.
Chief planner Eric Blair presented the proposal at a public hearing and told the commission the change is intended to reduce delays when the board lacks a full complement of members. “It would allow the city commission liaison to become a voting member for the duration of any meeting where there is not the full board in attendance,” Blair said during his presentation.
The amendment modifies the planning and zoning code (Board of Zoning Appeals section) to permit the city commission member designated as the liaison to vote for the duration of that hearing only when the board does not have all members present. Blair said the planning commission had recommended clarifying the trigger language from “any meeting without a quorum” to “any meeting where there’s not the full board in attendance.”
Commissioners discussed the operational rationale. Commissioner Cook said the change would help applicants who repeatedly appear when the BZA lacks enough members. Commissioner Coonsen asked for a later review of other liaison voting rules across boards and commissions; the commission agreed the city law director would be asked to provide background on why some liaisons have voting authority on certain bodies and not others.
The ordinance was presented for adoption and the commission voted to pass it under the suspension of rules provided in Section 13 of the city charter. The measure was approved on the roll call recorded at the meeting.
The commission chair closed the public hearing after no public speakers requested to comment on the amendment. Staff said they would consider other boards individually if similar quorum problems arise.
The ordinance amends Part 11 (planning and zoning code), chapter 1111, section 1111.01 (organization and procedure) as set forth in the published amendment and will be incorporated into the codified ordinances of the City of Sandusky.