Irondale council appoints two residents to Zoning Board of Adjustment

After interviewing four applicants for two openings on the Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBA), the Irondale City Council appointed Trey Hawkins and Heather Flaherty to three-year supernumerary terms.

The council held a public portion of the meeting so the applicants could introduce themselves and answer brief questions. Heather Flaherty said she became interested in the ZBA after applying for a variance while renovating her home and cited her commercial and residential real-estate experience. Trey Hawkins described decades of experience in construction and neighborhood architectural-control work and said he favors “careful managed growth” while considering both the letter and spirit of zoning laws.

Council members thanked all applicants for volunteering. Councilmembers asked procedural questions — including whether a council member should abstain from voting when an appointee is affiliated with the council member’s brokerage — and were told by staff that the applicant’s licensed-realtor status did not by itself create a disqualifying conflict for council votes on appointments.

The council then moved to nominate and vote. The motion to appoint Hawkins and Flaherty carried; the meeting record shows roll-call votes were taken in open session.

The council president noted that service on the ZBA can be “in the fire,” describing some variance matters as polarized, and thanked the new appointees for stepping forward to serve.

The ZBA appointments fill two supernumerary positions; applicants who appeared but were not appointed included Francisca Roscoe and Mary Sherr.

Looking ahead, council members said appointees should be prepared for contentious cases and that the city will continue to publicize openings so residents can apply.