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Pataskala council appoints members to BZA and Planning & Zoning
Summary
At its Nov. 3 meeting Pataskala City Council appointed three members to the Board of Zoning Appeals and two to the Planning & Zoning Commission after interviews. Councilors emphasized prior service, local experience and an expectation that new appointees help implement development standards.
Pataskala City Council interviewed four applicants for three open Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) seats and confirmed appointments during its Nov. 3 meeting.
Jenna Pierce, 49 Towne Street, said she worked as a paralegal with experience in fiduciary law and had recently applied for a variance herself, which she said informed her interest in serving. "I had to apply for variance myself recently, so that's why I came to learn," Pierce said during her interview.
Doug DeAndran (recorded in the minutes as "John DeAndran"), Brett Lou Zader and Mike Havershott also spoke about previous public-service experience and reasons for applying. DeAndran told council he had served on the BZA for the past two to three years and wished to continue. Lou Zader cited decades of municipal public‑works and service-committee experience in other jurisdictions. Havershott described more than 20 years of public‑sector work and familiarity with construction and facility planning.
Council moved to appoint Jenna Pierce, Doug DeAndran and Brett Lou Zader to the BZA. Motions were seconded and passed by roll call.
Separately, the council interviewed two Planning & Zoning Commission applicants. Anne Rogers, 10932 Mill Street, told the panel she had served about 10 years on the commission and cited concerns about ambiguous code language (for example, sign regulation language) that complicates interpretation. One incumbent, Jerry Truax, was not present; council later appointed Truax without an interview because he is the vice chair and there were no other competing applicants for the seat.
Motion outcomes: Council approved the appointments by recorded roll calls.
Why it matters: The newly appointed members will sit on boards that review variances, site plans and other land-use decisions. Council members said they expect appointees to help apply and, where necessary, refine the city's development standards.
What's next: Administration will contact the newly appointed members and proceed with onboarding and scheduling future hearings.
