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Committee forwards reappointment of Anthony Sherman to formal and discusses BZA transcript access
Summary
The Internal Operations Committee interviewed Anthony Sherman for reappointment to the Board of Zoning Appeals and unanimously moved his nomination to formal with a recommendation to approve; the meeting also highlighted public concerns about BZA transcripts and access to recordings.
The City of Detroit Internal Operations Committee on Thursday interviewed Anthony Sherman for reappointment to the Board of Zoning Appeals representing District 7 and moved his nomination to a formal session with a recommendation that the council approve the reappointment.
Sherman introduced himself for the record as a lifelong Detroit resident who attended Cass Technical High School and Michigan State University and said he has served on the BZA since March 2020. "I have been on the board of zoning appeals since March 2020, and it has been a pleasure and a great experience for me," Sherman said.
During the interview, members pressed Sherman on transparency and public access to hearings and records. Member Mary Waters asked whether BZA sessions should be recorded and made available on television or the BZA website so residents can review proceedings without incurring transcript costs. Sherman responded, "I don't have an issue with that," noting that Zoom is available for many hearings and that recordings could be made available more broadly.
Public commenters earlier in the meeting had called attention to Detroit City Code 50-2-66, which they said requires transcripts for BZA hearings and can impose significant costs on petitioners. Tyson Gersh, a caller who identified himself as knowledgeable about zoning procedure, said the code is "a remarkably expensive rule to maintain for the city" and suggested an escrow approach to recoup transcript costs from the party that triggers a hearing.
After the interview, Member Waters moved for the committee to advance Sherman’s nomination and to request that Legislative Policy Division staff draft a resolution for his reappointment. "Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken," the chair said, and the motion was forwarded to formal with a recommendation to approve.
Next steps: the council will consider the resolution drafted by LPD at a formal meeting. The committee also asked staff to investigate whether BZA Zoom recordings are being posted and how residents can access them.
Sources: Remarks by Anthony Sherman during his interview (introduced and sworn in for the record), Member Waters's questions, and multiple public commenters who raised concerns about BZA transcript availability.
