Politics & Government

ZBA Chair Says it was Time to Vote on Brookview Village

Zoning Board of Appeals Chairman James Natale said the board members who resigned will be missed but it was time to take a vote on Brookview Village.

The two ZBA members that resigned following last week's Brookview Village vote will be missed, but it was time to take a vote according to ZBA Chairman James Natale.

"I'm sorry to see them leave. They were good members," said Natale of Lynn Faust and Robert Page who resigned last week before saying that it was time to vote on the 225 unit apartment complex. "We've been kicking it around since August."

The pair resigned following a 3 to 2 vote to approve a 225 unit "friendly 40B" that was taken after they had asked for more time to review incoming data and recieve a complete report on housing needs in the city.

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Faust had served for roughly 20 years, while Page been a full member of the board for less than a year. Both cited the vote happening as the cause of their resignation, with Faust saying she felt disrespected.

"I cannot serve on the ZBA where I receive disrespect in public in return for years of dedication and hard work," said Faust in her resignation letter.

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Natale said the board had been reviewing information on the proposal for nearly a year and that he and the other two members who voted felt it was time to take a vote on the matter. The draft report on housing needs given by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council was helpful and gave him the information he needed, said Natale.

"What they offered that night was very valuable, but enough for me," said Natale of the MAPC presentation.

He said he would not have changed taking the vote if he had known the two members would have resigned. It took the City Council much less time to vote on the more complex overlay district for Forest Park, said Natale.


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