By: Jacob Kessler
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
jacob@thevillagereporter.com
The City of Bryan and Dad’s Place, a church on South Main Street, have reached a settlement in their federal court dispute over zoning and fire code violations.
The agreement dismisses all claims relating to the city’s enforcement of its zoning code, dating back to November 2023 and prevents any appeal in the prior case.
As part of the settlement, Dad’s Place will apply for the necessary zoning permits to operate both as a church and a temporary shelter ministry. The city has agreed it will not require additional fire code approvals as a condition of issuing a zoning certificate.
Both parties also agreed to cover their own legal expenses, and the city has pledged to refrain from zoning enforcement actions while related court orders remain in place.
A separate case involving Dad’s Place remains before the Sixth District Court of Appeals in Toledo, where oral arguments were heard earlier this year but no decision has yet been issued.