Ald. Bennett Lawson (44) speaks during a City Council meeting on March 12, 2025. [Don Vincent/The Daily Line]

Ald. Bennett Lawson (44), who has served as acting chair of the powerful Committee on Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards for roughly half of Mayor Brandon Johnson’s term, is calling on the mayor to make a chairmanship official before he holds any more zoning committee meetings.

The 44th Ward alderperson has said he would take on the job on a permanent basis but is putting his foot down on continuing to serve in the interim role. 

“As interim chair, I’ve shown to be a fair, effective leader, and I’ve worked closely with my colleagues on zoning matters to improve neighborhoods across our city,” Lawson said in a statement to The Daily Line. “For months, I have made it clear that I am willing to serve as the chair in a permanent capacity, but will not continue in the interim role given it does not have the staff and resources necessary to do the job the way the people of Chicago deserve.” 

So far, Lawson’s decision to pause zoning meetings, including not calling a January meeting, is likely to hold up development decisions if a resolution isn’t reached soon. 

At an unrelated press conference Monday, Johnson indicated he would soon propose a reorganization of the council’s various committee chairpersonships and said “I’m confident we’ll be able to land on [an] agreement” on new committee and council leadership roles. 

Johnson added that “I don’t have any reason to be worried about” potential delays stemming from the dispute. 

It’s not the first time the chairmanship limbo has led to a dispute.

At a City Council meeting in November, Ald. Anthony Beale (9) attempted to suspend the rules to install Lawson as the permanent chair of the zoning committee.

Related: With budget delayed, Council approves lingering landmark designation for Bankers Building, debates vacant zoning chair post 

Lawson, the vice chair of the committee, took over as acting chair after former 35th Ward Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa resigned from his zoning chair position in November 2023, nearly six months after getting the role.  

Ramirez-Rosa stepped down from the chairmanship and his position as floor leader after accusations he bullied Ald. Emma Mitts (37) and accusations he threatened to hold up zoning decisions in certain alderpeople’s wards during a contentious council vote on a proposal to ask voters to remove Chicago’s “welcoming city” designation.  

Related: Ramirez-Rosa resigns leadership positions, alderpeople say he threatened them with blocking zoning decisions  

The zoning chairmanship remained vacant for more than ten months before former 27th Ward Ald. Walter Burnett Jr. was appointed chair last September. Burnett served as chair until he retired from the council at the end of July. Lawson has been serving as acting chair since. 

The mayor has struggled to build support for other potential picks during both vacancies, and the leadership of the council’s Black and Latino caucuses both believe they should be reflected in the zoning leader.

Related: Zoning chair appointment seems to be a battle between the Latino and Black Caucuses — with a white alderman a possible “safe choice”