BAZETTA — Township Zoning Administrator Pete Pizzulo, who has served as zoning administrator and code enforcement officer since 2018, died over the weekend at age 63.

Township Trustee Chairman Mike Hovis said the was informed that Pizzulo drowned this weekend at Lake Chautauqua in New York, where he and his wife were spending the weekend.

On Saturday, the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call of a submerged swimmer on Chautauqua Lake north of Chautauqua Institution. The Chautauqua County Water Emergency Team and the department’s marine division responded and were unable to locate the swimmer.

The search was paused due to darkness and resumed on Sunday. Around noon, the victim, later identified as Pizzulo, 63, was located by the New York State Police Underwater Recovery team utilizing side scan sonar. The sheriff’s office was assisted by North Lake Fire Department, Bemus Point Fire Department, Lakewood Fire Department, and the state police Underwater Recovery team.

“Pete was very dedicated to serving the residents of Bazetta Township. He always worked hard to make our community as good as it could be. He will be sadly missed,” Hovis said.

Before coming to Bazetta, Pizzulo worked as the zoning inspector for Vienna and had worked in law enforcement, retiring from the Trumbull County Sheriff’s Office.

Pizzulo also worked as a police officer in Brookfield and McDonald.

Warren Township Trustee Ed Anthony, who is also retired from law enforcement, said he has known Pizzulo for many years, having worked with him on the Trumbull County Drug Task Force,

He was informed of Pizzulo’s death Sunday.

“I’m beside myself. Pete was a good friend and a good officer. He was dedicated to serving the public,” he said.

Anthony said he knew Pizzulo and his family would often go to Lake Chautauqua. .

He said Pizzulo was part of the Trumbull County Sheriff’s Office dive team while working as a deputy.