Testing, testing. One, two. Test, test. One, two.
Test, testing. Testing, testing, testing.
Sounds good.
Yeah, five by
five.
...
Um, oh.
Um, Jesse just stepped in the van. Let me get her and Ruth.
Okay.
Yeah.
Okay, and does Mabel have one?
Okay. Well, here, I'm gonna start, though.
Is Jesse here?
They're... Let me get them. They're in the back.
I'm just gonna get them. Grab them,
yeah.
Just a second. I-
Where's Ruth? Okay. Okay, she was...
Yes, the first. He's gonna-
All right. Uh, good morning, good morning.
Uh, it is ten thirty AM, and the
City Council's Committee on Zoning, Landmarks, and Building Standards is called to
order. Please be advised, this meeting encompasses both the regular Committee on
Zoning Hearing and the Cannabis Business Establishment Hearing.
Members of the public who wish to comment on a cannabis business establishment may
do so during the regular public comment portion of the regular
meeting. However, if any person who owns property within two hundred and
fifty feet of the proposed business wishes to speak, they may do so
during the CBE hearing of the meeting.
Uh, we will start off with a roll call. Roll call?
Uh, Alderman Espada. Alderman
Hopkins. Alderwoman Dowell. Alderman
Hall. Alderwoman Harris. Alderman
Beale. Alderwoman Ramirez. Alderman
Moore. Alderman Mosley. Alderman Citro
Lopez. Alder- Alderperson Fuentes.
Alderman Burnett. Alderwoman Cruz.
Alderman Conway. Alderman Quesada. Alderman Villegas.
Alderman Riley. Alderman Knudsen.
Alderwoman Clay. Vice Chair Lawson is present, we have a
quorum. Um, Alders Conway, Mosley,
Moore, Quesada, and Dowell have requested to attend this meeting by remote means
under provisions of Rule fifty-nine due to unrelated circumstances.
Alder Cruz makes a motion to approve the Alders' requests.
All in favor, say aye. Aye. Any opposed, say nay.
Any contrarian, the ayes have it. Uh, do we have you with us, Alderman Conway?
Present.
Alderman Mosley?
Present. Carla, Carla Glover, Chief of Staff, representing Alderman
Mosley.
Thank you. Alderman Moore.
I'm sorry, Alderman Moore's in person. Sorry about that. Alderman Quesada.
Present.
Alderwoman Dowell.
Here, Chairman.
Thank you.
Um,
if I could, b- before we get going today, I just wanna take a moment, uh,
to acknowledge the sad news we woke up to today with the loss of Reverend
Jackson. I think this is the first city meeting since that broke.
Um, a true extraordinary Chicagoan, uh, who fought for
justice and peace, and for marginalized people everywhere.
And so if you'll just give us a moment, uh, to honor his
passing.
Thank you. I know we will, we will have more stories tomorrow,
I'm sure. Um, moving on, I will read the items to be
deferred. I'll read the page number and description, and then take a motion for all
at the end. On page one, the fourth item, document
number
O2025-0021852. Moving
on to the bottom of page four, file number
22977-T1 for 1704 North
Milwaukee Avenue. All of page fifteen, including file
number 22973 for the common address eighty-four fifteen South
Mackinaw Avenue. File number 22978 for
sixty-one fifty-one through sixty-one fifty-nine, South University
Avenue. Eleven forty-four through eleven sixty, West Sixty-second
Street. File 22961, address commonly known as
sixty-three twenty, South Dorchester Avenue.
All of page sixteen, including file 22971 for the common
address, thirteen thirteen through thirteen fifteen, West Ancona,
Ancona Street. 22963, common address, five two
two, North Sawyer Avenue. 22984, common address, three four
two five, North Lawndale. All of page
seventeen, including 22983-T1, common
address, thirty-four oh one, North Lawndale, thirty-four hundred, North
Monticello. 22975-T1, common
address, eighteen oh one through eighteen oh nine, North Winnebago, twenty-two
forty-eight through twenty-two fifty-four, West Bloomingdale Ave.
Twenty- two two nine five nine, common address, six...
I'm sorry, ten sixty-one, West Van
Buren. All of page eighteen and nineteen,
including 22982-T1, common address is twenty-eight
twenty, West Diversity Avenue. 22948, common address, ten
thirty, West Oakdale. 22953-T1, common
address, thirty-eight forty-one through forty-three, North Lakewood Avenue.
And lastly, 22943, common address is thirty-six eleven through thirty-six
twenty-five, North Halsted Street....
Uh, Alderwoman Harris makes a motion to defer the previously listed items.
All in favor say aye. Any opposed say nay.
In the o- opinion of the chair, the ayes have it, uh, and the items are deferred.
At this time, we'll begin the public comment period in accordance with the city
rules of order and procedure. Public comment is limited to 30 minutes.
I think we're gonna get everybody in today, so no lottery.
Uh, we'll start with Dr. Chloe Groom.
Um, Dr. Groom will be followed by Rose
Banks.
Um, good morning, everyone.
Good morning.
Um, well, I originally came to speak in favor
of one of the housing developments that was just deferred,
um, but I'm pretty sure Alderman Conway already knows my very positive
opinion. So instead, um, although this is not on today's
agenda, I do want to speak in support of reviving
ordinance
02025-0017571,
which would make it possible to permit more housing in non-high-rise buildings
with only one stairwell. Chicago's building code currently
mandates that every unit in a building two stories or taller
needs two means of egress. However, places like
Denver and Dallas, with similar codes, have made changes
to allow for more housing while maintaining safety standards.
And New York City and Seattle have always allowed single-stair
housing. Another benefit of this is that
strange-shaped lots would be easier to develop and build
on, and this would be a huge step forward to relegalizing courtyard
buildings in Chicago. I encourage this committee to continue
working with the Chicago Fire Department to identify a solution that
allows for more housing without jeopardizing safety,
and I hope that the ordinance can come back before the committee later this year.
Thank you very much.
Thank you. Uh, next, we'll have Rose Banks, who's followed by Freddy
Ramirez.
Chairperson, uh, my name is Lenny Asaro.
Uh, I'm an attorney for one of the applicants for twenty-eight twenty West
Diversity. Rose Banks is a tenant in the building.
She was supposed to be here today, um, but she got called into work.
She had a written statement, and she has just asked me to read her written
statement, and I would just ask for the courtesy just to read her very short
statement, um, that she was going to read into the record.
Sure. So there are other tenants from the building that has si- have signed in.
Are they present to testify?
Two of them are here, and the third one, uh, it's my understanding, was on
the CTA, and there was an accident on the CTA, but the other two are right behind
me.
So the item has been deferred from today's meeting.
That's correct.
Um, as there are two members of the public here, I would defer to them to testify
first on it-
Okay
... since you're gonna be here anyway.
That's fine.
Um, if that's okay, and then-
Totally fine
... when it does come up, we can, we can, we'll hear it again.
It's, I, I can wait and read Ms., uh, uh, Banks's statement when you call the
matter, but my matter's been deferred.
I know. That's why-
So I'll read it after them?
Uh, because the members of the public are here-
Okay
... I'd like you to submit that in writing.
Okay.
I'll hear from the members of the public who are here, and you'll have an
opportunity to speak again when the matter is actually going to be heard.
Thank you, Chair.
Great. Thank you, Mr. Asaro. So, um, we're gonna, uh... Mr.
Ramirez, Freddy Ramirez, would be next, and then Maria Herbert.
Are those the two who are here to speak?
Actually, it's, uh, Andre Baker and Maria Herbert. Uh, Mr.
Ramirez is the one who was detained on the train.
Got it. Okay.
Thank you.
So, uh, Mr. Baker, Ms. Herbert, whoever wants to go
first.
Good morning, first of all.
Good morning.
Chairpersons and members of the committee,
especially Alderman Anthony Quezada,
thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak today regarding
matter number two two nine eight two dash T one,
and the property at two eight two zero West Diversity in the
thirty-fifth Ward. My name is Andre
Baker, and I live in unit one F at two
eight two zero West Diversity Avenue.
I have lived in this apartment for eight years.
I am a lifelong Chicagoan, born and raised in
Englewood, and before moving here, I've als-
always lived in Logan Square.
I earned a degree in business management, and I've worked in retail
for many, many years before serving in the United States Army from
nineteen ninety-seven
to two, to two thousand, honorably
discharged. Today, I work full
time as head of security
at a residential high-rise in the South Loop.
I rely on public transportation to get to
work, and actually, the bus stop is directly
in front of this building, which makes this possible.
In addition to my full-time job, I serve as the
on-site property manager of this building.
My apartment is affordable, safe, and
stable,
and at my age, which is fifty-seven,
with my income, finding another place like this would be
extremely difficult
if I was forced to leave. Um, I would not want to burden
my family, and, you know, I'm afraid of becoming another
homeless veteran if this was to oc- occur.
Alderman, uh, Quezada has said that he will prioritize
transit, pedestrian safety, and affordable
housing. That's therefore, I respectfully
request Alderman Quezada and this committee-...
recommend approval
of the application regarding 2820
West Diversity.
Thank you for listening.
Thank you, Mr. Baker, and thank you for your service.
Uh, up next will be Maria Herbert, followed by Dr.
Sandy Norman.
Chairpersons and members of the committee, especially Alderman Anthony Caseta,
thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak today regarding matter
22982/21, and the property at 2820
West Diversity in the 35th Ward.
My name is Maria Herbert, and I live in unit 1R at 2820 West
Diversity. I am a Chicago native and have lived here and worked in the city for
nearly twenty years. I have worked for the University of
Illinois Health System for the past five years at, as a unit
manager in the neuro ICU. My apartment at 2820 West
Diversity is not just where I live, it allows me to stay connected to my family,
my work, and my health providers. My sister and my family live nearby,
my job is nearby, and because of my health issues, being close to my doctors and
treatment is essential for me to continue to work and live
independently. The rent I pay is below the city's affordable housing
guideli- guidelines, and my landlord has voluntarily kept it that
way. That stability has allowed me to manage my health, keep my job, and
remain an active member of my community.
If I am forced to leave if this application is denied, I honestly do,
do not know how I would maintain my employment or continue with my medical
care. Affordable housing that is safe, clean, and close to work and
healthcare is extremely hard to find.
I'm not asking for anything new, only the, uh, uh, only the ability to
remain in my home. I respectfully ask that you consider how recommending
approval of this zoning change will help protect long-term and affordable housing
for residents like me, who are committed to this city.
Alderman Ca- Caseta, uh, has said that he will pri- pri-
prioritize transit and pedestrian safety, and affordable housing.
Therefore, I respectfully request
Alderman Caseta and this committee recommend approval of this application
regarding 2820 West Diversity. Thank you for listening.
Thank you, Ms. Herbert. Up next is, uh, Dr.
Sandy Norman, uh, who will be followed by Josh Schoder.
We have been joined by Alderman Hopkins for purposes of quorum.
Um, someone has a device that I can hear, somewhere over here, so make
sure everything is silenced. Um, Dr. Norman, please.
Good morning, everyone. Um, much honored, uh, to
the Committee on, uh, Zoning, Landmark, and Building.
Um, I want to just honor everyone. I honor God, and respectfully,
I would like to honor, um, Jesse Jackson, uh, Junior
on today also... I'm sorry, Jesse Jackson, um, in
his death. I want to, um, I really wanted to
stay on topic, um, on today, and which I will.
Um, my name is Dr. Sandy A. Norman. I'm the founder of Life
Beyond Limit, uh, Inc., VIP, Violence Intervention and
Prevention. Uh, my organization website is
lifebeyondlimitinc.org. And so I'm a violence,
um, intervention, um... I have a response team in the city
of Chicago, and I want to say that I have one of the best.
I wanted to say to the, um, council on today, and I really did not
want to do this. Um, as long as I've been coming here, you know, just
talking about, um, just some of the issues that I have and seeking
support, I want to put it on record, um, that I've been
receiving so much, uh, political
retribution. Uh, there are a lot of aldermen I want to say here that have
been, uh, great and honorable. Um, I've come, you know,
just asking for support, um, for our organization, uh, just
wanting to really get in rooms. Um, even when we talk about, uh,
development, um, my operation, we don't have a building, and
so we do violence intervention. And so we're out on the street, sometimes
twenty-four hours, um, in the neighborhoods where the killings and
the shootings are happening. We're boots on the ground.
And so it's easy to do a photo op, you know, and show up for the
cameras, but my question is always, once those cameras are gone,
where's everybody at? And so I say this, um,
respectively, again, because I've faced backlash.
Um, I was going to be awarded by the AF, uh, t Black Caucus,
an award for the work that we do in Chicago, and I
just got a letter that that's been canceled.
And so I just want to say for the record, as long as I've come here, I've
been respectable, not only to Mayor Johnson, I've been respectable
to everybody here at City Hall. And to have, you know,
people, the mayor's sister, come on my page attacking me, it has
caused a lot of, uh, detriment and harm.
I do want to say to the committee, for people like myself, um,
I would love you to consider developmental hubs, uh, for people like
me that work with youth. I have at-risk youth right now that
need to be off the street. Um, Chicago is in a war zone right
now. There are deaths that we can, um, also prevent.
But again, you know, organizations like mine, we have to have a place where
we can bring the youth in, where we can, you know, bring some of the people that
are actually engaged in some of the, uh, violence and some of the
shootings. And so I'm here today, again, uh, respectively,
as I've always, uh, been, just, uh, continuing to ask for
help. Um, those of you, if you have, you know, any
resources, please reach out.
Thank you, Dr. Norman. Um, next is Josh Schoder, who will be followed by
Neil Markland.
Thank you. Good morning. This... Hi, I'm Josh Schoder.
I'm a resident of the Forty-Third Ward.
Uh, if many of you have seen, uh, there are many headlines about
affordability in Chicago not doing very well, specific to housing.
Crain's ran a headline yesterday about affordability for housing in big
cities. Lots of cities have, uh, affordability rates going up,
except for Chicago. So I want to talk a little bit about
just-... more ways that we could, as a potential committee
and as advocates for housing, make sure that we have more housing
get brought forward in this city. I think it is very important that this
committee continues to have stability and leadership, and so I thank you, Alderman
Lawson, for your leadership during this time, and encourage that, uh,
the committee make sure that we have a head chair in place.
And so Alderman Lawson, again, thank you for your support there.
I think one thing I wanna just briefly touch on, and as one of the commenters
mentioned before, there are a few ordinances that have been discussed here in the
past that have been somewhat on hiatus, but could potentially be
brought up later this year as a potential way that we could solve some of the
housing shortages that we face as a city.
One of the ways that we could do this is through expanding an ordinance that was
brought forward by Alderman Martin last year, Ordinance
O-2025-0017571,
which is, uh, expanding the amount of buildings that could
be created with a single egress. Currently, Chicago's city
building code mandates buildings with two stories or greater
needs to have two means of egress, so a single front entrance and a
back entrance along those lines. As was mentioned, various other
cities around the country and states, including Colorado,
Minnesota, Nashville, they have introduced
ordinances that would make it easier to build with only one
means of egress. That does not mean neglecting fire
codes. That does not mean ignoring the capabilities that the fire department
already has. That just means expanding the potential
opportunities. The alder- the ordinance proposed by Alderman
Martin would expand the amount of building...
amount of dwelling units that could be serviced with a single means of
egress. I understand that the fire department has very
valid concerns related to the height of ladders, and how
the, they could suitably support residences with
only one means of egress. And so I encourage this committee and
the members of the committee to continue working with the fire department on this
ordinance. Again, it was introduced last year.
It is not on today's agenda. It's
O-2025-0017571.
But this would allow for safety standards to be maintained, while
also increasing the supply of housing, maintaining in line with what we
have right now, and keeping our city safe and housed.
So thank you very much, and looking forward to these meetings continuing to happen
every month. Thanks.
Thank you, Mr. Schroeder. Uh, next, we have Neil
Markland, uh, who will be followed by Dennis White.
We've also been joined by Alderman Quesada in person for
quorum.
Hello, my name is Neil. I'm a resident of the First Ward
in the 2700 block of West Courtland Street.
I'm here to talk about, uh, expressing my support
for new housing projects built in Chicago.
As the last speaker said, uh, yeah, Chicago's not doing as good as
other places at b- building more housing.
Uh, you know, which, you know, more, more supply of housing can,
um, decrease, uh, prices by absorbing
that demand of new residents trying to move to the city.
Um, so the one that I'm gonna speak about is the one I live close by to,
which is 1805 North Campbell. Um, this is right
next to the 606 and the Western Blue Line, so this is a great location,
uh, for new people and existing people to move to.
Uh,
there's, like, a lot of new businesses opening up around the area. There's, uh...
they just opened up that Wolf and Company right on the 606.
Obviously, that Blue Line's right there.
There's 49 and the 72 bus route, which are part of the
CTA's, uh, Frequent Network, uh, bus route program.
Uh, so yeah, it's just a really great place to live, and I hope to see more
projects like this built in the city. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Markland. Our final speaker is, uh, Dennis
White.
Good morning. Um, affordable
housing. We have a issue
besides affordable housing, w- and homelessness, and the
biggest homelessness that I see is here in
Chicago, not only the citizen that's
homeless, but we got veterans that's homelessness.
But when you all- when Brandon Johnson say something about
a- affordable housing, who, who deserve to be more
housed versus the property tax that keep going up and hit us
out, and then force us to be homeless?
So the priority is more of
you all have done little to nothing
about this affordable housing stuff, because now the property taxes are still
going up. Um, what about
the benefits of these affordable housing? Who gonna get it?
I don't know. I'm trying to make...
I know this is, what I'm saying to you is not re- relevant.
It's not that com- don't care, neither here nor there to some of you all, because
it always fall on deaf ear every committee meeting and every city council meeting
henceforth. Then, you're talking about safety issue.
I agree with some of the speakers about safety and stuff.
Safety should be the number one priority, rather than besides affordable
housing. When you guys over here
sit around here talking about this plan that the
mayor want, it's not followed
through. It, it followed through to benefit him, but what about the
voters? I see more- I see homelessness over there in the Lincoln Park
community, the Gold Coast, um, Englewood, especially on
the west side. I see that. Where's affordable housing over there in those
areas? So before you guys over here
talking about w- what you want, ha-
you all need to figure out what we need to stay in this
city before we move out.
... because it's not about the affordable housing problem, it's more about these
taxes that's going to keep us out in, in these homes and stuff, and it's going
to benefit- it's gonna hit us way soon.
You got a year left for the next election cycle and stuff.
You got one more year, and then it's gonna be it.
Now, some of you council member, you don't care what we say.
You don't care, but you will care when the election
come, and then we're gonna vote you guys out.
Thank you, Mr. White. Uh, we'll now move on to the agenda.
First item is document number
02026-0022516, an
intergovernmental agreement introduced by Mayor Brandon Johnson with Regional
Transportation Authority for the Belmont Blue Line Equitable
Transit-Oriented Development Study Plan.
Uh, we have Carmen Martinez from the Department of Planning and Development to take
us through the ordinance. Ms.
Martinez. Go
ahead.
Hello. Uh, for the record, my name is Carmen Martinez with the Department of
Planning and Development. I am the Supervising Planner for the Northwest
Region.
Uh, the project location, um, in discussion for today is at the center
of the Blue Line Belmont Station in the thirty-fifth Ward, and Alderman
Quesada, the Avondale community area.
It is within the Northwest planning area, uh, also with- located within the
Kennedy Kimball TIF District. This study area
will encompass h- the half-mile radius surrounding the station
with the Union Pacific Northwest tracks to the north,
and again, it will cover a half-mile radius at the intersection
of, uh, Belmont and Kimball.
Okay. Uh, the applicant is us, DPD.
Uh, we applied for an RTA grant. This was selected in twenty twenty-five
under, uh, RTA for a technical assistance program through their
community planning program. Uh, this is, um,
for transit-oriented development, also known as TOD, surrounding the Blue
Line station area. Um, RTA will partner with DPD as
part of this planning process to evaluate zoning, land use,
existing residential districts, access to transit, as well
as, uh, mobility and access to, uh, the station area.
Um, again, in twenty twenty-three, uh, CP, uh, CMAP,
uh, led an Avondale neighborhood plan, which did note, uh,
follow-up implementation action recommendations, and one of the goals was
to look at the equitable-oriented development near this area
and in the community. And with this recommendation, um,
we are looking to promote ETOD and implement the uses, uh,
surrounding, uh, the station area, and to promote, uh, the goals of more
affordable housing. Total project cost is a hundred and forty-five
thousand, with, uh, twenty-nine thousand coming from our,
uh, DPD, uh, corporate funds. The project will have a two-year
timeline. I won't read all of this,
but, uh, the plan will include, but it's not limited to, looking at the
existing conditions, understanding, uh, from the resident point of view,
businesses, engaging with the residents, uh, trying to create a new vision
for the station area to find opportunities
to diverse- diversify our housing types, looking to
expand neighborhood blocks that can support multifamily and
preserve existing affordable housing, as well as promote more affordable
housing. Uh, looking to develop, uh, mixed-use
developments, trying to increase the af- uh, walkability
and access to the station area, as well as access to the
existing high-frequency bus routes that are Kimball
and Belmont. Also looking to support and grow
investment in the community area, while not
displacing existing residents and businesses, trying to increase the
vitality of the community area, um, not just culturally, but also with
business and investment. This will also bring opportunities to
bring more transit, um, access, and looking for opportunities to have joint
development, if possible. And again, just trying to increase, uh,
access to transit, ridership, reducing car dependency, and lowering, uh,
gas emissions.
Uh, this is a snapshot from twenty twenty-three, um, one of our other community
areas that is within the northwest, which also is in need of more affordable
housing. Avondale, compared to, to Logan Square, as you can see, you
know, in twenty twenty-three, we only had three hundred and three dwelling
units. Scope of the work, I won't go through
all of these, but looking at the existing conditions again, including community
engagement with multiple opportunities to have smaller focus
groups, public meetings, having, uh,
business, uh, owners or tenants, uh, having the
opportunity to engage with them as well.
The market analysis will have a sub-regional gap
analysis, with again, having the opportunity to have smoke- focus
areas, interviews, and having more, uh, business interaction
surrounding the area. The final report will include
recommendations, strategies, and action items, uh, as well
as including the feedback sessions from, uh, partners.
Okay.
That is it.
Great. Um, thank you, Ms. Martinez. Uh, Alderman Quesada?
Thank you, Chairman. I wanna thank the administration for bringing this, uh, study
forward. You know, there's a lot of unique opportunity for development at this
location. It is served by the Belmont Blue Line station,
by the Belmont bus line. It's off of the, the highway.
Um, but of course, you know, a priority of our administration is for that
transit-oriented development and for pedestrian traffic safety, uh, especially
for our, uh, public transit users.
So we're really excited to be collaborating on this study.
We look forward to working o- on it, and those numbers, you know, are, are proof in
the pudding. Um, you know, in Logan Square, we have, uh, proven examples
of ETOD with our Lucy Gonzalez Parsons building, uh, and I think we could
have u- very similar, unique opportunities to do the same at the Belmont Blue Line
station. Thank you, Chairman. I urge an aye vote on this item.
Thank you. Any other questions by committee members?...
um, I, uh, commend you on this work.
I take the 77 to the blue line, and, and I think there's a lot of
opportunity here that you don't have at Addison or Irving, 'cause the station is in
the community, not in the middle of, of the expressway.
So, um, seeing no further questions, uh, all the persons who want this
moves to pass. All in favor say aye. Any opposed say nay.
And ensure the ayes have it, item is passed. Thank you.
Uh, we're gonna hold the next item, um, until a little bit later.
Um,
next is then document number
O-2025-0021721,
an amendment of the Municipal Code, Section
17-30308 and
17-40301, regarding the con- new
construction, minimum automotive parking ratios near
CTA or Metra Rail stations. Of the Municipal Code Section seventeen
dash three dash oh three oh eight, and seventeen dash
four dash oh three oh one, regarding construction of minimum
automotive parking ratios near CTA or Metra Rail
stations. The item has a substitute ordinance.
All committee members will find a copy of that ordinance in the packets before you.
Um, Alder Knudson makes a motion to accept the substitute ordinance.
All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed say nay.
Ensure the ayes have it, and the substitute is before us.
Um, we have, uh, Alderman Burnett here to present.
To, to kick us off and then turn it over.
Thank you. Uh,
this
ordinance has come across our desks, um,
alders of the downtown area, to particularly address the
condominium buildings that are happening in our ward and in
our, in our area. We see challenges where
developers want to
provide the parking that the market is requesting, but with the
new ordinance and the language that it's written, there isn't any avail-
availability for them to produce parking over one, uh,
over one unit per... One spot per unit.
And so this is a way for us to address this issue, but particularly still
give the
administration and alderman an opportunity to continue along with the ordinance
by incentivizing them, or disincentivize them for adding this additional
parking, by making it, uh, a fee that
helps us pay for more housing. So, and I'll let
Rolando talk a little bit more about it, but in our mind, this is a
win-win in the sense that we get some funds to help secure landmarks
and more housing, um, but also allow the market
to, um, generate the type of parking that is
requirement- required in their mind.
So Rolando, do you want to kick it off, talking a little bit more about the
ordinance?
Thank you. Uh, Rolando Acosta.
Good morning, Mr. Chairman, members of the committee, Rolando Acosta.
I've been working with Alderman Burnett to, uh, keep, uh, draft this
ordinance and, uh, bring it before you.
Uh, the issue that was being faced is, if you're building a three thousand
square foot condominium, which I know doesn't occur a lot, but occurs
every so often, the buyers of those units demand two
parking spaces at least, and there is no mechanism in the zoning ordinance if
you are within the requisite distance to a train station, by
which you can legally provide more than one-to-one parking.
So the concept was to start with the downtown area and create a
district there, or using that district, and allow
for the creation of additional parking under the zoning
ordinance, subject to the approval of the local alderman.
So much like what was done for the MLA, for historic
buildings in the DX sixteen, the applicants would have to go to their local
alderman, secure a recommendation from that alderman.
Once that is secured, then they can apply to the zoning
administrator to get an exemption from the limitation of one
parking space per, um, per unit.
We have talked with every alderman, there's eight of them, in the downtown
district, and believe we have all of their support.
Um, in addition, at the request of
Alderman Burnett and Alderman Dowell, we created a monetary amount
that had to be paid per extra parking space, so that's the one above the one to
one, that would be calculated based on the bonus system.
So we just had tried to use an existing metric that is in the zoning
ordinance to come up with the amount.
So you multiply that dollar per square foot, times the
square footage devoted to parking, and contribute that to one of two
funds: the Affordable Housing Fund, which is in need of extra
funds, as well as the citywide Adopt a Landmark
Fund, at the discretion of the alderman.
So the alderman would identify in his or her letter of
recommendation, which fund the money would be deposited
in. Um, in summary, that is the proposal
before you.
Great. Um, I know we have a, a couple of the downtown folks are
on, uh, remotely. Uh, did anyone...
I don't see any hands. Raise your hands if you'd like.
I have a couple quick questions before we open it up.
Um,
w- ballpark the amount a typical building would pay per extra
space. Do you-
Look-
... Have you done that number?
Sure. So, I mean, currently working on one building, which has kind of spurred this
on, they would have sixteen extra parking spaces.
They'd pay somewhere around a hundred and thirty to a hundred and forty thousand
dollars, uh, for the extra additional sixteen parking
spaces.
So eight, eighty-five hundred, nine grand?
Yeah, it's-
Uh-
- somewhere between eight to eight, eight to ten grand per space, give or take.
And then, th- this really only applies to condo buildings?
It only applies... No.
Need it. Okay.
It, uh, it applies to all, because the zoning ordinance does not differentiate
between condos-
Right
... and apartments. So it applies to all residential buildings
in the downtown area. The individual alder- alders can
decide whether they would wanna do this for a rental.
Right.
So it's at their discretion.
Got it. Um,
it looks like, uh, Alderman Dowell, has your hand up?
Yes. Thank you, Chairman. I just wanted to thank Alderman Burnett
and, uh, Mr. Acosta.
... for, um, Rolando for adding the substitute to
include the Adopt a Landmark Fund as an
option.
I support this, and move to pass.
Great. Thank you, Alderwoman. Uh, any other questions by committee
members? Seeing none, Alderwoman Dowell moves- Oh, Alderman
Laspada?
Can- So I just want to make sure that I understand it.
Is this, the application is then
f- followed by an administrative adjustment, is that
correct?
E- Essentially correct, yes. It's not technically an administrative adjustment, but
it would be through the Zoning Administrator's office, so it would be like an
administrative adjustment.
What would be the conditions of...
So, like, with an administrative adjustment, there are conditions that need to be
met. What would the conditions be that need to be met for
this relief to be granted?
So the, the initial condition would be the support of the local
alderman, so they may impose additional
conditions. I believe that, excuse me,
that the way it will be looked at would be larger
units. So obviously, if you're just building, I'll call it, your run-of-the-mill
eight hundred square foot apartment, that would not meet the
conditions. But if you have a larger two thousand, three
thousand square foot unit, then that would meet the
condition. But there are no stated specific
conditions in the ordinance.
Okay.
I have complicated thoughts, but I'll let it be for right now. Thank you, sir.
Thank you, Chair.
Thank you, Alderman. Uh, Alderman Conway?
Uh, thank you, Mr. Chairman. I, I, I would, uh, certainly thank Alderman
Burnett and, and, uh, Mr. Acosta for putting this forward.
I appreciate that it has the flexibility, um,
on, on the aldermanic side, and I would simply reiterate that it is
meant for larger units that would be housing more people.
And, and, um, it is something that would certainly be
sparingly, if at all, used in the Thirty-fourth Ward as a result of that.
And I, and I appreciate that that's the spirit with which
the, this ordinance has been put forth.
Thank you.
Great. Thank you, Alderman. All right, I think that's it for
hands. Um, seeing no others, Alderwoman Dowell moves to pass.
All in favor say aye.
Aye. Any opposed say nay. In the Chair, the ayes have it.
Item is passed.
All right. Uh, lastly, document number
O-2025-0022453,
an amendment of the Municipal Code section seventeen dash seven dash
O five seven four, to replace in its entirety the boundaries
regarding additional dwel- dwelling unit allowed areas.
Um, this item has a substitute ordinance.
All committee members will find a copy of that ordinance in the packets before you.
Alder Cruz makes a motion to accept the substitute. All in favor say aye.
Any opposed say nay. Can you be sure the ayes have it?
And the substitute is before us. Um, I'm actually gonna ask
Isaac Troncoso from my team to just walk us through this.
This is the third round of ADU expansions into single-family
zones. There's still opportunities for more, um, but the program does go live
on April first. So Isaac, what are the quick changes here?
One sec. Here we go.
This ordinance is a substitute for the ordinance, uh, we introduced in January,
which added the entire areas of Aldermen Conway and
Yancy, and a portion of alderman Villegas's ward, uh, east of
Cicero. This substitute now adds onto that, uh, alderman
Cardona's ward, which would combine
t- two zones, zones ten and eleven, into one larger zone, uh, which would
include the wards of Aldermen Cruz and Cardona, because they're adopting
the same restrictions, so it can combine into one
zone.
Great. Um, any questions by committee members on this?
Uh, again, if, uh, you're not opted in, please see Isaac.
We'd love to get you in. Um, uh, no other
questions, uh, alderman Burnett moves to pass.
All in favor say aye.
Aye.
Any opposed say nay. In the Chair, the ayes have it. Item is passed.
Thank you. All right, uh, next up is
document number
O-2025-0021479 in the
twenty-sixth Ward, the historical landmark designation for the Humboldt and
Sacramento extension to Logan Square Boulevards
District at sixteen hundred through eighteen hundred blocks of North Humboldt
Boulevard, the one thousand through eleven hundred block of North Sacramento,
and the east side of the nine hundred block of North Sacramento Boulevard.
We have John Ritzu of the Historic Preservation Division of the Department of
Planning and Development to present. Mr.
Ritzu?
Mr. Here on behalf of the Commission on Chicago Landmarks, which has recommended
to council, uh, landmark designation of an extension to the
Logan Square Boulevards District on Humboldt Boulevard, Sacramento
Avenue, and Sacramento Boulevard.
The proposed district extension winds through the Logan Square, West Town,
and Humboldt Park neighborhoods.
This is in the twenty-sixth Ward, and Alderwoman Fuentes is in
support and has done an excellent job of engaging with property owners
affected by the designation.
To put the district extension in context, this is the original Logan Square
Boulevards District, which was designated as a Chicago, uh, Landmark
District in two thousand and five.
The southern boundary ended at Courtland
Street.
To put-- This is the map of the district extension.
It picks up where the existing Logan Square District leaves off at
Humboldt- Courtland Street. From there, it proceeds south on
Humboldt Boulevard to Humboldt Park.
South of the park, the district continues southward on Sacramento
Avenue.... It includes a hundred and eight, mostly residential
buildings, of which ninety are historic or contributing.
And this is a very large percentage, this is almost ninety
percent.
The Landmarks Commission finds that the district extension is important for its
association with the city's park boulevard system.
This is Humboldt Boulevard with a center drive flacked by- flanked by
greenways.
As intended, these landscape boulevards were, and remain, a
civic amenity that attracted residential
development.
The commission also found that the district has important social history.
Waves of immigration helped drive development of the district, particularly
Germans and Scandinavians at the turn of the twentieth
century. In the nineteen twenties, the district included an
substantial amount of European Jews.
Since the nineteen fifties, the proposed district has been home to
Chicago's Puerto Rican with Division Street- Puerto Rican,
uh, commu- community with Division Street, known as
Paseo Boricua, serving the economic and cultural
spine of the community.
Commission also finds that the district includes fine historic residential
architecture, like these Queen Anne houses,
and classic Chicago Greystones.
Another Chicago classic in the district are courtyard apartment
buildings, and more fashionable
apartments like this.
The commission's landmark recommendation includes exterior building
elevations visible from the public way, and the landscape
boulevards. To conclude, on behalf of the Commission on Chicago
Landmarks, we recommend passage of the ordinance designating the Humboldt
and Sacramento extension to the Logan Square Boulevards district as a
Chicago Landmark district.
Great. Uh, thank you, Mr. Ritsu. Alderperson Fuentes?
Thank you, Chairman. Uh, many of you all know I talk about it all the time.
I, I represent a rapidly gentrifying ward, and so
much of that ward has changed over time.
The average amount of rent, property taxes, also the
physical characteristics of my neighborhood.
Humboldt Boulevard is a boulevard that people work
really hard to move into or purchase a home at because of the architectural
excellence that exists on the boulevard.
The feeling of being away from urban life because you're
on a boulevard with a lot of green space, and it's very
quiet. Well, a lot of that is, uh,
being threatened by demolition, de conversions, and new
construction. Uh, we just-- we have about three
properties that just do not fit the corridor.
They look like PlayStation boxes, architectural designs, not that
I'm hypercritical of those, but do not belong on the
boulevard. And there are residents that are concerned that the
very essence of that boulevard will change over time.
Everything that we've done in the twenty-sixth Ward around housing has been
around, uh, preservation of affordability, about protecting the
architectural excellence, from the Greystones, to the Queen
homes, or the original house of Jen Jensen on Sacramento Boulevard, which
I have the pleasure of seeing every day.
We have to protect it. We have to protect the legacy of the
architects that dare to, uh, just draw
outside of the box. And so, this
ordinance, uh, is to right a wrong from several years ago.
Uh, just north of the designation that we are
proposing today is a landmark designation, but
because of political boundaries, that landmark designation never
extended itself through Humboldt Park.
And so today, we will make one, uh, uni-
united landmark designation that goes from the twenty-sixth
Ward to the first to the thirty-fifth, uh, protecting all
residents that live among the boulevard.
So I ask for my colleagues' favor-- favorable support on this designation.
Thank you, Chairman.
Thank you, Alderperson Fuentes. Any questions by committee members?
Uh, seeing none, uh, Alderwoman Harris, moves do pass.
All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed, say nay.
From the chair, the ayes have it, item is passed.
Uh, next is document number
O-2026-0022515
in the thirty-seventh Ward, the historical landmark designation for Original
Providence Baptist Church at five fifteen North Pine Avenue.
Uh, once again, we have John Ritsu from Historic Preservation at
DPD.
I am here on behalf of the Commission on Chicago Landmarks, which has recommended
to council that the Original Providence Baptist Church be designated as
a Chicago landmark. The designation consists of a
church building from nineteen oh two, at the right on the
slides, an attached school building from nineteen
twenty-eight. The commission has found that both buildings are significant
examples of Gothic Revival
architecture. The property is located at
five fifteen North Pine Street in Austin, in the thirty-seventh Ward, and
Alderwoman Mitts is supportive of this
proposal.
This remarkable circa eighteen eighty photograph shows a gathering of the
congregation in front of Providence Baptist First Church building on the west
side. The congregation traces its origins to eighteen
sixty-three, when during the Civil War, a small group of African
Americans met for worship in the Baptist tradition in the same
neighborhood. In eighteen sixty-six, a year after the
war ended, the congregation formally organized.
It was made up of people who had escaped from slavery and cape- came
to Chicago via the Underground Railroad, and those who had
purchased their freedom.... Providence holds the distinction
of being the third oldest Black church in Chicago, and the
second oldest Black Baptist
congregation.
In addition to this heritage, the Landmarks Commission recommends that Providence
is important for the number of significant pastors who were not only spiritual
leaders, but also worked to bring education, social services, and
civil rights to the congregation.
The current pastor and congregation have requested landmark designation
to honor their hundred and fifty-nine-year history in Chicago.
So
on behalf of the Commission on Chicago Landmarks, we recommend passage of the
ordinance designating Original Providence as a Chicago landmark.
Great. Thank you, Mr. Ritsu. Um, any questions by committee
members? I, I don't believe Alderman woman Metz is on the Zoom, but I know she
is in support.
Seeing none, no questions. Uh, Alderman Knutson moves to
pass. All in favor say aye. Any opposed say nay. In the chair, the ayes have it.
Item is passed. Um, we're going...
All right, we're gonna go out of order to accommodate a non-member colleague, uh,
who's here, uh, to the middle of page three,
um, which is in the forty-seventh ward, document number
A nine zero eight zero, ordinance referred eleven
fourteen twenty-five. Common address is twenty four oh one through twenty four
twenty-seven West Belmont Avenue, and thirty-one forty Northwestern
Avenue. Change request is M one two, Limited Manufacturing Business Park
District to B two three, Neighborhood Mixed Use District.
We have Alderman Matt Martin.
Thank you, Chair, and good morning, colleagues.
Uh, thank you very much, Chair, for your willingness to, uh, accommodate
my schedule. Um, a, a few points I want to uplift, and I know that there's
been some public comments supplied from my community, I believe in writing, that,
that the members have. Um, but this is a parcel that we've been actively
engaged with, uh, for at least two years, close to three years at this
point. Um, we had two community meetings, um, on this
site. The, the earlier one was regarding a proposed Raising
Canes, um, and a associated drive-through facility in twenty
twenty-three. This is currently, uh, a vacant lot, no
structures on it. Um, uh, we, uh,
were not supportive of that at the time, um, and we were not alone in that
regard. Um, we had the West Roscoe Village Neighbors Association, the Roscoe
Village Neighbors Association, the Department of Planning Development, Alderman
Win- Alderman Waguespack, and myself, um, uh, objecting, uh,
to that use due to concerns about the drive-thru's impact
on safety issues at this particular intersection, which is quite
large. Um, we instead have been advocating
for either mixed use or fully residential development at this property,
um, communicated that both the property owner as well as their brokers,
and consistently uplifting at the same time, our opposition to a
drive-through facility. Um, we had a more recent
conversation with our community earlier this year, some of the immediately affected
neighbors, um, at this, uh, at this property, and re-
reiterating our support to change the zoning from an M one dash
two to B two dash three, um, which
I, I would also note is consistent with, um, uh,
studies that the Lakeview Roscoe Village Chamber of Commerce put together with
their master plan, as well as a Western Avenue Corridor study.
Um, some of you may have a recollection that we changed the zoning
for Western Avenue as far south as, as Addison, about a half
mile north of here, um, uh, across the
forty-seventh, fortieth, and forty-ninth wards, to B
three dash three, to incentivize more mixed-use
development. Um, this is a slight variation of that, B two dash
three, to essentially allow the current or future owner to
do first floor residential, again, emphasizing the need for us
to replenish some of the density we've lost through demolitions and
conversions of two and three flat buildings into single-family homes.
Um, so I'll stop there. Happy to answer any questions that members have, and
would appreciate your favorable consideration. Thank you, Chair.
Great. Thank you, Alderman Martin. Do I have any questions by committee members?
Uh, seeing none, Alderman Villegas moves to pass.
All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed, say nay.
In the chair, the ayes have it. Item is passed.
Thank you.
Alderman Martin, uh, your name was mentioned earlier in regard to single stair in
public comment, so, uh, let's get a meeting together.
Okay.
All right.
Let's go.
Thank you very much.
Thank you all.
Uh, back to, uh, three fee waivers of
historic landmark buildings. Uh, we have John Ritsu to present the
matters. First, in the fourth ward, it's document number OR twenty
twenty-six dash zero zero two two four nine eight, for the property located
at forty-five forty-three South Ellis Avenue.
Mr. Ritsu?
Sure. The project is in the fourth ward, Alderman Rob-
Robinson, in the Southeast planning region and in the Ken- Kenwood
community area, community area number thirty-nine.
The map on the left depicts a building within the North Kenwood Multiple
Resource Historic District loop.
Uh, the map at the right depicts the landmark building on the east side of South
Ellis Avenue. It's mid-block.
The proposed building is a three-story, six-flat, with an attached two-car
carport and a detached three-car carport with roof deck.
It is located within a designated landmark
district. The drawing shows that it is an infill bui-
building located mid-block, adjacent to two gray
stones.
The scope of the work is new exterior and interior construction to produce six
apartment units. Parking will be provided for two cars with an attached
carport. A detached carport with roof deck will provide parking for three
additional cars. The owner plans to spend two million eight hundred
thousand dollars on the construction, and seeks a permit fee waiver in the amount
of fifteen thousand dollars.
The staff of the-... Chicago, uh, Committee on Landmarks has
reviewed the plan and the scope of the work for the project, and determined that it
meets historic preservation guidelines.
Alderman Lero- Lamont Robinson is in support of the permit fee
waiver, has provided a signed order, and has transmitted the order to the city
clerk for city council introduction.
Great, thank you. Any questions by committee members?
Seeing none, Alderman Lospada moves to pass. All in favor say aye. Aye.
Any opposed say nay. In the chair, the ayes have it, item is passed.
Next, located in the 34th Ward, is document number
OR2025-0021609,
for the property located at 105 West Adams, 210
South Clark Street. Mr. Ritsu?
The project is in the 34th Ward, Alderman Conway, in the central
planning region in the Loop Community area, community area number 32.
The map on the... The map
depicts the building within the Loop Community area.
The map depicts, uh, the landmark building on the west side of South Clark Street,
and at the corner of West Adams Street.
105 West Adams, uh, Street is the former Bankers Building.
It has been designated a landmark.
The photo shows the front elevation along Clark Street.
The scope of the work is exterior and interior alterations to restore and
rehabilitate approximately 303,000
square feet of residential space on a portion of the second floor, and floors
11 through 40 into 400 apartment units.
Of the 400 residential units, 120 units will be affordable for
housecomes- for households with incomes averaging 60%
of the area immediate income. An indoor amenity space,
outdoor terrace on the 24th floor, and storage and bicycle parking on the
second floor will be provided. The owner plans to spend
$182 million
on the renovations, and seeks a permit fee waiver in the amount of a million
dollars, thirty-two thou- uh, a million thirty-two thousand
dollars. The staff of the, uh, Chicago Committee on
Landmarks has reviewed the plans and scope of the work for the project, and
determined that it meets historic preservation guidelines.
Alderman Brian Conway is in support of the permit fee waiver, and has
provided a signed order, and has transmitted the order to the city clerk for city
council introduction.
Thank you. Uh, Alderman Bill Conway, anything you wanted to add?
Uh, yes, I would say this, uh, I would note this is...
Uh, by the way, I've been called much worse than Brian in my time, so-
I assume you have, Alderman.
Yeah. Uh, I would, I would merely say this is a
beautiful, beautiful building, as the picture shows.
You're probably all familiar with it.
In addition, this building is in really, really rough shape, so I would ask you
all to... This is a very modest request, um, and I would ask you all to
support it. Thank you.
Great, thank you. Any questions by committee members?
Seeing none, Alderman Quesada moves to pass. All in favor say aye. Aye.
Any opposed say nay. In the chair, the ayes have it, item is passed.
Lastly, still in the 34th Ward, document number
OR2025-0021617
for the property located at 19th South LaSalle Street.
Uh, Mr. Ritsu?
Yes, sir. Once again, the project is in the 34th
Ward, Alderman Conway, s- in the central planning region and in the Loop Community
Area, community area number 32. The map on
the left...
The map
depicts the building within the Loop Community Area.
The map depicts the landmark building on the east side of North LaSalle Street and
West Arcade Place.
19 South LaSalle is the formal cent- former Central
YMCA building, and has been designated a landmark.
The landmark shows the front elevation on LaSalle
Street.
The scope of the work is to convert
207,000
square feet of office space into 206 apartment
units. 6,811 square feet of retail space
will be provided. The owner plans to spend $85 million on
renovations, and seeks a permit fee waiver in the amount of
$400,000. The staff of the community, uh,
uh, Chicago Committee on Landmarks has reviewed the plans and the scope of the
work for the project, and determined that it meets historic preservation
guidelines. Alderman Conway is in support of the permit fee
waiver, has provided a signed order, and has transmitted the order to the
city clerk for city council introduction.
Great, thank you, Mr. Ritsu. Um, Alderman Conway?
Yeah, very, very briefly, this, this building is almost as large as the prior one,
and this is an even a more modest ask.
So, uh, you can see what a beautiful building it is, and you're probably all very
much familiar with that, and the cobblestone alley next to it.
I ask you all to support it. Thank you.
Thank you, Alderman Conway. Um, we, we just landmarked this in the
last quart- like, end of '25, right?
Yes.
Okay, great. And they're moving, which we like to see.
All right, any other questions by committee members?
Seeing none, uh, Alderperson, uh, Quesada moves to pass.
All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed say nay.
In the chair, the ayes have it, item is passed.
All right, signs. Large signs over 100
square feet in area, 24 feet above grade.
I will hear them all together, read the ward, followed by the address, and take a
motion at the end. In the 4th Ward, 3755 South
Cottage Grove. In the 11th Ward, 28...
I'm sorry, 2484 South Archer Avenue.
In the 21st Ward, 8652 South Lafayette Avenue.
In the 23rd Ward, 7000 South Pulaski Road.
Two signs in the 27th Ward, located at 1155 West Fulton
Market. In the 27th Ward, one sign each at 837 West
Fulton Market and 1032 West Fulton Market.
Four signs in the 27th Ward, located at 1801 West Jackson
Boulevard.... two signs in the 28th Ward, located at 1114
South Clinton Avenue. Two signs in the 29th Ward, located
at 1619 North Neva Avenue. One sign in the
32nd Ward, located at 2500 North Elston Avenue.
Five signs in the 32nd Ward, located at 2749 North
Elston. Two signs in the 32nd Ward, located at 400
South Wells Street. That's a typo.
I'm gonna keep going. We're gonna come back to that. Um, three signs in the...
Yeah, we've got the wrong, uh, ward numbers
here. Two signs at 400 South
Wells, and three signs
at-
Those are in the 34th.
In the 34th Ward, thank you.
Yeah.
Four- two signs in the 34th Ward, located at 400 South Wells
Street. Three signs in the 34th Ward, located at 1011 South Delano
Court. In the 35th Ward, one sign located at
3326 West Belmont Avenue. In the 36th Ward,
3661 West Division Street. In the
42nd Ward, 1000 North Rush Street.
Two signs in the 42nd Ward, located at 151 North State
Street. One sign in the 42nd Ward, located at 360 North
State Street. And lastly, one sign in the 50th Ward, located at
2353 West Devon Avenue. Uh, seeing no questions
by committee members, Alderman Cruise moves to pass.
All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed?
Seeing the ayes have it, and the orders are passed.
All right, we will now move on to the map amendments in an effort to ensure the
meeting runs as smoothly as possible.
Uh, items are grouped together according to witness and will be heard in that
order. Um, after the regular zoning items
are finished, we will begin, um, the CBE hearing by announcing and explaining to
committee members the criteria, uh, they should consider.
We'll do that later.
We're good. All right.
Uh, we have someone from 21st Ward, Carla
Glover?
Yes.
I'm not gonna call it if...
Do we have anyone from the f- 21st Ward, Alderman Moseley's ward, here or on the
Zoom?
All right, uh, we will come back to those items in the 20- to
that... Yeah, those items in 21. Um, we already did the item in
47.
So bottom of page three is document number
22947-T1 in the 1st
Ward. Common address is 1805 North Campbell Avenue.
Change request M-11, limited manufacturing district, to
B-23, neighborhood mixed-use district.
We have Attorney Nicholas Fotikas.
Thank you.
Excuse me, Chairman. Thank you. Uh, Nick Fotikas from the Law Offices of Sam
Banks. I'm here on behalf of the applicant and property owner, 1805,
uh, North Campbell, LLC. The plan is to develop the, uh,
subject property, which is currently vacant, with a new four-story, twenty-one-unit
residential building, uh, with eleven off-street, uh, parking
spaces. Uh, this project did go through a rev- a review
process with the 1st Ward, and I do believe we already have a
letter or an email, uh, confirming support, but I would defer back
to, uh, Alderman Lampiris for further comment.
Sure. Alderman Lampiris?
Thank you so much, Chair. Thank you so much, Mr. Fotikas.
Uh, confirming that support, we- uh, it has been
iterative in every sense of the word, uh, between
design and ownership and now finished product.
And I can say, uh, from the many emails that we get from our
neighbors, people are really excited to see this project move
forward. And I will say
a double thanks to your client for the, the care that they have taken for a
lot that long deserved the care that has come to it.
Thank you very much.
Thank you.
Very glad to see this move forward. Thank you, Chair.
Thank you, Alder. Uh, seeing no other questions by committee members, Alderman
Moore moves to pass. All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed say nay.
Being sure, the ayes have it. Item is passed.
Uh, top of page four is document number 22946-T1 in the
17th Ward. Common address, 1414 through
1416 West 69th Street. The change request
is a B-32, community shopping district, to B-32, community s-
shopping district. Once again, we have, uh, Nick Fotikas.
Thank you, Chair. Again, for the record, Nick Fotikas, Law Offices of Sam Banks.
Um, uh, here on behalf of the applicant and property owner, Bella Lucre,
LLC. Uh, this is a proposed modification of a previously
approved type one zoning change. It's actually decreasing the size and
scale of the proposed, um, uh, renovation, uh, and
adaptive reuse project. Um, as part of this process, though, there was
an intervening aldermanic ordinance, so we did file a substitute
ordinance. The plans and narrative stayed the same, but I did want to call that
out to the, uh, committee's attention.
Yes. Uh, Alderman Hopkins makes a motion to accept the substitute ordinance.
All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed say nay. Okay, the chair, the ayes have it.
The substitute is before us.
And Chair, we did receive a, uh, uh, email confirming support, but,
uh, again, I see that, uh, Alderman Moore is here, and happy to defer to him.
Thank you. Alderman Moore?
I have nothing to add here. Just ask for your favorable consideration. Thanks.
Thank you, Alderman. Any other questions?
Seeing none, Alderman Harris moves due pass. All in favor say aye. Aye.
Any opposed say nay. Okay, the chair, the ayes have it. Item is passed.
Middle of the page is document number 22976-T1 in the
27th Ward. Common address, 1247 North Clybourn
Avenue. Change request M-12, limited manufacturing business park
district, to B-23, neighborhood mixed-use district.
Nick Fotikas.
Thank you, Chair. For the record, Nick Fotikas, uh, on behalf of the, uh,
applicant, uh, in this case, who has a contract to purchase the subject
property. The plan is to develop the property with a new three-story,
six-unit residential building. The building is a transit-serve location.
It'll be supported by three off-street parking spaces.
Um, this project is a mandatory type one application because the current
zoning, uh, is manufacturing. Uh, the proposed B-23 zoning
would, uh, obviously, come with the corresponding type one plan,
set, and narrative. Uh, no changes to this application.
Um, we are seeking, in this case, though, a, um-...
rear setback reduction is part of the administrative relief, uh, from
30 feet for the residential floors to 23 feet.
Um, this also went through, again, an aldermanic review process, and I
believe, uh, Alderman Burnett, uh, is here to, uh, confirm
support.
Great, thank you. Alderman Burnett, anything to add?
Yes, community's supportive on this one, so I am as well.
I ask my colleagues to, um, support this.
Thank you, sir. Any questions by committee members?
Seeing none, Alderman Villegas moves to pass. All in favor say aye. Aye.
Any opposed say nay. In the chair, the ayes have it. Item is passed.
Top of page five is document number 22968-T1 in the 36th
Ward. Common address is 2302 West Huron
Street. Change request RM6, residential multi-unit
district, to RT4, residential two-flat townhouse and
multi-unit district. Nick Fotikas.
Chairman, this actually ties in with the following matter, uh, 2300 West
Huron. It's a lot division case. I can maybe just speak to both, whatever's
easier for you.
Go ahead and pre-present both now, um-
Okay, and then we can-
Make two separate motions.
Perfect. No, that's fine. So in this case, the-
So what I'm gonna do is read it both into the record before you present.
So the two items, one is document number 22968-T1, which I
just read. The second is document number 22967-T1
in the 36th Ward. Common address, 2300 West Huron.
Change request RM6, residential multi-unit district, to RM6, residential
multi-unit district.
Perfect.
Proceed.
So, uh, this application was actually before the committee back in October of
last year. It is a proposed lot division.
The property at 2300 West Huron is a, uh,
three-story, ten-unit residential building.
2302, the neighboring lot, is currently vacant.
The plan is to develop the... divide the zoning lot, and then develop
2302 West Huron with a new two-unit residential
building. Um, when we initially did the zoning change to the
RM6, um, we learned after the fact that the RM
zoning would not allow a, uh, two-unit building, so we're now
rezoning, uh, both lots as independent lots.
2302 West Huron will be RT4. It'll be developed with a
code-compliant two-unit, uh, residential building, and
2300 West Huron will remain with a ten-unit,
um, three-story, ten-unit building.
Again, the R6 zoning stays at 2300,
and the RT4 applies to 2302. Uh, it
was a bit of some mechanics in, in maneuvering, but, uh,
this did go through a c-community review process with Alderman Villegas.
Um, I believe, again, an email, uh, had been provided, and I...
the alderman was here earlier.
Great. Thank you, Nick. Um, R6 in the 36th Ward.
Tell us more, Alderman Villegas.
Thank you, all. Um, thank you, uh, Chairman, and I want to thank Nick for going
through the process. The, uh, community group, Chicago Grand Neighborhood
Association, has reviewed this and support, and so if there is support, I'm
support. Thank you.
Great. Thank you, Alderman. Um, any other questions by committee members?
Seeing none, uh, Alderman Hopkins moves due pass on document number
22968-T1 and document number
2296867-T1. All in favor
say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Then the chair of the ayes have it.
Item is passed. All right, um, Nick has one more?
Yep.
All right, uh, final case Nick is covering is bottom of page 11. Mr.
Fotikas, is document number
22969-T1 in the 26th Ward. Common
address is 1625 North Keeler Avenue.
Change request RS3, residential single-unit detached house district,
to RT4, residential two-flat townhouse and multi-unit district.
Nick Fotikas.
Thank you, Chair. Again, as the, uh, agenda indicates, I am covering in for Mr.
Paul Kolepak, the, uh, attorney of record for the, uh, applicant in this
case. Um, this is a Type 1 zoning that would
allow for, uh, three residential units to remain in an existing
structure. Um, it's actually a deconversion from four smaller units
to three, uh, total units. I will defer entirely
to uh, Alderman Fuentes on, on this one,
uh, as I am simply, uh, presenting the ordinance.
Great. Thank you. Alderman Fuentes?
Uh, it went through my community-driven zoning process, got approval.
It's good to go.
Great. Any questions? Uh, seeing none, Alderman Harris moves due pass.
All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed say nay. In the chair, the ayes have it.
Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Fotikas.
All right, middle of page eight. Sorry, Fred.
Uh, for, for Mr. Maragos, who's got another appointment.
Middle of page eight, and then you're up next.
Uh...
Oh, eight. Eight. All right. Middle of page eight, document number
22965-T1 in the 17th Ward. Common address is
1635 West 69th Street. Change request,
B23, neighborhood mixed-use district, to C11,
neighborhood commercial district. Mr. Dean Maragos.
Good morning, Mr. Chairman and members of the committee. My name is Dean T.
Maragos of the law firm of Maragos and Maragos at 1 North
LaSalle. The
matter is, uh, very simply put, that this is going to be an
auto repair shop. Uh, we have sent out the notices to the
community, and public notice properly sent.
We've, we've received no objections.
We've been working with the alderman's office, and we have received a letter
of support from the alderman. I believe the, uh,
Alderman Moore is here, if... I would like him to comment if he so
desires. Otherwise, I leave it open for questions.
Great. Thank you. Alderman Moore, anything to add?
Yes. Um, thank you so much, um, Chairman, and thank you so
much, um,
Attorney Maragos. Um, one of the things that, um, I
appreciate is that I think we've been dealing with this for almost,
uh, clo- almost close to two years, because it was, um, um, great involvement
with the community. And, um, the owner came out, so he had several
meetings, and the community, you know, um, uh,
talked to him about what he- they wanted.
And the- it's also a part of that 69th Street corridor that,
um, I've talked to the administration about, that they're working on as well to
redevelop, because it's part of West Englewood that hasn't had any redev- uh-...
redevelopment in over about 25 years.
And so, um, to have someone come there to try to spur,
um, some development there is very helpful, and I, um, ask for
your favorable consideration.
Great. Thank you, Alderman. Any questions by committee members?
Seeing none, Alderman Burnett moves due pass. All in favor say aye.
Any opposed say nay. And the chair, the ayes have it, item is passed.
Bottom of page eight is document number 22956-21 in the
31st Ward. Common address is 2531 North Cicero
Avenue. Change request B11, neighborhood shopping district, to
C11, neighborhood commercial district. Mr. Maragos.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Dean T. Maragos here on behalf of the applicant and
owner. We have here a, a City of Chicago
Motor Vehicle Services license, uh, be- to be applied for to repair
engines and transmissions. We have sent out the notices to all the
community. We have received no objections.
We've also been working with Alderman Cardona's office, and Alderman
Cardona has given us a letter of support.
Uh, I don't know if Alderman Cardona is here.
If I, if he is here, I defer to his statement.
Otherwise, I've submitted a letter of support from Alderman Cardona,
uh, for your file. If you need another one, I've got one.
We do have the letter. Thank you, Mas- Mr. Maragos.
Any questions by committee members?
Uh, seeing none, Alderman Lospada moves due pass. All in favor say aye. Aye.
Any opposed say nay. And the chair, the ayes have it, item is passed.
Thank you very much-
Thank you, sir
... Chairman.
All right.
Back to the bottom of page five.
Bottom of page five. Where's
five? Five.
Document number
22972-21 in the 17th Ward.
Common address, 1401 West 71st Street, 7104
South Loomis Boulevard. Change request, RT4, residential two-flat
townhouse and multi-unit district, to RM4.5,
residential multi-unit district.
Uh, we have Attorney Fred Agustin.
Thanks, Chairman. Uh, again, for the record, Fred Agustin, I'm attorney with the
law office of Sam Banks. I'm here on behalf of the applicant and property owner,
Atilio Morales. The applicant owns a property at 1401 West
71st Street, also known as 7104 South
Loomis. The applicant is seeking to rezone the property from the current
RT4 district to an RM4.5 district.
Property is currently improved with a two-story residential building containing
four units. That building will remain.
Uh, the reason for the change is to allow the establishment of two additional
dwelling units in the basement of the building, for a total of six.
Uh, this is also a type one zoning amendment application.
We're also seeking relief to, uh, reduce the off-street
parking, um, from one to zero, as well as reduce the front
setback, um, to nine feet, two inches.
Uh, we have worked with Alderman Moore and his office on this matter.
I believe Alderman Moore is here.
Busy day for you, Alderman.
I don't know about that. Get my voice back, I'll be okay.
Um, but no, thank you, and, uh, just, uh, ask for your favorable
consideration. He explained it well. Thanks.
Thank you. Any questions by committee members?
Seeing none, Alderman Viega is supposed to pass. All in favor say aye. Aye.
Any opposed say nay. And the chair, the ayes have it, item is passed.
Top of page six is document number
22935-21 in the 36th Ward. Common
address is 2343 West Chicago Avenue.
Change request, C13, neighborhood commercial district, to C15,
neighborhood commercial district. Once again, Fred Agustin.
Again, Chairman, uh, for the record, Fred Agustin, um, on behalf of the
applicant and property owner, 2343 West Chicago, LLC.
Applicant owns the property at 2343 West Chicago.
Um, the applicant is seeking to rezone the property from the current C13
district to actually a B25 district, and two items
here, Chairman. First, uh, we did submit revised narrative and
plans, and I would like those revised documents be reflected in our
application. Um, and then second, uh, we originally
requested a zoning change to a C15, however, I'd like to amend our
application to reflect a zoning change to a
B25, which would be a down zone from our current request.
So in that case, no new, no new notice would be required,
um, with that.
So the, what I read in was C15, and the request is
C25?
B.
25.
Yep.
Got it. All right. Um, Alderperson Fuentes moves to accept
the substitute narrative and plans, along with the substitute
ordinance, uh, for this item. Uh, all in favor say
aye. Any opposed say nay. And the chair, the ayes have
it.
So the property's currently improved with a one-story commercial building.
The reason for the change is to allow for the redevelopment of the property with a
new five-story residential building, containing six dwelling
units and six off-street parking spaces.
This is also a type one application, so we're also seeking relief to
reduce the rear setback from thirty feet to nineteen feet, four inches,
as well as increasing the off-street parking from fifty percent to a hundred
pers- hundred percent. Uh, we have worked with Alderman Vegas and his
office. We have also did community review with the Chicago Grand
Neighbors Association and had a community meeting all in support, and I believe
Alderman Vegas is here as well to testify.
Thank you. Alderman Vegas, anything to add?
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Uh, uh, nothing, nothing to
add. Chicago Grand Neighborhood Associates had an opportunity to review it,
supports it, and so do I. Thank you.
Great, thank you. Any other questions by committee members? Alderman Lospada.
I think you, Chair. Just so I understand it, 'cause I'm...
This is where the Botchy's Pizza is currently? Is that accurate?
That's correct, yeah.
Do you know if they're, are they maintaining the commercial façade, or is it going
to be wholly new construction?
It's all new construction.
And this is five stories and six residential units?
Yes.
Okay. Thank you. Thank you, Chair.
Thank you. Any other questions? Seeing none, Alderman Harris moves due
pass. All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed say nay.
In the chair, the ayes have it.... Thank you, Mr. Augusta.
In the middle of page three is document number two two eight eight three in
the Third Ward. Common address, 3746 through
3766 South Michigan Avenue. Change request,
RM-5, residential multi-unit district to residential planned
development. Uh, we have Sylvia Mikus to
present.
Actually, while you guys get settled, uh, Alder Quesada makes a motion to
incorporate all records and findings from the plan commission
hearing. All in favor say aye. Any opposed say nay.
Hearing the chair, the ayes have it. All records are incorporated.
Thank you.
Good morning, Chairman Lawson and members of the committee.
My name is Sylvia Mikus. I'm an attorney with Taft Law, located at
111 East Wacker Drive in Chicago, Illinois.
Along with my colleague, Graham Grady, in absentia,
uh, we represent the applicant, Capricorn Design and
Build. Uh, also present with me here today are
Jola Whipple, manager of the applicant,
as well as our project architect, John Hanna, with Hanna Architects.
Um, at this time, we would like to acknowledge and thank Alderman Pat
Dowell and her staff, as well as DPD, who assisted us
throughout the PD process.
I believe we... Can you advance to the next slide?
Following slide. Thank you. Uh, the subject property consists
of a net site area of forty-one thousand nine hundred and
seventy-eight square feet and is vacant and unimproved.
Uh, the subject property, as you can see, is generally bounded by East
Thirty-Seventh Place to the north and South Michigan Avenue to the
east. The applicant is seeking to amend the property's
existing RM-5 zoning district to an
RM-5.5, and then to a residential planned development
in order to develop the property, which again is currently vacant and
unimproved, with a new residential development consisting of
four-story buildings, which will consist of a total of ninety dwelling
units. Uh, next slide, please.
The proposed residential development will be constructed in four phases,
with each residential building located within its own
sub-area. Sub-areas A and D will each consist
of a four-story residential building containing twenty-two
units, and sub-areas B and C will each
consist of a four-story residential building containing
twenty-three units. Each of the proposed residential buildings
will provide a total of fourteen parking spaces, of which
nine parking spaces will be located within the basement
level, and five exterior parking spaces will be
located at the rear of each building, accessed from the
alley. The proposed planned development also seeks a
reduction from the fifty-foot required rear setback to
twenty-one feet, and a waiver of the loading berth in order to have the
ramp to access the basement, uh, level
parking. Uh, next slide, please. Uh, the
proposed zoning height of each building is forty-seven feet, with an
overall height of fifty-two feet, eight inches.
Next slide, please. Uh, this is the phased
residential development upon comp- final completion.
As you will note, there is deviation amongst the buildings in terms of
materials, resulting in aesthetically appealing development.
The proposed residential development, again, will consist of a total of ninety
dwelling units, of which eighteen dwelling units will be
on-site ARO units. The applicant met with
Alderman Dowell, presented to her community, and secured letters of
support from the Renaissance Collaborative, St.
Thomas Episcopal Board of Directors, and the South Side Community Arts
Center. We have a letter of support from Alderman Pat Dowell that has been
submitted to the Committee of- on Zoning.
We respectfully request your favorable vote of this project, and are
available for any questions. Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Mikus. Alderwoman Dowell, still on?
Uh, yes, Chairman. Uh, Sylvia, thank you so much.
Uh, she has said it all. Uh, this is a
long-standing vacant lot, uh, on Michigan
Avenue, an eyesore, and looking forward to
bringing some, uh, new housing,
both, uh, market rate, and there is affordable in
these units, um, according to the ARO, uh, at this
location. Um, as, uh, Sylvia has
mentioned, uh, there's been a, a community meeting in
addition to several small meetings with other stakeholders in the
community, and I ask the, uh, Zoning Committee's favorable
support for this project. Thank you.
Thank you. Any questions by committee members?
Um, seeing none, uh, Alderwoman Harris moves due pass as
revised. All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed say nay.
Let me share the ayes have it. Item is passed. That's a good-looking project.
Thank you.
All right. Alderman Moseley? Carla Glover?
Present, Chair.
Oh, Alderman, thanks- thank you for being with
us. Um, we've got your two items, uh, that we're gonna do separately,
right?
Yes.
All right. Document number A nine zero seven eight in the twenty-first Ward,
ordinance referred eleven fourteen twenty-five.
Common address is 1123 through 1237
West Ninety-Fifth Street. The change request is RS-1,
residential single-unit detached house district, RS-3, residential
single-unit detached house district, and B-3-1, community shopping
district, all to an RT-4, residential two-flat
townhouse and multi-unit district.
Alderman Moseley?
Thank you, Chair, and I believe there's a substitute for one of the items.
Uh, overall, this is us looking again at the Ninety-Fifth Street
corridor. Um, this is one year, just pass of, uh, a
corridor plan that stops right there at Halsted, and we are
preparing, uh, for a potential next phase, continuing
westward. Um, well, the substitute will
amend the portion around Vincennes to Racine,
just stopping at Racine, where-...
uh, so a zoning category that is
business when there are currently residential properties there,
um, and would ask for the
committee's favorable consideration.
Uh, any additional questions, my Chief of Staff, Carla Glover, is happy to
address. Thank you, Chair.
Great, thank you. Um, we do have to put the sub on the record.
Alderman Lospada moves to accept the substitute. All in favor say aye.
Aye. Any opposed say nay. Apparently the ayes have it.
Now, on the motion, uh, any questions by committee members?
Seeing none, Alderman Losp- um, Hopkins moves to pass.
All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed say nay.
Apparently the chair, the ayes have it.
Second item, uh, is document number A, nine zero eight three in the 21st Ward
or Ward. Ordinance referred eleven fourteen twenty-five.
Common address, ninety-four fourteen through ninety-four thirty-four South
Halsted Street, and ninety-four forty-three South Green Street.
Change request, B two three, neighborhood mixed-use district, to RT
four, residential two-flat townhouse and multi-unit district.
Uh, once again, Alderman
Mosley?
Or Carla Glover? Or did we cover this in the last, uh-
Yep, same similar comments-
Same
... uh, uh, but thanks so much, Chair. Asking for a favorable consideration.
Thank you, Alderman. Any questions by committee members?
Seeing none, Alderperson Fuentes moves to pass. All in favor say aye. Aye.
Any opposed, say nay. Thank the chair, the ayes have it, and the item is
passed. All right.
Where am I at?
All right, bottom of page six.
It's Anthony Molet.
Anthony Molet? Great. Come forward, please.
Um, the document number is two two nine seven nine dash two one in the eighth ward.
Common address is eighty-six forty-nine South
Euclid Avenue. Change request, B three one, community
shopping district, to RM five, residential multi-unit
district.
Right. Yeah, right here.
Um,
you're Anthony Molet?
Yes.
Great. Um, so, uh, the floor is yours.
Yes, I'm, um, looking to get a zoning change for the property, uh,
stated above, from, um... Sorry. From
mixed use to RM five for a three-story residential
unit.
Great. Um, Alderman Harris, this is in your
ward.
Um, I am in total support of this. This will be, um, a great
addition to the community that, um, already exists
there. Um, and he's just changing it to be, um, intact what
was already there in the community, and the block supports it.
Great. How many units are we talking?
Three. Excellent. Any questions by, by committee members?
Oh, I'm sorry, Alderwoman.
I ask for my committee members' favorable support. Thank you.
Absolutely. Um, Alderman Villegas moves to pass. All in favor say aye. Aye.
Any opposed? Then the chair, the ayes have it, item is passed.
Good luck to you, sir.
Thank you. Uh, top of page seven is document number two
two nine eight one dash T one in the twenty-fourth ward.
Common address, twenty-seven thirty-three to twenty-seven thirty-five West
Sixteenth Street, sixteen hundred to sixteen twelve South Fairfield
Avenue. Change request, RT four, residential two-flat
townhouse, to RM five, residential multi-unit
district. Um, we have Dan
Egan.
Good morning, Chairman and members of the committee.
My name is Dan Egan, attorney with Acosta Esgar LLC.
I'm here, I'm here on behalf of the applicant.
Uh, there, there, there is a substitute narrative and plans for this matter, and I
would request approval to substitute such.
All right, thank you. Alderperson Fuentes moves to accept the substitute narrative
and plans. All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed, say nay.
Substitute pl- narrative and plans are before us.
Thank you. Uh, the property is a vacant corner lot located in RT four
district. It is transit served to the CTA California Pink
Line, approximately one thousand six hundred and seventy feet.
The applicant seeks to rezone the property to RM five to allow a new
three-story residential building with six dwelling units, three rear
surface parking spaces, and six bicycle spaces.
The applicant is also seeking additional variations, including a reduction of the
required front yard setback to three feet, nine inches, to
reduce the west side, uh, west side, west side yard
setback to zero, to reduce the required combined side yard setback to
five, from five to zero, to reduce the rear yard setback
from forty point five feet to twenty-three feet and seven inches,
and to roos- reduce the rear yard open space to zero.
Um, we have aldermanic support for this, uh, application, and we request your
favorable consideration.
Great. We do have a letter, uh, from Alderwoman Scott.
I don't believe anyone is here from the twenty-fourth ward.
Um, any questions by committee members?
Uh, seeing none, Alderman Villegas moves to pass. All in favor say aye. Aye.
Any opposed, say nay. Make sure the item is passed.
Thank you.
Document number two two nine seven four in the twenty-fifth ward.
Common address is eighteen twenty-three to eighteen twenty-five, West
Twenty-second Place. Change request, an RS three residential single unit
detached house district, to RT four, residential two-flat townhouse
and multi-unit district. Once again, Dan Egan.
Good morning, Chairman, members of, of the committee.
My name is Dan Egan, uh, attorney for Osc- Acosta Esgar LLC.
I'm here on behalf of the applicant.
Uh, this application has been amended to be a type one narrative of plans, and I
request approval to do so.
Yes. Alder Knudson moves to amend the application to a type one application.
All in favor say aye. Any opposed, say nay.
Apparently the chair, the ayes have it.
Uh, so the property is in an RT four district.
It is TSL to the Damon Pink Line, approximately a thousand feet.
Uh, it is comprised of two parcels, lot fifty-eight and
fifty-nine. Lot fifty-eight is improved with a two point five
story, multi-residential, multi-unit residential building with two dwelling
units.... and a detached, uh, rear two-car garage.
Lot 59, right next to it, adjacent to it, is improved with a two-car
garage at the rear of the property.
The applicant proposes to rezone to RS3 to allow a third residential unit
in the basement, and the existing structures will remain, and the main building
re- the main height of the s- of the main building will remain the
same. Parking will remain, and no additional parking will be
added. Uh, additional variations are requested: a
variation to reduce the front yard setback to zero, to reduce the east
side, uh, e- east side yard setback from two to
0.2 feet, um, to reduce the west side, uh,
setback from a minimum of two feet to 1.1 s- 1.61 feet,
to reduce the required combined side yard setback from five feet to
1.81, I would like to note all those are existing, um, to reduce
the rear yard setback to zero, to reduce the rear open space to
zero. We have support from the alderman and went through the zoning of, uh, Zoning
Board, or Zoning Advisory Board. Um, we, we request your favorable
consideration.
Thank you. We do have a letter from Alderman Cecilia Lopez.
Any questions by committee members?
Uh, seeing none, uh, Alderman Quesada moves to pass.
All in favor say aye. Any opposed say nay.
And the chair, the item is passed.
Thank you.
Are you doing the next one or no? Rolando's back.
Okay, so we're gonna g- jump, uh, just to, uh, accommodate the, our
colleague from the thirty-third Ward.
Um, in the middle of page thirteen is document number
22944-T1 in the thirty-third Ward.
Common address is 2934 West Irving Park Road.
Change request: B31 community shopping district to
B23 neighborhood mixed-use district.
Uh, we have Corinne O'Hara.
Hi, I'm Corinne O'Hara, on behalf of Credit Builders Corp,
uh, who's the owner, and I'm also a member of their corporation.
Um, this is currently a vacant lot, and we are seeking to build
a three-unit, uh, residential, um, building with
three, uh, three-bedroom, two-bath apartments and three parking
spaces. Um, letters have been sent out, there have been no
objections, and, um, the alderman,
uh, Alderwoman Rosana Sanchez Rodriguez has voiced her support of this
project.
Great, um, thank you. Alderwoman?
Um, yes, we went through, um, a rigorous, uh,
community engagement process for this property.
Um,
the proposal is to demolish the existing building, which is a single-family home,
to create, um, three apartment, uh,
units. So, uh, there was no opposition from community,
and we are happy to, uh, bring more density
to that area, which is needed, um, and approve
this, uh, this rezoning. So I want
to ask my colleagues to, uh, please approve this item.
Thank you for your support. We really appreciate it.
Thank you. Any questions by committee members?
Seeing none, Alderman Quesada moves to pass. All in favor say aye.
Aye.
Any opposed say nay. And the chair, the ayes have it, item is passed. Best of luck.
Thank you. Appreciate it.
Bottom of page seven is document number 22966-T1 in the
fortieth Ward. Common address is fifty... Thank you.
5054-5060 North Ashland Avenue. Change
request: B23 community shopping district to B23
neighborhood mixed-use district.
We have Rolando Acosta to present.
Good afternoon again, Mr. Chairman, members of the committee.
Rolando Acosta here on behalf of the applicant.
Uh, this matter has a substitute narrative and plan, so I would ask that the, uh,
substituted narrative and plans be moved.
Uh, yes. Alderman Viegas moves to accept the substitute narrative and plans for
this item. All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed say nay.
And the chair, the ayes have it, item is accepted.
Yeah.
Substitute narrative and plans are accepted.
Thank you. Uh, the property was previously rezoned to allow
the construction of five- a five-story building contain- containing twenty-six
dwelling units. The alderman had asked us to increase the unit count by two
so that we could provide one additional, uh, ARO unit on
site. So instead of five that would be required under the twenty-six,
uh, units, we now will have twenty-eight units and have six AROs
on site. That change was not reflected in the prior
rezoning, so this one is merely to correct that error,
um, before you. I believe it has...
And reduces the parking, uh, from seventeen to fifteen
spaces. Uh, other than that, it pretty much remains the same as
previously, and I believe that the alderman has communicated his support for this
proposal.
Um, I did speak, and we have a, an, a letter from Alderman Vasquez on
this. Uh, anyone have any questions?
Seeing none, Alderman Hopkins moves to pass. All in favor say aye. Aye.
Any opposed say nay. And the chair, the ayes have it, item is passed.
Thank you.
Thank you, sir. All right, top of page
eight, document number 22954 in the fourteenth
Ward, ordinance referred twelve, ten, twenty-five.
Common address is 5414 through 5422
South Kedzie Avenue. Change request: B31 community shopping district to
B22 neighborhood mixed-use district.
We have Tom Piekarski.
Good afternoon now, Mr. Chairman.
Uh, I am Tom Piekarski of the law firm of Gordon and Piekarski, on behalf of
the applicant, Michael Hammad. We're seeking an amendment
of the property commonly known as 5414 through 22
South Kedzie Avenue, from the existing B31 to
B22. Subject is a one hundred by one hundred and twenty-six
point oh eight-foot parcel that has been a long time- it, it has
been, uh, vacant for a long time. It is comprised of four legal
lots, each being twenty-five feet in width. Mr.
Hammad proposes to construct four buildings, each containing three
residential dwelling units. Each of the units will feature three
beds and two baths. The project will provide one-for-one
parking.
We have reviewed our proposal with Alderwoman Gutierrez and held a community
meeting. Alderma- woman Gutierrez has issued her support in the
form of a letter to the chairman.
... therefore, we request the committee vote recommend, uh, vote its
recommendation of approval by the full city
council.
All right. Thank, thank you, sir. Um, we do have a letter from Alderwoman
Gutierrez. Any questions by committee members?
Seeing none, uh, Alder Knudson moves to pass. All in favor say aye. Aye.
Any opposed say nay. And the chair, the ayes have it. Item is passed.
Thank you. All right, uh, we've done the rest on eight.
Document, uh, pa- top of page nine, document number
22980-T1 in the 36th Ward. Common address is
1805 through 1809 West Augusta Boulevard.
Change request, RT-4, residential two-flat townhouse and multi-unit
district to RM-4.5 residential multi-unit
district. Uh, we have attorney Lenny Asaro.
Just...
Okay.
Uh, good morning again, um, Chair Lawson. Uh, my name is Lenny Asaro.
I'm a partner at the law firm of Taft Stettinius & Hollister, located at
111 East Wacker Drive, um, Suite 2600, Chicago,
Illinois, 60601. I represent the applicant,
M15 Land Investments LLC, who's also the owner of the
property. Um, I respectfully request that the application and supporting
documentation be admitted into the record o- of this hearing.
Um, the applicant seeks to rezone the four thousand eight hundred and nineteen
square foot subject property to develop a two-story brick, thirty-eight
foot high multi-unit residential, uh, building, comprised of
eight thousand one hundred and ninety-two square feet.
Um, the building will, um, house six dwelling units and six
off-street parking spaces. Uh, the project conforms to the FAR
density parking, rear open yard, and height regulations in the
RM-4.5 district. However, the project does not conform with
respect to the front setback, rear setback, or side setback
regulations, for which the applicant seeks variations from these
regulations. Um, we've submitted plans and drawings, which are already
made part of the public record. Uh, it's my understanding that there is,
um, a support from, uh, Alderman Villegas with
respect to this, uh, project or application.
Uh, and with that, I would respectfully request that the committee recommend
approval of the application and the requested variations.
Sure. Um, before... We have a substitute narrative and plans that we have to accept
on this one. Is my-
Uh, there was a, a, a typo to the data sheet that we did submit
to, to the chairperson last week.
Right.
Yes.
So, right.
And it's just, it, it just corrects a typo.
Alderman Harper is supposed to accept that substitute narrative and plans.
All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed say nay. And the chair, the ayes have it.
Alderman Villegas, did you want to add anything before we pass this?
Uh, thank you, Chairman, and thank you, Lenny, for working with the community.
This was reviewed by the East Village Neighborhood Association, and they, uh, have
given, uh, approval of this project, and so I support it. Thank you.
Great, thank you all.
Thank you. Alderman Casada moves to pass. All in favor say aye. Aye.
Any opposed say nay. And the chair, the ayes have it. Item is passed.
Thank you.
Thank you, sir. Middle of page nine is document number 22958 in the 23rd
Ward. Common address is 4254 West
55th Street. Change request, B1-1,
neighborhood shopping district, to B1-2, neighborhood shopping district.
Uh, we have attorney, former Alderman Rod
Sawyer.
Good afternoon, Chairman.
Afternoon.
For the record, Roderick Sawyer, appearing on behalf of the applicant, Leone
Limited, who is the applicant and the owner.
Uh, this is a request to change from a B1 neighborhood shopping district to a
B-1-2 neighborhood shopping district, and that this is actually a
correction, Chairman. Uh, the property was purchased when the second floor
was actually an office. Uh, since my client's ownership, it has been
converted back to a residential unit and back to the
three-unit that it was originally passed to be.
Okay.
So we're just asking the committee's
recommendation to turning it back to what it was and making this correction, and an
opportunity to talk to Alderman, uh, Alder Tabaras, and her office is in
support of this. And I respectfully ask that the committee,
uh, do as, do as likewise.
Thank you. We do have a letter from Alderman Tabaras.
Any questions by committee members?
Seeing none, Alderman Villegas moves to pass. All in favor say aye. Aye.
Any opposed say nay. And the chair, the ayes have it. Item is passed.
Thank you, Chairman.
Thank you, sir.
Goodbye.
Good to see you. Be well. Bottom of page nine is document number 22949 in the
25th Ward. Common address is 2648 West
21st Street. Change request, B-3-3, community
shopping district, to B-2-3, neighborhood mixed-use
district. Uh, we have Andrew Scott. No, we don't.
Sorry.
Good afternoon, Chairman Lawson and members of the Committee on Zoning, Landmarks,
and Building Standards. For the record, my name is Aaron Dorsey of the law firm of
Dykema Gossett, addressed to 10 South Wacker Drive, Suite 2300 in Chicago,
Illinois. We represent the applicant, Jonathan Frank, in the application to
rezone the property located at 2648 West 21st
Street from the B-3-3 community shopping district to the
B-2-3 neighborhood mixed-use district, for the purpose of allowing the
conversion of the existing three-unit building to a four-unit building, uh,
including two units on the ground floor.
Uh, the applicant and the application has gone through the Alderman Zoning Advisory
Board process, and we have sent out required notice to the surrounding property
owners and have not received any opposition to the application.
Uh, we have also briefed Alderman Sigcho-Lopez about the application and have a
letter of support, uh, which we've provided to the committee, which should be on
file. Uh, we respectfully ask for your favorable consideration and, uh,
welcome any questions you have.
Great. Thank you, Mr. Dorsey. Um, we do have a letter from Alderman Sigcho-Lopez.
Any questions by committee members?
Uh, seeing none, Alder Knudson moves to pass. All in favor say aye. Aye.
Any opposed, say nay. And the chair, the ayes have it. Item is passed. Thank you.
Uh, document number 2250, uh, T1 in the 30th
Ward. Common address, 3352 North Milwaukee Avenue.
Change request, B-3-1, community shopping district, to C-3-1,
commercial, manufacturing, and employment district.
Uh, once again, Aaron Dorsey.
... Uh, good afternoon again, Aaron Dorsey, for the record.
Uh, we represent the applicant, Arkwright Construction LLC, and its application to
rezone the property located at 3352 North Milwaukee
Avenue from the B-3-1 Community Shopping District to the
C-3-1 Commercial Manufacturing and Employment District, and as a Type
1 for the purpose of allowing limited manufacturing to take place at the property.
Uh, the limited manufacturing use would b- not involve heavy equipment or
machinery, but would be limited to, um, hand assembly of cabinetry and other
building materials. Uh, as part of this rezoning, the applicant is also requesting
a variation to only provide one parking space at the
property. Uh, we have sent out the required notice to surrounding property
owners and have not received any opposition.
Uh, we've also briefed all the women crews about the application and have received
a letter of support, which should be on file with the committee.
Um, we respectfully ask for your f- favorable consideration, and, uh, welcome any
questions you have.
Great. Thank you, Mr. Dorsey. Any questions by committee members?
Uh, seeing none, Alderperson Fuentes moves to pass. All in favor say aye. Aye.
Any opposed say nay. Let me share the item.
Uh, ayes have it, item is passed.
Thank you.
Thank you, sir. Um, uh, we are going to wait for Alderman Waguespack, who's in the
building, um, and we're-- for this next item, so I'm going
to move on to the bottom of page ten.
Is Tyler Manick in the room? He probably
thought... There he is. Probably thought you had a little break.
No. All right, document number two two nine five one in the twenty-fifth Ward.
Common address, 2312 West Twenty-First Street.
Change request, R-2-4 Residential, two-flat townhouse and multi-unit
district to R-5, Residential Multi-Unit District.
Uh, Attorney Tyler Manick.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman and members of the committee.
For the record, my name is Tyler Manick.
I'm an attorney with Shane, Banks, Kenyon & Schwartz.
I'm the attorney for the property owner of 2312 West
Twenty-First Street. The property is zoned R-2-4 and is improved
with a six-dwelling unit residential building, of which
four dwelling units are currently recogn- recognized as lawfully
established. The owner is seeking this zoning map amendment to rezone
this property from an R-2-4 to an R-M-5, a zoning
district to lawfully establish all six dwelling units, meaning
getting a building permit for the two dwelling units that are not currently
recognized as lawfully established.
Uh, the property is located in the twenty-fifth Ward.
Uh, the own- alderman has met with all...
Or the owner has met with Alderman Tishco Lopez and his zoning
advisory board. Um, and I do believe that, uh, the
alderman has confirmed his support with this committee, and he may or
may not be present to confirm that.
Um, we do have his, uh, letter on file. Yes.
Uh, thank you, Mr. Chairman. Uh, in conclusion, I respectfully request this
committee's favorable recommendation to pass this zoning map amendment
application, the rezone 2312 West Twenty-First Street from
R- an R-2-4 residential, two-flat townhouse and
multi-unit district to an R-M-5 resid- residential multi-unit
district, and I'm happy to answer any questions.
Thank you, uh, Mr. Manick. We do have the letter from Alderman Tishco Lopez.
Any questions by committee members?
Uh, seeing none, Alder- Woman Harris moves to pass. All in favor say aye. Aye.
Any opposed say nay. Let me share, the ayes have it, this item is passed.
...
We're going to do the next case, and then we'll go back to thirty-two.
They're both there.
Wow, they're both in thirty-two. You stay put, Tyler.
Document number two two nine five two in the thirty-second Ward.
Common address, 1617 North Honore Street.
Change request, R-M four point five residential multi-unit district to
R-S three, residential single-unit detached house district.
Once again, Tyler Manick.
Well, thank you again, Mr. Chairman and members of the committee.
Again, for the record, my name is Tyler Manick, an attorney with Shane, Banks,
Kenyon & Schwartz. I'm here on behalf of the property owner of
1617 North Honore Street. Uh, this is just the
final step of a process that was started a couple years ago when
we rezoned this, uh, property in order to bring it
into a conforming zoning district, 'cause the homeowners, um,
purchased the property from a developer who, um,
didn't build according to the plan, so we needed the higher zoning district to do
some repairs to the building. Um, those repairs have been
completed, um, and as part of the original zoning map
amendment, uh, application, we agreed to bring
this property back to its original zoning district of R-S three,
and that's what we're trying to do here today.
And I do believe that the alderman has given his letter of support
for this project.
Great, uh, thank you. Um, we do have the alderman's letter.
Alderman Waguespack is here. Anything to add?
For the committee's favorable consideration of this item.
Thank you, Alderman. Um, any questions by committee members?
Seeing none, Alderman Hopkins moves to pass. All in favor say aye. Aye.
Any opposed say nay. Let me share, the ayes have it, item is passed.
Thank you-
Thank you.
- Chairman.
Mr. Manick. All right, we're going to return to the middle of page
ten. Uh, document number two two nine five seven in the
thirty-second Ward. Common addresses, three hundred
through fourteen twenty-two and thirteen oh one to fifteen eleven West
Courtland Street, nineteen forty through two thousand
seventy-six North Kingsbury Street, twenty forty-six through twenty
sixty-eight and twenty forty-one through twenty forty-seven
North Southport Avenue, fourteen oh one to fourteen forty-three West
Dickens Avenue, twenty eighty-four to twenty-one sixty-six North
Dominic Street, nineteen thirty-six through twenty eighty-two and
nine- seventeen thirty-nine through twenty seventy-seven North Throop
Street, fourteen hundred through fourteen forty-four
and fourteen oh one through fourteen thirty-three West Armitage
Avenue, fifteen oh three through fifteen twenty-three West
Webster Avenue, and eighteen oh one through eighteen fifty-three
North Elston Avenue. Change request is Plan Development
fourteen thirty-nine and M-3-3 Heavy Industry
District to Plan Development fourteen
thirty-nine, as amended. We have Attorney Andrew Scott.
... Good afternoon, Mr. Chairman, uh, members of the committee.
For the record, my name is Andrew Scott with the law offices of Dykema Gossett, ten
South Wacker Drive, Suite twenty-three hundred, Chicago, Illinois.
I am joined, uh, this afternoon by Jim Letchinger with JDL
Development. He's the principal with the applicant, Foundry Park Properties
KP seven LLC. Also here is Joey Letchinger
and also Jim Plunkard from Hartshorn Plunkard Architecture, and
they are the project architects. As you'd mentioned, uh, this
is a proposed amendment to Waterway Residential Business Planned Development number
fourteen thirty-nine, and certain additional properties south of
Cortland that we'll talk about in a few minutes.
Uh, those are currently zoned M three-three, and we're seeking to rezone it to a
planned development, an, a, an amend, as amended form of fourteen
thirty-nine. Uh, before talking about the project and the property,
uh, just a couple of housekeeping items, if it's okay.
Uh, we were before the planning commission on January fifteenth.
Uh, we did get a unanimous favorable recommendation, and at this time, I would like
to incorporate all the findings and the proceedings and materials from that meeting
into the record today.
Yes. Alderman Knudson moves to incorporate all the records and findings from the
Planning Commission hearing. All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed, say nay.
With the chair, the ayes have it. The records are incorporated.
Thank you very much. And then the other matter is, uh, we have tendered a
substitute ordinance, uh, that, uh, ch- the plan's changed and
evolved a little bit since we app- applied.
I believe that, uh, ordinance is with your office, and so I would like
the, uh, substitute ordinance to be considered by this committee.
Was the substitute, uh, included at the Planning Commission?
Yes.
So then it was just incorporated.
Okay. Okay, good enough then.
Yes.
All right. Good enough. Um, and with that, um,
I'll turn it over to Jim Letchinger.
Uh, we have a few slides just to give everybody a sense of what the new proposal
for this project is.
Try to keep it brief. It's, it is a large project.
We're excited to be here to, to take the next step.
As you can see, uh, the site is outlined in the purple
above. It is, uh,-- it spans both sides of Cortland
and goes east and west along the Chicago River, uh, with Kingsbury to the
east.
Uh, just another viewing of that site.
It is, you know, right in the middle of a large, of, of two existing neighborhoods.
Uh, this is our overall plan. We are starting with subarea
D, which you can see in the, the right triangle.
Uh, that is, we hope to start as soon as October of this year.
Um, the river walk, all of the infrastructure required and
associated with this project are incorporated in the plans.
You can see the massing. Um, you know, this was, this is an
amendment to an existing plan that had much more substantial density and much
larger buildings. This has been fully vetted with the neighborhood groups, with
all the neighbors, um, the scale, the density, et cetera,
and w- has met with, with very favorable
response. Uh, there are a couple of taller buildings, but for the most part, we've
brought the density way down. Uh, here's
a current rendering. Again, we are-- we don't have site plan approval for all of
these buildings, but this is- we are far along on our design.
The two buildings facing the river actually represent the only architecture that is
somewhat more modern. The rest of it, as you get into the interior, is very
much contextual with the overall design, with, with the design
of the existing neighborhood, really blending in with Bucktown, Wicker Park, and
Lincoln Park. Uh, so here again, you see the, the more glassy
towers, very representative of Chicago, the Chicago
River. As you go up and down the Chicago River, it encompasses some great
architecture. Not, not making any statements about ours.
We like it, but, uh, certainly famous along Wacker Drive and the Chicago
River. Um, here's another view from what will ultimately be the
extension of the Bloomingdale Trail on the six oh six, uh, from west
to east, uh, which we hope to do in the next five or six
years, assuming that, uh, we're able to get the trail all the way over to our
site. The river, riverwork
framework, this has been met with tremendous positive response from
Friends of the River and all of the constituents involved.
Um, very dramatic changes to the river, cutting down
sheeting, natural edges, activating almost a half mile of river
walk. Um, hopefully, hopefully one day extending this all the way
to downtown as other areas get developed.
Uh, again, focusing on the, the D parcels, this is our first approval
that we have- we s- we were seeking during planning commission.
This is a large six and a half acre site,
encompasses, uh, over seven hundred units, condos,
apartments, tremendous retail, a hotel, and most
importantly, almost two acres of open space.
And when I say open, this entire site, everything you've seen, there is
nothing gated, there is nothing closed.
All of the public spaces, all the open spaces are public.
From an infrastructure standpoint, we are, um,
we've worked with CDOT and, and the city in order to incorporate the, the
streets to fit our site. Cortland Avenue would be redone,
K- Kingsbury will be, be redone, um, additional street,
uh, additional signaling in multiple corridors, both on and off
site, and as you... And of course, the bridge, which I referenced
earlier. Uh, we have met with the Department of Housing and have
crafted a plan that meets the requirements of the ARO program to
the T. Um, and we're excited to deliver both on
and off-site, as well as fee in lieu, uh, as a, as a
combination of all of those to help as many, as many, in as many, as
many different ways as we can.
Um, the economic and com- community benefits of this are substantial, as
you, as you can see, almost a thirty-acre site, um, with the
industrial corridor conversion fee of over eighteen million dollars, North Branch
bonus fee of over twelve million. The real estate tax revenue, the current real
estate taxes on the property are around a million and a half dollars.
We project as early as twenty thirty-one that-...
increasing to over thirty million dollars, and over the next twenty years, over a
billion dollars in real estate, real estate tax creation.
Uh, the job creation, six- six hundred to eight hundred annual construction jobs
over the next ten years, uh, and that's every year for the next ten years.
And at a minimum, probably twenty-five hundred permanent jobs once this is all
constructed.
Great.
We're available to answer any questions.
Great. Um, thank you. Uh, we do have Alderman Waguespack here.
Um, do you want to add anything, Alderman?
Uh, thanks, Chairman. Um,
I think many of my colleagues have seen this, uh, project in the new
iteration, uh, from seven or eight years ago.
And this is a much-needed residential development for the area with,
um, the appurtenant retail development that'll go along with
it. As Mitcher- Mr. Letchinger said, it'll bring in significant
job opportunities. I think some of the biggest challenges we're gonna face are the
transportation issues in the area, and we'll really have to take a
holistic approach to this. Um,
we are seeing, uh, significant transportation
investments, but it will require more to continue to reconnect
this whole grid through this area.
Um, they are improving the existing streets, traffic signals,
will have significant, uh, bike infrastructure going in.
And as you can see from the Riverwalk, um, I, I think
it's an improvement, uh, for the entire area.
And as Mr. Letchinger said, having the Friends of the River at the
forefront to, to really approve this and, and support it is
essential. Um, so a lot of these improvements, uh, on Cortland,
Kingsbury, Southport, the Riverwalk, uh, really make a,
uh, I think, an essential plan for this area.
Um,
we have a lot of work to do, I think, with the city departments, my colleagues,
the neighborhood organizations there.
But I think overall, this is a plan that I am confident will really
transform this area. And, uh, I want to be a partner, not only
with the developer, but with, uh, all of the people in this
area to really improve this site and, uh, continue further
south as we look at the south phase as well.
And with that, I just ask for the committee's favorable consideration of this item.
Thank you, Chairman. Great. Thank you. Questions by committee members?
Alderman Hopkins?
Yeah. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Uh, and, uh, as my
colleague, the thirty-second ward alderman, stated, and as the applicant stated,
uh, the community organizations that have reviewed this, uh, have
determined it to be not only favorable, but to compare most
favorable to what the original plan was for Lincoln Yards
on this site. Uh, and it isn't just the density reduction, it's the overall
context, uh, that it provides, the character of the community, as was
stated. Um, this is a superior plan, uh, there's no question about
it. Um, having said that, however, uh, I have to vote no on this
today. And, uh, the reason that I'm voting no is evident
to anyone in the neighborhood right now who's aware of the fact that the Cortlandt
Bridge is currently closed for construction.
The Cortlandt Bridge serves approximately ten thousand vehicles a
day. When we closed that bridge for this major
rehabilitation project, ten thousand vehicles a day that normally would
have used that crossing point diffused into the neighborhood
for alternatives, and we're seeing the impact of that right
now. The traffic jam, the congestion, the detours that
are caused by this necessary construction project
serve as an undeniable example
of the need for additional infrastructure build-out in this community
right now today. Before JDL breaks ground,
before the next applicant, who's going to buy the other half of
the former Lincoln Yard site, breaks ground, we need that new bridge
right now, today. And to continue building without a
plan for that infrastructure is inexcusable.
It is an abdication of duty on behalf of the city, not the developer.
The developer is doing his job. The developer is proposing a, a very exciting
program that the community supports. That's his job.
It's not his job to build bridges. It's not his
job to build out a redevelopment agreement for the TIF to
replace what we negotiated on behalf of the community
during the debate surrounding Lincoln Yards.
Promises were made to the residents of this neighborhood
by the city of Chicago, and those promises were, if we
allow for this obsolete industrial area to be
repurposed and rebuilt, we'll do our job as a public agency, as
a government, and build the infrastructure and the support that's
necessary. When we created the Cortlandt River
TIF, of which this, uh, site, uh,
overlays, it met five of the thirteen criteria
to allow for the creation of a TIF, and one of those five was
inadequate public infrastructure.
Again, today, that is the current state of
this parcel. There is an inadequate public infrastructure, and you
cannot expect a developer to be able to pay for all of that on
their own. To their credit, they're paying for the six oh six, uh, trail extension
out of the proceeds of this development.
That is the low-hanging fruit. The study that created the
Cortlandt River TIF identified at least eight hundred
million dollars of necessary public improvement:
roads, bridges, streets, sewers, utilities that
are not currently there. Now, as my colleague, Alderman
Waguespack, uh, acknowledged, there is continued work on that
project, and at some point, we may see a plan
to cover all those things, but we should have it today.
The Department of Planning needs to do its job and
plan. We don't have that plan before us right now, and that is
inexcusable. There's no reason why we can't
recommit-... to the public infrastructure program that is
necessary to support this development today.
We don't have to have a completed RDA in front of us, but we should at least have
the overall plan that this neighborhood was
promised, and it looks to me today like
we're walking away from that promise.
My vote of no is an objection to that broken
promise. It's inexcusable that there was money in that
TIF, $34 million, that was taken out of
that TIF and sent elsewhere. We have needs,
too, on the North Side of Chicago, and we have to meet those needs in
order to support good ideas like this one.
So I will be voting no, and I hope it's not too late for us to do the right thing,
but right now, I don't see any movement in that direction. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Thank you, Alderman. Uh, any other questions by committee members
or responses? Alderman Harris, moves to
pass. All in favor say aye. Aye.
Any opposed say nay. Any of the- Nay.
Uh, okay. We'll record tomorrow,
uh, at council. In the opinion of the chair, the ayes have it.
Despite the division, the item is passed. Thank you, gentlemen.
Good luck to you.
Middle of page eleven. It's document number two two nine five five
dash T one in the twenty-fifth Ward.
Common address, 1606 South Ashland Avenue.
Change request, C one two, neighborhood commercial district, to B two three,
neighborhood mixed-use district.
Uh, we have attorney, uh, Timothy
Barton.
Mr. Chairman, good afternoon. Um, I
believe you has a, have a substitute before
you.
Uh, oh, yes? Yes, uh, apparently we do.
Yeah.
Um, last minute.
Come to.
And so, uh, Alder Knutson moves to accept the substitute narrative and plans for
this type one, uh, this type
one amendment. Okay. All in favor say aye. Aye.
Any opposed say nay. In the chair, the ayes have it. The type one is before us.
The substitute is before us.
Okay. Just to be clear, that was a substitute narrative?
Yes.
Okay. Um, again, my name is Timothy
Barton. I'm with the firm of Thomas R.
Rains, Attorney at Law, LLC, and I'm here
today on behalf of Sixteen Hundred Property,
LLC, the applicant and property
owner. The site is improved with a twenty-three thousand
three hundred and seventy-five square foot, four-story
mixed-use building. Um, it has twenty-three dwelling units
and thirty-four parking spaces. The applicant is
seeking to convert the ground floor commercial space into
five residential units, permitting a total of twenty-eight dwelling
units.
Um, all five of the units will be ADA
accessible, uh, type A,
uh, compliant. Three of the units will be
CHA voucher-ready units. Um,
the applicant will enter into a covenant, um, to
memorialize the CHA units.
Um,
there are thirty-four existing, um, on-street parking
spaces. Uh, that number will be reduced to
thirty-two, but will still be
four, four parking spaces in excess of the
one-to-one, uh,
parking for twenty-eight units. Um, the applicant has
met with Alderman Cito Lopez, um, and the
alderman to, uh... has no objection to the map
amendment.
With that, uh, I-
Great
... ask for your favorable consideration.
Thank you. Alderman Cito Lopez, anything you want to add?
No, just, uh, um, yeah, we'll, we'll...
This is an item that's been in discussion for a while, and they, they met the
requirements and gathered support from the community, including signatures
within two hundred and fifty feet.
So, uh, our office has no objections to get this item in conformity and
ask for a, have a favorable support.
Thank you. Um, um, just one quick question: Is it the entire ground floor or just a
portion of it that's going residential from commercial?
The entire.
The entire thing. Got it. All right, um, seeing no other questions, Alderman
Quezada moves to pass. All in favor say aye. Aye. And the chair, the ayes have it.
Oh, nays. And the ayes have it. Uh, the item is passed. Thank you, Mr.
Barton.
Thank you.
Um, up next, we're going to the top of page twelve.
It's document number two two nine six four dash T one in the thirtieth
Ward. Common address is thirty-five thirty-eight
to thirty-five forty North Milwaukee Avenue.
Change request, C one one, neighborhood commercial district, to B two three,
neighborhood mixed-use district.
We have attorney Thomas Moore.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman and members of the, the committee.
My name, for the record, is Thomas Moore.
And, uh, this first case is a, um,
area that used to be a gas station and, and, uh, needs some
environmental, uh, cleanup, but it's,
uh, there, there is no, uh, commercial
activity here. And so, uh, the alderman
has, uh, agreed to support, uh, this zoning
change to allow the building of a residenti- all
residential, a six-flat. And,
um, um, we have her support. We have a letter of support, and we
request your support as well.
Thank you. We do have the letter from Alderwoman Cruz.
Um, any questions by committee members?...
Seeing none, Alderman Fuentes moves to pass. All in favor say aye.
Any opposed say nay. Okay, the Chair, the ayes have it, item is passed.
Uh, next item, in the middle of page 12, is document number
22914-T1 in the 44th Ward. Common address is
3233 to 3247 North Sheffield Avenue.
Change request, B32, community shopping district to B25,
neighborhood mixed-use district. Uh, once again, Attorney Thomas Moore.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. There is a, a substitute here
because, um, there, there were some changes
as, um, the,
um... as they went back to the community and, uh,
on, on, uh, bicycle and some
land- landscaping, uh, things. And
so, um, can we first, uh, ask
to make the substitute?
Sure. Uh, Alderman Cruz moves to accept the substitute narrative and plans.
All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed say nay.
Opinion of the Chair, uh, substitute narrative and plans are before us.
So this is a 99-unit,
um, uh, all residential
building that, uh, in the 44th Ward, that has
been through ex- uh, several community meetings and evolved
as it went. And, um,
there are- there is an administrative adjustment included, uh,
to reduce the bicycle parking from 99 to
50, and, uh, the... There is
a, a couple of variances, uh, for the rear yard and
to, uh, eliminate the landscaping at the alley in
the, in the rear yard. Um, but, uh, we have the
community support, and, um, the alderman can speak
for himself, but I believe he's in support, and we'd request your support
as well.
Um, thank you. He is, okay. Um,
this is in my ward, so I'll just say a few words. Thank you for working with us.
Uh, this project is right next door to my ward office, actually.
Um, and behind us is the, the blue, uh, the red-
Yes
... purple, and brown line, Belmont Station.
So it's a great spot for density. Um, we appreciate the changes that
were made on design and accommodating some extra bikes.
I think you probably need some more bike spaces anyway, but you'll fi- you'll find
that as you go. Um, but it's a, it's a good dense project, right on top of the
train, and that's where we want to go.
So, um, any other questions by committee members?
Seeing none, Alderman Burnett moves to pass. All in favor say aye.
Any opposed say nay. Okay, the Chair, the ayes have it, item is passed.
Sit tight. Um, we are going to go back to an item that was
previously deferred. It's in the middle of page
16. Um,
it's document number 22963-T1 in the
27th Ward. Ordinance was referred 1/21/26, common address
522 North Sawyer Avenue. Change request, B31, community shopping
district, to RT4, residential two-flat townhouse and multi-unit
district. Uh, Alderman Burnett makes a motion to recall this item that was
previously deferred at today's meeting. All in favor say aye.
Aye. Any opposed say nay. Okay, the Chair, the ayes have it, and the item is now
before us. Uh, once again, Attorney Thomas Moore.
Thank you very much. So this was a, in a hospital
PD, and, uh, it was an odd little
three-flat right on the edge of the PD that the hospital used
for offices. And, uh, but way back,
probably 40 years ago or something, it was a three-flat,
and it can be renovated back into a nice, uh,
three-unit, uh, building. Uh,
Director, um, um,
Murphy, uh, made a motion in front of this committee last,
uh, fall and disbanded the, uh,
PD,
uh, but that all went to a B district and, uh,
would not allow ground floor residential.
Um, so, um, the, when, when I
saw, um, the senior Alderman, uh,
Burnett, it was suggested that the rest of the...
all the property to, uh, one side of this is all
R4, and that we would just connect it back into the
R4, and that would allow the reno- re- uh, renovation
of the three-flat. And so, um, uh,
I went and visited, uh, current Alderman Burnett,
and, uh, he's in support, and we'd request your support as
well.
Thank you. Current Alderman Burnett, do you want to add anything?
Not much more to add. I, uh, support the builder being able to build his, his,
uh... renovate his home.
Great. Thank you. Any questions by committee members?
Uh, seeing none, Alderman Tichenor Lopez moves to pass.
All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed?
Okay, the Chair, the ayes have it, item is passed.
Thank you very much.
All right. Bottom of page 12 is document number
22945 in the 28th Ward. Common address,
1137 Southwestern Avenue. Change request, C12,
neighborhood commercial district, to B23, neighborhood mixed-use
district. We have Attorney Mark Kupiak.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman, members of the committee. My name is Mark Kupiak.
I'm the attorney for the applicant.
Uh, this is for the property 1137 Southwestern.
Uh, property's improved with an old, old existing two-story
building. Uh, building's been in housing court for some time, currently in
demolition court. Applicant's a new purchaser of the property,
uh, and this building may have originally been a mixed-use building,
although the seller said that first floor has not been used for
commercial as far back as they remember.
Looks like the first floor has already been...
exterior of the first floor has already been converted to residential because
you've got a couple of small residential windows, no longer plate
glass. So we need the zoning change in order to do residential on the ground
floor and get a permit and, uh, keep the building, um,
out of demolition court. And, uh, we met with Alderman Irvin,
uh-... answered his questions, gave him some additional
information. He then sent it to the local community group for their
consideration. One question that came up, there are some, uh,
um, architectural features on the front of the building toward the roof, and the
applicant did promise to clean up those architectural features to make it look
better. And with that, we ask Alderman Irvin for his
support.
Uh, thank you. We do have a letter from Alderman Irvin on this item.
Uh, any questions by committee members?
Uh, seeing none, Alderman Cruz moves to pass. All in favor say aye. Aye.
Any opposed? Ensure the ayes have it, uh, and the item is
passed. Thank you, Mr. Kupiec. Uh, next is top of page
13, document number 22970 in the 35th Ward.
Common address 2839 North Milwaukee Avenue.
Change request, B22 mixed- neighborhood mixed-use district to
C12 neighborhood commercial district. Mark Kupiec.
Mr. Chairman, members of the committee, M- Mark Kupiec, attorney for the applicant.
Uh, this property is already improved with an existing old two-story
building. Uh, actually, the applicant has already, uh, uh, remodeled
and rehabbed that building, and is currently operating a beauty shop on the
first floor of that building. Uh, we're here today not for any improvements, but
really more of a licensing matter, because in connection with her beauty shop
business, customers have requested additional services.
And the services she would like to add would be, uh, uh,
uh, the, the ability
for, uh, an eyebrow pr- procedure similar to a tattoo is what they
consider it. Uh, uh, but we would need a zoning change for her to offer
that service, and some customers also have asked about
massage. So this way, they'd have more of the spa experience
there all in one stop. So w- to add those two
services, we'd need the zoning change.
The applicant has spoken with the alderman.
I believe the alderman has, uh, sent this request to his, uh,
neighborhood, uh, neighborhood-led organizations to review the
application, and we had asked the alderman for his
support.
Great. Uh, we have the alderman. Alderman Quezada, anything you want to add on this
one?
Nope, the community cha- uh, supports the change. Thank you so much.
Thank you. Any questions by committee members?
Seeing none, Alderman Villegas moves to pass. All in favor say aye. Aye.
Any opposed say nay. Ensure the ayes have it, item is passed.
Thank you.
Thank you, sir. Keep going?
Alderman Mitchell, are you ready, or do you want me to do the next one?
Okay. All right, going back to an item, uh, that was previously passed,
uh, over, um, with the sponsor here now.
Uh, it's document number
O2025-0018183,
Amendment of the Municipal Code Title 17 by modifying Section
17-3-0207 to remove permit
requirements for gas stations in B3, C1, and C2
zoning districts, and by modifying certain...
or Section
17-9-0109,
restricting expansions of gas stations in certain cir-
circumstances. Um, we have Alderman Mitchell here to take us through the ordinance,
but we also have a substitute-
Correct.
-which we'll need to accept. Has the substitute been distributed to all members of
the committee? All right, very well.
Um, in that case, uh, Alderman Harris moves to accept the
substitute. All in favor say aye. Any opposed say
nay. In the opinion of the chair, the ayes have it, and the substitute is before
us. Alderman Mitchell.
All right. Thank you, Chair, Vice Chairman.
Um, this, this, this, this proposed change comes at
a time where our wards on the south and the west sides are undergoing a
change, and current ordinances does not keep up with
present-day situations. So
the fact that, uh, the south and the west sides
has, uh, two hundred and fifty, two hundred and forty-six
gas stations versus the whole city at four hundred, a little over four
hundred, um, and wards are constantly getting bombarded with,
uh, with proposals for new, uh, into introduction of new
gas stations, we thought it was...
this is the time to, uh, change the legislation
to, uh, to curb that, that behavior.
Um, so as a result, um, I introduce
two, two, two points. Uh, no new gas
stations, uh, uh, use may be, uh, provided
if such use is located within a thousand s- feet of an existing gas
station, and the other one is located on the same
block, uh, faced as a lot zone
residential one, res, RS1, RS2, and RS3, which
is how generally the commercial corridors
are, are made up in our, in our wards.
Uh, so to keep up with the, the development that's going on in, in
wards like mine, and to, to, to allow
for other uses outside of the saturation
of gas stations, I'm proposing this ordinance.
And with that, I, I, I, I ask for your, the body's
favorable consideration for this ordinance.
Thank you, uh, Alderman Mitchell.
Um,
do we have questions from committee meme- members?
Uh, Alderman Villegas?
Thank you, uh, Mr. Chairman, and I want to thank my colleague from the Seventh Ward
for bringing this up. I just have one question around
existing gas stations that were changing ownership.
Would that, would that be grandfathered in? Is that a...
Is that good to go?
Um, so the question is around if a gas station was to change
ownership, um, would that be grandfathered in, or would it be considered a
new-
So it would de- it would depend on the condition under which the gas station
was established. If the, if the
existing... I- presuming there is a special use that established the gas
station, then if that special use was issued only
to a certain operator, an individual or an entity, then that would be
the only, uh, uh, operator that would be
allowed.... if the gas station was established either prior to the
need of a special use, or if it was established with no
direct requirement that it only be issued to a certain person,
then yes, it could be transferred- ownership could be transferred ahead.
So but also, if, if a use is dormant for six months,
it's-
Well, right.
Right.
So whether it's a special use or a legal special use, if it...
Right, if, if operations cease for more than six months, then
any of those attributes are dead-
Yeah
... and they would have to, uh, start over or seek a
rezoning, and then start over, depending on the conditions.
A- and when you're talking about no activity for six months, so if they're doing a
complete rehab, a, a gas station that's closed for six
months 'cause they're doing a rehab, that wouldn't count towards that-
Right
... correct?
Correct. If there's- if someone's pursuing, is- if someone is actively pursuing a
permit, we would not consider that a closed use.
Gotcha.
Correct.
Okay. Okay.
More like if they abandon it, whether it's licensed or not.
Correct, yeah. Right, yeah.
You know?
Well, look, you know, the, the, uh...
I know Alderman Mitchell has been talking about this for quite some time, and I
think to try to solve the issues that he's trying to solve for, in some
cases, we had to move forward with legislation.
Um, so I signed on to this, and I'm glad that the a- alderman was able to take a
look at amending it in order to take into consideration some of the feedback.
So I support this. Thank you, Alderman Mitchell.
Thank you. Alderwoman Harris?
I, too, would like to thank my colleague for working on this ordinance and being so
willing to compromise as we're doing the sub to make it
work for, um, everybody across the South and the West Sides.
Um, and I am in total support of this ordinance.
Thank you.
Thank you, Alderwoman. Um, any other questions by committee
members? I actually have one for the zoning administrator.
Um, would you, uh, just clarify block face for us?
'Cause I think that's a term
we use sometimes, we use both sides of a block other times.
So-
So, okay-
Help with that.
So g- I'll just use this as a, an example.
Uh, if th- if this would be considered the block, so it's bounded by four
public rights of way, four, four public streets-
With an alley in the middle
... in many cases, bisected by an alley, correct, with certain at the, at the north
and south end as well, then the block face would be that
portion of the block that is fronting a certain public right
of way between the two intersecting streets.
So if it's the 7500 block of South Yates, for
instance, it would be the side of the street that
the gas station's proposed facing Yates, and then from the 75th to
the seve- sev- from 75th Street to 76th, or whatever the intervening, if
it's a place, an intervening street to the south.
That would be the block face, only what fronts on the property.
So
if the, if the gas station fronts onto 75th as opposed to on Yates, is
that still on the same block face?
Well, then that would be on the block face to the north, along 75th Street.
And if it's at the corner, then you would be looking at two different block faces-
At both
... that you would have to satisfy.
Okay. And that-
Regardless of how they address themselves.
Okay.
They may use a 75th Street address, but they may still have frontage along
a, a side street or a street that runs off perpendicular to that, and then
we would look at that block face as well.
Right. And, and, and u- under that provision, there's no, there's no wiggle
room, there's no special use. You would have to rezone from
R3 to R4. I mean, at any-
Well, we... No. Well, here, what's be- we can't do it in R's anyway.
Right.
But in any of these instances, you would need, presuming it's a brand-new gas
station, because that's what this covers, you would need to be in a C3 zoning
district. So if you're already a C1 today, and even if you
otherwise meet the other standards that exist, whether they're in this ordinance or
that already are in the municipal code, you could not proceed- an applicant could
not proceed until they first got to the C3 zoning district.
And then presuming they got to the C3 zoning district, and they satisfy all these
other requirements, they would still have to go get the special use.
Right. And not be within 1,000 feet of, of each other-
Yeah
... and not on the same block-
Base
... base-
Yes, sir
... as an ARS. Okay. Um, any other
questions on this item?
Uh, can I get a motion to pass?
Um, Mr. Chairman, my hand is raised.
Yes, I'm sorry. I'm sorry, yes, Alderwoman Dowell?
Yeah, I just wanted to, uh, thank, uh,
Alderman Mitchell for moving this forward.
Um, there apparently has been an explosion of gas
stations trying to be established in
West and South Side communities, and I think these are reasonable
guardrails. Um, and so thank you
for your leadership on this, Alderman Mitchell.
Thank you.
Great, thank you. Um, and I apologize again. I, I need to get a screen up here.
Sorry. Uh, any other questions, comments by committee
members? All right, seeing none, Alderwoman Harris, motion to
pass. All in favor, say aye. Any opposed, say nay.
In the Chair, the ayes have it, and the item is passed.
Thank you, Alderman Mitchell.
Thank you.
Um, all right.
Bottom of page 13.
Document number 22636 in the 34th Ward.
Common address, 1054 to 1064 West Van Buren
Street. Change request, DS3, Downtown Service
District, to DX10, Downtown Mixed-Use District,
and then to a residential planned development.
Uh, we have Attorney Talar Berberian.
No, we don't.
Go ahead. It, it'll turn
green. One second.
I'm-
There you go. Okay. Uh, our attorney, Talar Berberian, is unable to make it today.
Mm-hmm.
I'm Ri- Richard Whitney with Fitzgerald Associates Architects.
We're the architects for the project.
So, uh, this matter was heard before the Planning Commission on January 15th,
2026, and we ask that the findings, uh, be entered into the
record.
Uh, yes. Alderman Cesar Lopez moves to incorporate the records and findings from
that hearing. All in favor, say aye. Aye. Any opposed, say nay.
In the Chair, the ayes have it. Those records are before us.
... Thank you. Uh, this will be actually a two-phase project.
Uh, the, the first phase revolves, um, the, um, uh,
renovation and adaptive reuse of an existing eight-story, uh, warehouse
building at the n- northeast corner of, uh,
West Van Buren and South Aberdeen Streets.
Uh, the building is the Hill Binding Company building.
It was designed in 1912 by the Daniel H. Burnham Company.
Um, the phase two of the project would be, uh, a
27-story addition to, uh,
the, the warehouse building, uh, uh,
to be a residential apartment building.
The existing building, the warehouse- the Hill Binding building, would contain
111 units. Uh, the tower would contain
214 units, making a total of 325 apartment
units in the building. Uh, phase two, the tower will also have a
106-space parking
garage. Uh, and,
uh, there will also be 65 AR
units all located on-site this
project.
And that's what I have yeah.
Great, thank you. Um, any questions by committee members on this
one? Uh, seeing none, Alder Knudson moves to pass
as re- I'm sorry, Alderman Conway, are you still on?
Do you want to add
anything?
All right, Alderman Dowell's hand is up. Is...
I don't know if, uh, you wanted to add on this as
well.
No, Mr. Chairman, that was, uh... I forgot to put my hand down.
Thank you.
All right, you got it. And it looks like Alderman Conway, uh, is good to go on this
as well. We do have a letter from him.
Um, any questions by committee members? No.
Seeing none, uh, Alderman Burnett moves to pass. All in favor say aye. Aye.
Any opposed say nay. And the ayes have it, item is passed.
Um-
Thank you.
Thank you, thank you. Top, top of page 14 is document number two two nine one two
in the 34th Ward. Common address, 1133 West Van Buren
Street. Change request, residential business plan development number
1431 to residential business plan development 1431
as amended. Um, we have Attorney Sarah Barnes.
Good afternoon, um, um, Mr. Interim Chair and esteemed
commissioners. Um, for the record, my name is Sarah Barnes, and I'm a partner
with Neil and Leroy LLC. Happy to be here today
on behalf of the applicant, 1133 West Van Buren
LLC, who is the owner of the subject property.
Um, before I be- or before I go further, uh,
Mr. Chair, um, I would like to re- reference
for the record, um, that on December 18th,
2026, this matter did go before the Chicago Plan
Commission, where we received a unanimous vote of
approval. So I do ask that those records of proceedings
and all such findings please be adopted into the record here today.
Uh, yes. Alder Cecilia Lopez makes a motion to incorporate all records and findings
from that Plan Commission hearing. All in favor say aye. Aye.
Any opposed say nay. Then the chair, the ayes have it, and the records are
incorporated.
Thank you so much. Um, the subject property actually,
um, comprises a small portion of an existing
mixed-use plan development. Um, it is the
corner apex of that plan development and
comprises sub-area B. We are here today
in order to allow for the reactivation of the existing
two-story commercial building with a new
social equity cannabis dispensary.
Um, the social equity applicant actually has
long-term roots in the West Town neighborhood, and they are
partnering with a management company,
um, the National Diversity and Inclusion Cannabis
Alliance, um, which also is a WBE,
um, MBE-certified organization.
In order to allow for the operation of a cannabis
dispensary at this location, we are required to amend
the sub-area B of the plan development in order
to only expand the allowed uses within
sub-area B exclusively. Um, and that is
to allow for, um, the use statement
of that plan development, use statement number, or number five,
to incorporate the operation of a
adult-use cannabis organization, and that
is further limited due to feedback that we received from
Alderman Conway, as well as the multiple neighborhood organizations
that we met with. Um, we have made a further condition
within the plan development amendment so that
the operation of and licensing of the cannabis dispensary
is exclusive to, um,
the Equitize Holdings LLC, which is the
particular social equity applicant for this, um,
amendment, and no other operators.
Um, with that, we did go through several months of community
engagement, um, with the help and collaboration of
Alderman Conway and his office. We met with the neighbors of West
Loop, as well as the West Central Association, and we met with
over a dozen of the neighboring condo associations,
property managers, residential associations, and
businesses, all of which, um, seemed to have general
support over the project, and we did incorporate a lot of the feedback
we received into the plan of operation for the proposed
dispensary. Um, with
that, I believe we also still have the support
of Alderman Conway, if he's still
participating?... I don't know if he
wants-
You have the support of Alderman Conlin.
Okay.
Uh, he- I think he may have dropped off, but it's okay.
Okay, perfect.
Um-
Um, then I just respectfully request the, um, approval of this
esteemed committee.
Great. Any questions by committee members?
Seeing none, Alder Knudson moves due pass. All in favor say aye. Aye.
Any opposed say nay. Then the chair, the ayes have it. Item is passed.
Thank you so much.
Thank you very much. Um, okay, our last map amendment
of sorts, middle of page twenty, uh, 14, is document number
22962 in the 27th Ward. Common address is 3200 to
3224 West Franklin Boulevard, 501 to 511 North
Sawyer Avenue, 500 to 510 North Kedzie
Avenue. Change request to B 3.1, Community Shopping District, to
C 1.2, Neighborhood Commercial District.
Uh, we have attorney, uh, Chris Leach.
Um, uh, good afternoon, Mr. Chairman, members of the Committee on Zoning,
Landmarks, and Building Standards.
My name is Chris Leach, and I'm an attorney with the Law Offices of Ackerman LLP,
located at 71 South Wacker Drive. I'm appearing this morning,
or this afternoon rather, on behalf of the applicant, Mission Paw...
Mission Compassion Paw Inc., and I wanted to correct that it is an
Inc. Instead of on your agenda, it says LLC.
Uh, just wanted to point that out to you.
Uh,
it is a corporation. In connection with the proposed zoning amendment
for the property located at 3200-24 West
Franklin Boulevard, 501 through 511 North Sawyer
Avenue, and 500 through 510 North Kedzie
Avenue. The subject property is located in the 27th Ward and
contains a site area of thirty-nine thousand three, I mean, thirty-nine thousand
nine hundred and eighty-three square feet, and is currently improved with a
surface parking lot. The applicant seeks the zoning change from the B
3.1, uh, Community Shopping District to the C
1-2, Neighborhood Commercial District, to redevelop the, the
property with a rescue animal shelter and spay and neuter
clinic. The proposed shelter will be three stories,
forty-five feet in height, containing approximately twelve thousand square feet in
floor area, with an outdoor terraces, open space, and thirty-two
on-sites parking spaces. The applicant, uh, met with the
West Humboldt, Humboldt Park Development Commu- uh,
Council, and to present and propose zoning amendment
and, and the rescue animal shelter, and received a letter of support
from the West Humboldt Park Development Council, which I've,
uh, provided to the committee. In addition, the applicant has met with
both the former Alderman Burnett and the current Alderman Burnett to
obtain their support for the proposed shelter.
Uh, I see Alderman B- Burnett is here, so I'll let the alderman speak for
himself. Uh, we'd like to thank the alderman and the West
Humboldt Park Development Council, uh, for their time and
support. Uh, present with me this morning is Marta Kinnard,
the founder and chief executive officer of the applicant.
With that, we stand ready to answer any questions that you or the committee may
have. Thank you very much.
Thank you, Mr. Leach. Uh, Alderman Burnett?
Thank you. Yes, uh, good community partner, have been around for a
while. Um, the community group is supportive, so I'm supportive as well.
Excited to see the expansion in the neighborhood.
Thank you, Alderman. Um, what's the capacity like on this one?
Uh, how many animals at a time will you, will you be able to-
So we're primarily foster-based.
Okay.
There's gonna be fifteen suites for dogs-
Okay
... but that's not the real prime. I mean, there will be dogs there, yeah.
Okay.
But it's really, it's an opportunity for the, um, community to be able to
afford that care-
Uh-huh
... the low cost of that care-
Right
... and then high-volume spay and neuter to help the overpopulation crisis in
our city.
And you, you mentioned crisis, 'cause it is.
It is.
And I know, we know. We hear from Animal Care all, all the time-
Yeah
... they, they don't have the resources.
No.
And private partners are, are partnering with them-
Yeah
... and, and others to, to meet that need.
So thank you-
Exactly
... so much for doing that. I know it's in your heart-
Thank you
... more than, more than in your wallet.
Yeah.
Um, and it's-
Sure
... important work, so thank you very much.
Thank you so much.
Best of luck to you. Uh, with that, Alder Knudson moves due pass.
All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Ayes have it. Good luck to you.
Thank you.
Thank you so
much.
Thank you. All right, our final item is our cannabis establishment application.
Uh, it's document number 22930-T1 in the
27th Ward. Common address is 1143 to 1155 North Wells
Street. Change request is C 1.5, Neighborhood Commercial
District, to D X 5, Downtown Mixed-Use
District. Um, we are going
to... Uh, this is a hearing that is a bit separate from our regular process.
Um, members are advised to consider the zoning map amendment for the cannabis
business enterprise, um, that is, A, in the interest of public convenience and will
not have significant adverse impact on the general welfare of the
neighborhood or community. B, is compatible with the character of
surrounding area in terms of site planning and building scale and project
design. And C, is compatible with the character of the surrounding
area in terms of operating characteristics, such as hours of
operation, outdoor lighting, noise, and
traffic generation. And D, is designed to promote
pedestrian safety and comfort. Um, at this time, I'm gonna ask if there
are any interested parties that wish to speak on this item.
All right, seeing none, I will turn it over to the applicant, uh, represented by,
uh, Rolando Acosta.
Good afternoon again, Mr. Chairman.
Rolando Acosta, here on behalf of the applicant.
Excuse me. Here with me is Kevin Monroe, who's a principal with the
applicant, and next to him is J- Jordan Kurtz, who is a
consultant, uh, on operations. So just by way of
background, Mr. Kurtz, uh, was the Executive Vice President for
Retail Operations for Cresco, then he was the Executive Vice President for Retail
Operations for Verano. Currently works for Bloom
Wellness, which has four dispensaries in the state, so he's well-versed
in the operations of dispensaries, as this is Mr.
Monroe and by the applicant's first dispensary.
They're consulting with Jordan to make sure they are compliant with all state and
local regulations.... The, the proposal before you
is for an existing building at the southeast corner of Wells and Division.
It currently has a retail space right on the corner, uh, that's approximately
2,500 square feet, uh, that is going to be replaced.
It is currently a breakfast pancake house, Disco Pancakes.
Uh, it's gonna be replaced by the proposed dispensary.
Uh, there is additional commercial as you go along the ground floor
on, on Wells Street of this property.
Uh, there is no other dispensary in the immediate area of this
site. Uh, as you know, by state law, they're restricted to 1,500
feet separation from it, although this is a social equity
dispensary. Hours of operation will be 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
daily, which is consistent with the business hours in the, in general
area. Uh, the floor to the dispensary is pretty standard
nowadays. There's a small lobby where you enter.
That is the only public space in the dispensary.
They check your identification to make sure that you're 21 years of age.
If so, you can enter into the limited access area,
which is where you can purchase or pick up, uh, your merchandise.
There's also a restricted area that is restricted only for,
uh, members of the staff. The entire
dispensary is under camera surveillance, except for the bathrooms.
The exterior is also under camera surveillance, and something that was important
to, uh, the residents of the building, condo owners, as well as some of the
community members, we will also be putting cameras in the alley to the rear
to monitor the rear of the alley, or to monitor the alley at the
rear. The, uh, frequently, items
nowadays are pre-ordered, and with pre-ordering,
typical time in a dispensary is averaging less than ten minutes.
Uh, there's also now the ability to pre-pay in, in some
dispensaries. Uh, and if not, there's the ability to use debit
cards. So the holding of cash in dispensaries, that was initially a
concern about a decade ago, is no longer a concern.
Certainly to the extent that there'll be cash, uh, on site, it will
be removed regularly by armored vehicle.
The deliveries in this particular case are coming through the garage.
There is an internal garage in the building, and the
deliveries, which are done by vans, will enter that garage and then access a rear
door at this dispensary location.
So there will not be curbside delivery, which is
little... I mean, curbside is more typical in Chicago.
Here, we have the opportunity to not have it
curbside. Uh, we will have somewhere between twelve and fifteen employees,
approximately half, half of those at peak.
Obviously, employment will vary as you,
uh, as demand requires. There'll be air filtration,
so there will be no cannabis odor that it will emit from this facility to the
outdoors. Uh, there will be no window displays.
Any displays inside the store will not only be sealed, but will
not contain cannabis. All cannabis products arrive at the dispensary
sealed, leave the dispensary sealed.
All cannabis is tracked from cradle to grave, uh, in Illinois through
barcodes, so we know where it originated, when it was delivered, who it was sold
to. Um, cameras-
Perhaps grave isn't the right, uh, term then.
Pardon me?
Perhaps grave isn't the right term if it, uh-
Well-
The end is the buyer.
Okay, that's-
Right.
-that's true. Sure. Um,
the, uh, camera, the cameras and the tapes
are... The cameras are wired to the police department as well as the state police,
and the tapes are held for ninety days.
We have had our required community meeting.
We've also had extended extensive meeting with two, the two relevant community
groups: the Near North Unity Project, which is just down the street
on Wells Street from us, and the OTMRA, the Old Town Merchants and
Residents Association. Uh, we have a community benefits agreement with
them, um, mostly related to employment and communication and
support, uh, and neither one has any objection to our going
forward. With that, which is a quick summary, I am happy to...
Obviously, in terms of site plan consistency, we're there.
There is no change really in the building.
In terms of operational, we're consistent with the,
uh...
Oh, substitute, yeah. Uh, there is, um, there's no-
operations are similar to the commercial ones in the area.
There is a substitute narrative and plans, as Nikki is
reminding me, 'cause we substituted our ground floor plan, so I'd ask that it be
moved.
We didn't do that yet?
We haven't done that yet.
Alderman Kunitz moves to accept the substitute narrative and plans.
All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed say nay.
Apin the ayes have it, substitute is before us.
And with that, I will happy to answer any questions that you may have.
Great. Uh, before I go to Alderman Burnett, I, I do have one.
You mentioned this is a condo building.
It is.
And I'm curious, and maybe this is for the department.
Do we have any other dispensaries located in condo buildings?
I, I know we have, we have residential above.
We started off, you couldn't have any residential.
Right. I was, uh... Yes, I was gonna say, since it started out originally as
no residential-
Right
... probably not many. Um, we also don't really differentiate
condo versus-
Right
... rental or if they flip one way or the other in the future.
Right.
So I, I don't know that answer off the top of my head.
Um-
But we have the support of the condo association.
I know.
They actually have to amend the bylaws.
That's what perks my ears, right.
Okay.
Do they own the commercial co- unit, or is that separately owned?
Separately owned. Uh, so there's owners of the commercial buildings that are owner,
separate from the owners of the condo, the residential condominiums.
Right.
But it was the residential con- we had seventy-five percent of the board-
Right
... or of the unit owners. So it was the residential condominium owners that drove
the amendment.
I'll get, I'll get the full-
Because enhanced sec- en- enhanced security, if you wanna know what-
Sure
... what their support is, this is obviously a very secure facility with
cameras, which enhances the security for them in terms of the condominium
building.
I live around the corner from one, and, and-
Okay
... so but it's just unusual in a condo building, I think is, is sort of what, what
we're, uh, what I was asking about.
Um, great. Alderman Burnett?
Thank you, uh-
I have a question, Mr. Chairman, if-
Oh, uh-
I'm sure he wants to close.
Sure. We'll let Alderman Burnett close. Alderwoman, um, Dowell?
... Yeah, this is not-- I know this is a zoning hearing.
I, I'm just curious. The, the applicant is,
um, an app-- a social equity applicant under what
criteria of the Cannabis Regulation and Tax
Act?
One of the members of the applicant had a pri- prior cannabis offense.
Also, one of the, uh, members of the applicant is Hermine
Hartman, who you may know as the founder of Indigo,
so an African American woman.
All right. Thank you very much.
Thank you, uh, Alderwoman Dowell.
Any other questions before we let Alderman Burnett close?
All right, sir.
Thank you, and I appreciate the questions.
You know, this one was a unique one for where it is, uh, based off of being
under a condo tower, but also that portion of division
has been extremely controversial, especially when it has, uh, a lot
of issues in the alleyway directly adjacent to where this
dispensary will be. And so what we consistently heard from multiple community
meetings where we met with NNP, we met with the Old Town merchants,
uh, and resi-- and retailers, and as well as a joint meeting between
the two, is that security presence is extremely important in this
neighborhood. And this dispensary provides a ton of cameras that
otherwise the city would have to pay for, uh, and provides more
security that they have-- than they've had in that area in general.
And in addition to the increased security
presence, there was concern about the illegal
marijuana activity that was happening in the area.
And so what community members have indicated about their excitement with this
is that there is at least a safe place that we know product is
tested for people in the community to consume
cannabis. Uh, and so we like the idea of the regulation, the additional
security, and the applicants have been very
straightforward and collaborative with the community in terms of what they want and
what they need. Uh, so I appreciate the work that they've done so far, and looking
forward to them being good community partners in the area.
So I'm, uh, supportive of this and hope my colleagues can support it as
well.
Great. Uh, thank you, Alderman Burnett.
Seeing no other hands, uh, Alderwoman Cruise moves due
pass. Uh, all in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed, say nay.
The opinion chair, the ayes have it. Item is passed. Good luck to you all.
Thank you.
Thank you very much. Um,
good?
Yeah.
All right. There being no further business, uh, before the body,
Alderman Cicho Lopez moves to adjourn.
All in favor, say aye. Aye. Any opposed?
We are adjourned. Thank
you.