Amendment of Municipal Code Chapter 2-31 and Title 17 regarding environmental cumulative impacts of pollution on historically disadvantaged areas (Hazel Johnson Cumulative Impacts Ordinance)

• Record number: SO2025-0016697
• Type: Ordinance; category: Municipal Code Amendments
• Status: In Committee
• Sponsor: Johnson, Brandon
• Committee: Committee on Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards
• Submitted Date: Apr 15, 2025
• Introduction Date: Apr 16, 2025
• Official record: Office of the City Clerk

Impact report

Written by AI from the official document. AI can make mistakes; the official document always wins.

This ordinance would create an Environmental Justice Advisory Board, require the City to map pollution-burdened areas every five years, and require certain high-pollution businesses to complete a cumulative impact study and hold community meetings before zoning site plan review.

Who it affects

• Residents of environmental justice priority areas: Ten representatives of these areas would be appointed to the new advisory board, and the City's cumulative impact assessment would identify and map these areas.
• Owners of property near proposed industrial projects: They would receive mailed notice of community meetings if they own property within a half mile of a covered project, up from the current 250 feet in one rule.
• Companies proposing waste, recycling, intensive manufacturing, warehousing, freight, or outdoor raw material storage uses: They would have to prepare a cumulative impact study covering at least a one-mile radius, hold a community meeting, and respond in writing to public comments before applying for site plan review.
• Warehouse and freight businesses in business, commercial, manufacturing, and planned manufacturing districts: These uses would be added to the stricter review rules in Section 17-9-0117.
• Workers and job seekers near proposed projects: Each cumulative impact study must estimate the number and type of jobs affected and whether Chicago residents would be affected.
• Business community and Chicago and Cook County Building Trades: Each would get one appointed seat on the new advisory board.

What changes

• A new advisory board of up to 21 members would meet at least four times a year, but it could not block or delay any permit.
• The City would publish a cumulative impact assessment with maps of environmental justice priority areas by December 31, 2026, and every five years after that.
• Covered industrial projects would have to post their impact studies online, and the public would have 30 days after the community meeting to send written comments.
• City departments would have 45 days to give written comments on each project's impact study, posted on the City's Cumulative Impacts website.
• Some covered uses within 660 feet of residential, business, commercial, or park zoning would need planned development approval.

Money

• Advisory board members will not be paid for their service.
• The board may spend money only on research for its advisory work, and only if the City Council approves it in advance.
• The Environmental Justice Project Manager position will be created only if funding is approved.

When: Upon passage and approval; the cumulative impact study requirement starts once City rules take effect, which must be prepared within 180 days.

Lobbying and money

Computed links; money near a vote is not evidence that it influenced the vote.

Who lobbied on it

• People For Community Recovery: SUPPORT THE HAZEL JOHNSON CUMULATIVE IMPACTS ORDINANCE (3 filings, Jan 1, 2025 to Jun 30, 2025; Courtney Hanson; matched by semantic embedding)
• Hazel M. Johnson Cumulative Impact Ordinance Co-Governance Coalition: SUPPORT FOR THE HAZEL JOHNSON ENVIRONMENTAL ORDINANCE AND RELATED ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE INITIATIVES (3 filings, Apr 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2025; Brendan Shiller, Tiffany Taylor; matched by semantic embedding)
• Natural Resources Defense Council Inc. And Its Affiliates: HAZEL JOHNSON CUMULATIVE IMPACTS ORDINANCE (1 filing, Jul 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2025; Gina Ramirez; matched by semantic embedding)
• Hazel M. Johnson Cumulative Impact Ordinance Co-Governance Coalition: SUPPORT FOR THE HAZEL JOHNSON ENVIRONMENTAL ORDINANCE (1 filing, Jan 1, 2026 to Mar 31, 2026; Brendan Shiller; matched by semantic embedding)
• Natural Resources Defense Council Inc. And Its Affiliates: HAZEL M JOHNSON CUMULATIVE IMPACTS ORDINANCE (1 filing, Jan 1, 2025 to Mar 31, 2025; Gina Ramirez; matched by semantic embedding)
• Illinois Environmental Council: CUMULATIVE IMPACTS ORDINANCE, APPROPRIATIONS ORDINANCE, PLASTIC REDUCTION (3 filings, Oct 1, 2025 to Dec 31, 2025; Daniel Robles; matched by semantic embedding)
• Illinois Environmental Council: CUMULATIVE IMPACTS ORDINANCE (6 filings, Jan 1, 2025 to Mar 31, 2026; Iyana Simba, Samira Hanessian, Stephanie Blumenthal; matched by semantic embedding)
• Illinois Environmental Council: CUMULATIVE IMPACTS ORDINANCE (3 filings, Jan 1, 2026 to Jun 30, 2026; Iyana Simba; matched by semantic embedding)
• Illinois Environmental Council: CUMULATIVE IMPACTS ORDINANCE AND CHICAGO AFFORDABLE BUILDINGS ORDINANCE (2 filings, Jul 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2025; Samira Hanessian; matched by semantic embedding)
• Little Village Environmental Justice Organization: CUMULATIVE IMPACTS ORDINANCE (5 filings, Jan 1, 2025 to Jun 30, 2025; Juliana Pino; matched by semantic embedding)
• People For Community Recovery: SUPPORT THE HJ CUMULATIVE IMPACTS ORDINANCE (4 filings, Jan 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2025; Courtney Hanson; matched by semantic embedding)
• Illinois Environmental Council: CUMULATIVE IMPACTS ORDINANCE AND COMMITTEE HEARINGS (1 filing, Jan 1, 2025 to Mar 31, 2025; Samira Hanessian; matched by semantic embedding)

Alderpersons who received money from these interests