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)

Legislation tracker › Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards

• Record number: SO2025-0016697
• Type: Ordinance; category: Municipal Code Amendments
• Status: In Committee (Re-Referred)
• Sponsor: Johnson, Brandon
• Co-sponsors (2): Maria E. Hadden (49th Ward), Daniel La Spata (1st Ward)
• 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.

Timeline

• Apr 16, 2025: Referred, City Council. Two committees having been called, the Committee on Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards and the Committee on the Budget and Government Operations, the matter was Referred to the Committee on Committees and Rules (Pursuant to Council Rule 42).
• Sep 25, 2025: Recommended for Re-Referral, Committee on Committees and Rules. The matter was recommended for Re-Referral by controlling legislative body.
• Sep 25, 2025: Referred, City Council. The matter was Referred to Committee.
• Nov 3, 2025: Substituted, Committee on Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards. The matter was Substituted in Committee.

Documents

• O2025-0016697.pdf (Legislation)
• SO2025-0016697.pdf (Legislation)
• O2025-0016697 Transmittal Letter.pdf (Miscellaneous)

Lobbying and money

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

Who lobbied on it

• Illinois Manufacturers' Association: OPPOSE ORDINANCE O2025-0016697 (2 filings, Apr 1, 2025 to Jun 30, 2025; Donovan Griffith, Mark Denzler; matched by record number)
• 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; Dany 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 AND CHICAGO AFFORDABLE BUILDINGS ORDINANCE (2 filings, Jul 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2025; Samira Hanessian; 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)
• 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)

Alderpersons who received money from these interests

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