Amendment of Municipal Code Title 14A by modifying Section 14A-3-306 regarding Stop Work Order criteria and Section 14A-4-406 regarding excavation work on private property

Votes › Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards › 36th Ward: Gilbert Villegas

• Record number: SO2025-0021852
• Type: Ordinance; category: Municipal Code Amendments
• Status: Final
• Sponsor: Gilbert Villegas (36th Ward)
• Committee: Committee on Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards
• Introduction Date: Dec 18, 2025
• Final Action Date: May 20, 2026
• Official record: Office of the City Clerk

Roll call: Passed May 20, 2026

50 yea, 0 nay. On motion of Alderperson Villegas, and unsuccessful motion to reconsider by Alderperson Mitchell, the matter was Passed. Voted at the City Council meeting of May 20, 2026.

Yea (50): Daniel La Spata (1), Brian Hopkins (2), Pat Dowell (3), Lamont J. Robinson (4), Desmon C. Yancy (5), William E. Hall (6), Gregory I. Mitchell (7), Michelle A. Harris (8), Anthony Beale (9), Peter Chico (10), Nicole T. Lee (11), Julia M. Ramirez (12), Marty Quinn (13), Jeylú B. Gutiérrez (14), Raymond A. Lopez (15), Stephanie D. Coleman (16), David H. Moore (17), Derrick G. Curtis (18), Matthew J. O'Shea (19), Jeanette B. Taylor (20), Ronnie L. Mosley (21), Michael D. Rodriguez (22), Silvana Tabares (23), Monique L. Scott (24), Byron Sigcho-López (25), Jessica L. Fuentes (26), Walter R. Burnett (27), Jason C. Ervin (28), Chris Taliaferro (29), Ruth Cruz (30), Felix Cardona Jr. (31), Scott Waguespack (32), Rossana Rodríguez Sánchez (33), William Conway (34), Anthony J. Quezada (35), Gilbert Villegas (36), Emma Mitts (37), Nicholas Sposato (38), Samantha Nugent (39), Andre Vasquez Jr. (40), Anthony V. Napolitano (41), Brendan Reilly (42), Timothy R. Knudsen (43), Bennett R. Lawson (44), James M. Gardiner (45), Angela Clay (46), Matthew J. Martin (47), Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth (48), Maria E. Hadden (49), Debra L. Silverstein (50)

Plain-language summary

Written by AI (claude-opus-5-5) from the ordinance text only: Stop Work Order Expansion Ordinance.pdf. AI can make mistakes; the official document always wins.

This ordinance changes Chicago's building rules to add protections for residential buildings (Group R occupancy) next to properties where digging (excavation) is happening. It lets city officials stop work if digging causes damage to a neighboring residential building's foundation or walls, even if that building is more than 5 feet away. It also expands bracing, permit, and liability rules to cover residential buildings on adjacent lots.

• City officials may issue a stop work order if excavation causes sagging, settling, cracking, or collapse of a neighboring residential building's foundation or walls, regardless of distance or cause.
• Before a stop work order is issued, the damaged building's owner must submit a written certification from a registered design professional or geotechnical engineer.
• The stop work order lasts until the damage is fixed or the owners submit a written settlement or other agreement.
• A permit is needed for excavation more than 5 feet deep next to any lot with a residential building, and the excavating owner must pay for bracing that building.
• The excavating property owner and the person doing the work are jointly liable for damage to adjacent residential buildings, including costs like temporary housing; the ordinance takes effect 30 days after passage and publication.

Who: Owners and occupants of residential buildings next to excavation sites, as well as property owners and contractors performing excavation work on private property.

Timeline

• Dec 18, 2025: Referred, City Council. The matter was Referred to Committee.
• May 19, 2026: Recommended to Pass, Committee on Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards. The matter was recommended to Pass by controlling legislative body.
• May 19, 2026: Substituted
• May 20, 2026: Passed, City Council (50 yea, 0 nay), at the City Council meeting. On motion of Alderperson Villegas, and unsuccessful motion to reconsider by Alderperson Mitchell, the matter was Passed.

Documents

• SO2025-0021852 Ordinance.pdf (Legislation)
• Stop Work Order Expansion Ordinance.pdf (Legislation)
• ZLB 5-19-2026.pdf (Committee Letter)

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