Committee on Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards meeting, September 17, 2024
- When: Tue, Sep 17, 2024, 10:00 AM (Chicago time)
- Where: City Council Chamber, 2nd Floor, City Hall, 121 North LaSalle Street - Chicago, IL 60602
- Status: Scheduled & Published
- Committee: Committee on Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards
- Video: https://vimeo.com/showcase/8928576/video/1009974899
- Transcript: full text (44,739 words, official captions)
Meeting notes
AI-written from the transcript. Speakers are inferred from cues in the recording, so treat names as estimates and check the video at the linked time.
The Committee on Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards, chaired at this meeting by Vice Chair Bennett R. Lawson, heard 30 minutes of public comment from 15 speakers, much of it on the proposed landmark designation of the St. Adalbert Parish complex in Pilsen. The committee passed the substitute Northwest Side Housing Preservation Ordinance, which expands the 606-area pilot boundaries, raises demolition surcharges, legalizes two-flats by right in the area, and creates a tenant right of first refusal, after comments and questions from members. After a long discussion with the 25th Ward alderperson, the property owner's representatives and preservation staff, the St. Adalbert landmark designation was deferred on a motion by Alderperson Anthony Beale by a roll call vote announced as 10 to 4. The committee also passed the Ramova Theater landmark designation, landmark fee waivers, large signs, the Western Avenue corridor upzoning map amendments (two related Western Avenue items were deferred), and a long list of map amendments and planned developments, including the Six Corners redevelopment at 3955 N. Milwaukee and the Sunshine Community Center. Several other items, including the Jackson Storage and Van Company warehouse landmark, were deferred.
Topics: Northwest Side housing preservation, St. Adalbert landmark designation, Western Avenue upzoning, Landmark designations, Zoning map amendments, Planned developments, Affordable housing, Public comment time limits, Cannabis dispensary zoning
Agenda items discussed
- 24:41 Items deferred at the start of the meeting (Zoning Board of Appeals alternates, two Western Avenue map amendments, Dynamic signs and several map amendments): deferred
- 26:19 Public comment period: discussed
- 1:00:42 Northwest Side Housing Preservation Ordinance (606 district pilot program expansion, demolition surcharge, tenant right of first refusal) - substitute: passed
- 1:40:01 Historical landmark designation for St. Adalbert Parish complex, 1622-1658 W. 17th St. and 1633-1659 W. 16th St.: deferred
- 2:38:55 Historic landmark designation for the Jackson Storage and Van Company warehouse: deferred
- 2:39:35 Historic landmark designation for the Ramova Theater building, 3508-3518 S. Halsted St.: passed
- 2:43:32 Historic landmark fee waivers (25 E. Washington, 3402 S. Giles, 2401 S. Wabash): passed
- 2:44:00 Large signs over 100 square feet: passed
- 2:45:53 Map amendment, 9th Ward, 34-40 W. 95th St. (B3-1 to RS-1): passed
- 2:46:34 Western Avenue corridor aldermanic map amendments in the 40th and 49th Wards: passed
- 3:00:55 Map amendment, 33rd Ward, 4310 N. Kedzie (sunset of prior Type 1): passed
- 3:02:24 Map amendment, 49th Ward, 6411 N. Newgard Ave.: passed
- 3:03:56 Map amendment, 49th Ward, 7015 N. Sheridan Rd.: passed
- 3:06:07 Map amendment, 25th Ward, 2219 S. Oakley Ave.: passed
- 3:08:16 Map amendment, 30th Ward, 5555 W. Irving Park Rd. (car wash): passed
- 3:09:42 Map amendment, 19th Ward, 10200 S. Western Ave.: passed
- 3:11:27 Map amendment, 11th Ward, 3428 S. Lituanica Ave.: passed
- 3:13:00 Map amendment, 48th Ward, 6320 N. Broadway (social equity dispensary): passed
- 3:14:37 Map amendment, 44th Ward, 3201-09 N. Halsted St.: passed
- 3:15:54 Map amendment, 47th Ward, 3710-3714 N. Ashland Ave.: deferred
- 3:16:27 Map amendment, 46th Ward, 936-942 W. Leland Ave. (32-unit residential building): passed
- 3:19:34 Map amendment, 46th Ward, 4116 N. Clark St. (music school): passed
- 3:21:22 Map amendment, 614-16 W. Addison St.: passed
- 3:22:50 Map amendment, 22nd Ward, 2611 S. Lawndale Ave.: passed
- 3:23:57 Planned Development 1135 amendment, Robert Taylor Homes boundary correction: passed
- 3:26:41 Planned development, 3rd Ward, 4500-4556 S. State St. (CHA Robert Taylor redevelopment): passed
- 3:30:29 Industrial Planned Development 1443 amendment, 6th Ward (Green Era campus expansion): passed
- 3:33:33 Map amendment, 27th Ward, 495-499 N. Milwaukee Ave. (substitute): passed
- 3:35:13 Planned Development 1480 amendment, 1140 W. Erie: passed
- 3:36:51 Planned development, 2nd Ward, North Ave./Halsted/Clybourn (37-story residential building): passed
- 3:42:09 Planned development, 45th Ward, 3955 N. Kilpatrick / 3865 N. Milwaukee (Six Corners redevelopment): passed
- 3:50:08 Map amendment, 12th Ward, 3800 S. Kedzie Ave.: passed
- 3:51:30 Map amendment, 37th Ward, 3843 W. Shearon St.: passed
- 3:52:35 Map amendment, 28th Ward, 739-41 S. California Ave.: passed
- 3:54:01 Map amendment, 26th Ward, 3939-41 W. Dickens Ave.: deferred
- 3:54:35 Map amendment, 4th Ward, 4550 S. Cottage Grove Ave.: deferred
- 3:55:00 Map amendment, 26th Ward, 1810 N. Richmond Ave.: passed
- 3:56:30 Map amendment, 33rd Ward, 3316-18 W. Montrose Ave.: passed
- 3:58:19 Map amendment, 11th Ward, 2340-44 S. Wentworth Ave.: passed
- 4:00:28 Map amendment, 1st Ward, 1235-37 N. Ashland Ave.: passed
- 4:02:25 Map amendment, 1st Ward, 1257-1301 N. Ashland Ave.: passed
- 4:04:23 Map amendment, 30th Ward, 3520-22 N. Pulaski Rd.: passed
- 4:07:06 Map amendment, 4th Ward, 4524-28 S. Cottage Grove Ave. (restaurant and residential reuse): passed
- 4:11:26 Map amendment, 14th Ward, 6010-6020 S. Kedzie Ave.: passed
- 4:13:05 Map amendment, 1st Ward, 2838-2840 W. Shakespeare Ave. / 2148-2150 N. Mozart St.: passed
- 4:16:45 Map amendment, 39th Ward, 4801 W. Peterson Ave.: passed
- 4:24:07 Institutional planned development, 20th Ward, 60th St. and King Dr. (Sunshine Community Center): passed
- 4:34:56 Planned Development 1562 amendment, 34th Ward, 1000-1024 W. Jackson Blvd.: passed
- 4:38:43 Planned Development 1512 amendments, 27th Ward (Fulton Market, two items): passed
- 4:41:54 Map amendment, 27th Ward, 341-355 N. Kedzie Ave. (art gallery expansion): passed
- 4:43:44 Map amendment, 28th Ward, 622-624 W. Roosevelt Rd. (downtown cannabis dispensary): passed
Alderpersons who spoke
- Bennett R. Lawson (chair): Responded to a request to extend public comment by saying he would add five more speakers at two minutes each but would not hold hours of public comment. (27:08); Asked the Department of Housing to do a citywide study of where similar housing preservation tools could apply and to reach out to alderpersons. (1:30:35); Said options for preserving this type of housing should be examined across the city and asked for follow-up through the committee. (1:33:35)
- Anthony Beale (alderperson): Recommended that the chair allow as many public speakers as possible rather than limiting comment to 30 minutes, noting people take off work to attend. (26:49); Drawing on his time as landmarks chairman, recommended that the parties take a step back, possibly with a mediator, to reach consensus on St. Adalbert. (2:18:48); Said he never landmarked a property over the owner's objection when he was chairman and that there was time before the designation deadline; this was taken as his motion to defer. (2:21:02)
- Byron Sigcho-López (alderperson): Supported extending public comment, citing his own practice as housing committee chair, and objected to attempts to defer a 25th Ward item that he said has community support. (28:38); Spoke in support of the housing preservation ordinance, describing displacement and demolitions in Pilsen and the need for help for small homeowners and accessory dwelling units. (1:21:05); Urged colleagues to approve the St. Adalbert landmark designation, saying it meets the criteria, followed due process, and has majority community support. (1:48:18)
- Daniel La Spata (alderperson): Said the pilot changed the character of development in the 1st Ward toward adding units rather than demolition and praised the ordinance for uniting preservation and growth advocates. (1:11:02); Highlighted the provision allowing two-flats on RS-3 lots as a way to regain lost housing stock. (1:13:11); Said landmark status can add time and cost to redevelopment involving public subsidy and asked how that was considered for St. Adalbert. (2:05:07)
- Jessica L. Fuentes (alderperson): Described two- to four-flats in her ward being converted to expensive single-family homes and large assessment increases, and asked colleagues to support the ordinance as one tool against displacement. (1:14:07); Said all zoning matters go through her community-driven zoning process and stated support for the 1810 N. Richmond change. (3:56:13)
- Carlos Ramírez-Rosa (alderperson): Explained that two- to four-flats near the 606 trail were being deconverted after the trail opened and described the ordinance as preserving Chicago's middle housing. (1:16:52); Thanked city staff for drafting work, noted letters of support from many organizations, and said he would move do-pass after colleagues spoke. (1:19:45); Asked the property owner's representatives whether a previous housing proposal would have demolished any of the buildings proposed for landmarking. (2:21:44)
- Andre Vasquez Jr. (alderperson): Asked what data was used to set the pilot area boundaries. (1:25:31); Said wards that already lost affordable housing may not show steep recent decreases and asked for a citywide heat map using a longer time frame. (1:27:57); Praised eliminating single-family-only zoning in the area and asked how other wards could adopt a similar ordinance. (1:29:06)
- Brendan Reilly (alderperson): Said he supports the right of first refusal but asked why alderpersons could not use their own discretion and raised concern about treating properties across a boundary street differently. (1:35:00); Asked whether the pilot includes a demolition delay and suggested one be considered in any extension. (1:37:21); Noted the archdiocese objects to the designation and asked the department when the committee's deadline to act on St. Adalbert falls. (1:52:35)
- David H. Moore (alderperson): Asked whether landmarking would add incremental cost to redevelopment and whether that cost would fall on taxpayers. (2:09:46); Asked whether a binding commitment could ensure no demolition takes place without the alderperson's consent if the item were held. (2:30:48)
- Pat Dowell (alderperson): Compared St. Adalbert to an orange-rated church in her ward being redeveloped with affordable housing and agreed the parties should sit down and work it out. (2:27:08); Spoke in support of the CHA Robert Taylor redevelopment, citing the community process and minority business participation. (3:29:06)
- Angela Clay (alderperson): Supported the Leland Avenue project on a long-vacant site and noted the developer agreed to add more affordable units on site. (3:18:26); Described the music school planned for 4116 N. Clark and the community work behind it, and asked for support. (3:19:56)
- Brian Hopkins (alderperson): Supported the 37-story North Avenue development after community review and described a traffic study and plans to address illegal parking with automated enforcement. (3:38:55)
Exchanges between members
- 26:49 Beale recommended that the chair allow more public speakers instead of limiting comment to 30 minutes.
- 28:38 Sigcho-López seconded Beale's call to give more people a chance to speak.
- 29:36 The chair ruled Sigcho-López out of order and kept public comment at 30 minutes.
- 1:14:03 The chair thanked La Spata and recognized Fuentes.
- 1:30:35 The chair added to Vasquez's questions a request for a citywide Department of Housing study.
- 1:35:00 Reilly thanked Fuentes for meeting with him to explain the ordinance.
- 1:55:56 Reilly told Sigcho-López he could call the item up later if negotiations with the archdiocese did not succeed.
- 1:56:51 Sigcho-López responded to Reilly that he had already exhausted options and asked for a decision that day.
- 2:06:54 Sigcho-López responded to La Spata's question about added time and cost from landmark status.
- 2:08:35 The chair interrupted Sigcho-López to redirect him to La Spata's question.
- 2:09:46 Moore restated what he understood La Spata to be asking about incremental costs.
- 2:12:31 La Spata asked the chair whether other landmark items on the agenda had owner consent.
- 2:16:06 Sigcho-López asked the chair for equal time to respond to the archdiocese's counsel.
- 2:21:28 The chair asked Beale whether his recommendation was a motion to defer.
- 2:26:56 The chair answered Ramírez-Rosa that the buildings cannot be demolished without landmarks commission permission while the designation is pending.
- 2:27:53 Dowell agreed with Beale that the parties should sit down and try to work out an agreement.
- 2:28:30 Reilly said he appreciated Dowell's remarks and renewed his call to hold the item.
- 2:33:20 Moore pressed for a yes-or-no answer on whether demolition could occur without the alderperson's consent.
- 2:33:43 The chair explained to Moore that demolition requires landmarks commission approval and any recommendation would come before the committee.
- 2:59:27 The chair thanked Vasquez for his remarks on the Western Avenue rezoning.