Committee on Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards meeting, June 17, 2025

• When: Tue, Jun 17, 2025, 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/1093828996
• Transcript: full text (29,873 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, with Alderperson Bennett R. Lawson presiding as vice chair, deferred a group of items including the window sign ordinance and the North Broadway map amendments, then heard 40 minutes of public comment largely focused on the landmark designation of St. Adalbert Parish in Pilsen. A text amendment from Alderperson Daniel La Spata expanding eligibility for transit-served location benefits and parking reductions was deferred on a motion by Alderperson William Conway after Alderpersons Reilly and Dowell asked for time to study its impact. The committee approved landmark designations for Morning Star Baptist Church and the Harris Trust and Savings Bank, and passed a substitute ordinance landmarking the St. Adalbert church building only, presented by Alderperson Byron Sigcho-López as a compromise. The committee also approved two landmark fee waivers, a group of large signs, a cannabis dispensary at 105 West Madison, and dozens of map amendments, deferring one item at 316 North Oakley.

Topics: St. Adalbert landmark designation, transit-served location parking reform, landmark designations, zoning map amendments, cannabis dispensary, adaptive reuse, public comment, landmark fee waivers, large signs

Agenda items discussed

• 12:51 Deferral of listed items, including the window sign ordinance and North Broadway map amendments (O2025-0016695): deferred
• 15:36 Public comment period
• 49:15 Text amendment modifying transit-served location eligibility and parking reductions (sponsored by Alderperson Daniel La Spata): deferred
• 59:48 Landmark designation of Morning Star Baptist Church of Chicago, 3993 S. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive: passed
• 1:03:39 Landmark designation of Harris Trust and Savings Bank, 111 W. Monroe Street: passed
• 1:07:09 Landmark designation of St. Adalbert Parish (substitute ordinance): passed
• 1:22:12 Landmark fee waivers for Wicker Park Lutheran Church and 2869-2881 W. Cermak Road: passed
• 1:23:03 Large signs over 100 square feet: passed
• 1:24:45 Map amendment, 2152 W. 111th Street (19th Ward): passed
• 1:25:50 Map amendment, 1700-1756 W. Edmaire Street (21st Ward): passed
• 1:27:03 Map amendment, 714-726 N. Kedzie Avenue to parks and open space (27th Ward): passed
• 1:29:06 Map amendment, 1420 W. Division Street (1st Ward): passed
• 1:31:54 Map amendment, 1535-1539 N. Orleans Street (2nd Ward): passed
• 1:33:33 Map amendment, 1500 N. Halsted Street (2nd Ward): passed
• 1:35:30 Map amendment, 1504 N. Hudson Avenue (2nd Ward): passed
• 1:37:57 Map amendment, 4915 W. Diversey Avenue (31st Ward): passed
• 1:40:03 Map amendment, 4411 W. Diversey Avenue (31st Ward): passed
• 1:41:42 Map amendment, 4956 W. Diversey Avenue (31st Ward): passed
• 1:43:45 Map amendment, 2314-2320 E. 75th Street (7th Ward): passed
• 1:45:20 Map amendment, 215 E. 45th Street (3rd Ward): passed
• 1:46:30 Map amendment, 1215 S. Fairfield Avenue (28th Ward): passed
• 1:47:47 Map amendment, 7026 W. Diversey Avenue (29th Ward): passed
• 1:48:57 Map amendment, 4525 N. Delphia Avenue (38th Ward): passed
• 1:50:30 Map amendment, 3908 N. Janssen Avenue (46th Ward): passed
• 1:52:11 Map amendment, 4522 N. Kenton Avenue (39th Ward): passed
• 1:53:33 Map amendment, 3444 S. Parnell Avenue (11th Ward): passed
• 1:54:39 Map amendment, 11008-11034 S. Vincennes Avenue (19th Ward): passed
• 1:56:27 Map amendments, 3606 and 3614 W. Flournoy Street (24th Ward): passed
• 2:00:16 Map amendment, 6241 N. Rockwell Street (50th Ward): passed
• 2:02:02 Map amendment, 3340 W. North Avenue (26th Ward): passed
• 2:05:15 Map amendment, 508 S. California Avenue (27th Ward): passed
• 2:06:45 Map amendment, 2236-2242 N. Clybourn Avenue (32nd Ward): passed
• 2:09:42 Map amendment, 822 N. California Avenue (36th Ward): passed
• 2:11:48 Map amendment, 6527 N. Newgard Avenue (49th Ward): passed
• 2:13:06 Map amendment, 1622 W. Belmont Avenue (32nd Ward): passed
• 2:16:06 Map amendment, 316 N. Oakley (32nd Ward): deferred
• 2:16:35 Map amendment, 3026 N. Clybourn Avenue (32nd Ward): passed
• 2:18:22 Map amendment, 1059 N. Laramie Avenue (37th Ward): passed
• 2:19:55 Cannabis business establishment, 105 W. Madison Street (34th Ward): passed
• 2:25:25 Map amendment, 3000-3010 N. Elbridge Avenue, Puerto Rican Arts Alliance (35th Ward): passed

Alderpersons who spoke

• Bennett R. Lawson (chair): Asked staff for the estimated value of the Class L tax incentive for the Harris Bank building and accepted a later answer. (1:06:39); Asked whether the 1215 South Fairfield basement unit proposal was in an ADU area. (1:47:21); Asked whether a recently passed ordinance allowing such conversions by adjustment applied to 508 South California. (2:06:18)
• Daniel La Spata (alderperson): Presented his text amendment, saying it does not change transit-served location boundaries but lets map amendments near transit access TSL benefits without a Type 1 zoning change and opens more zoning categories to parking reductions. (50:10); Cited a 1st Ward church reuse at 2625 North Talman as an example where the current rules required an unusual zoning change to access parking reductions. (52:15); Responded to deferral requests by stating the ordinance contains no mandates and leaves developers flexibility to provide parking. (57:06)
• William Conway (alderperson): Said the TSL text amendment would affect his entire ward, noted differing parking needs across downtown neighborhoods, and moved to defer it. (54:13); Supported the Harris Trust landmark designation as aiding adaptive reuse and downtown recovery under the LaSalle Street initiative. (1:05:57); Supported the 105 West Madison dispensary, citing his earlier ordinance easing distance rules downtown, 25 new jobs and reuse of vacant retail. (2:24:21)
• Brendan Reilly (alderperson): Said parking reductions near transit are generally good policy but supported deferring the TSL amendment to address parking pressures in wards around the central business district. (55:12)
• Pat Dowell (alderperson): Joined the deferral request, saying she wanted to study the impact on transit-oriented projects and residential permit parking in the South Loop and Bronzeville. (57:51); Asked colleagues to support landmark designation of Morning Star Baptist Church, requested by its pastor and congregation. (1:02:57); Supported the 215 East 45th Street rezoning to unify split zoning on a parcel for a business's parking. (1:45:57)
• Brian Hopkins (alderperson): Asked for clarification that the deferral was not to a date certain so the sponsor could call the item at any subsequent meeting. (59:00); Supported the 1535 North Orleans addition after a community review that gained the Old Town neighborhood association's support. (1:33:12); Supported the 1500 North Halsted adaptive reuse, noting modifications and two letters of support. (1:34:54)
• Byron Sigcho-López (alderperson): Introduced Preservation Chicago to give a technical recommendation on the St. Adalbert substitute. (1:07:51); Said the committee had voted 10 to 4 a year earlier to seek a compromise and described the substitute as that compromise. (1:10:57); Said the decision of which faith operates the church is not within the city's jurisdiction due to separation of church and state. (1:12:15)
• Michelle A. Harris (alderperson): Asked whether landmarking all buildings would restrict their future use and additions, and whether leaving the other buildings unlandmarked makes redevelopment easier. (1:18:21); Said she supports landmarking churches in her own ward but wants the other buildings to be usable in a different manner. (1:20:58)
• Felix Cardona Jr. (alderperson): Supported the 4915 West Diversey rezoning for a kennel use, saying neighbors supported it. (1:39:15); Supported the 4411 West Diversey gas station rezoning, citing improvements by the new owner. (1:41:06); Supported the 4956 West Diversey rezoning to let a long-standing local deli expand storage. (1:42:40)
• Ronnie L. Mosley (alderperson): Requested an RT-4 rezoning of a block with multiple vacant lots to prepare it for development instead of rezoning lot by lot. (1:26:21)
• Gregory I. Mitchell (alderperson): Described the 75th Street project as a mixed-use aging-in-place development where seniors and caregivers can live in the same building, and asked for support. (1:44:09)
• Jessica L. Fuentes (alderperson): Supported the North Avenue Dunkin' rezoning while noting community concerns about drive-through safety, and cited a right-in, right-out commitment. (2:03:21); Congratulated the Puerto Rican Arts Alliance on its expansion, describing it as a cultural hub serving families. (2:29:51)
• Gilbert Villegas (alderperson): Supported the 822 North California change as a creative way to fill a vacant storefront. (2:11:30); Supported the Puerto Rican Arts Alliance expansion, citing its impact on youth. (2:30:36)
• Anthony J. Quezada (alderperson): Requested support for the Puerto Rican Arts Alliance rezoning, describing review by neighborhood organizations and unanimous support after a community meeting. (2:28:45)

Exchanges between members

• 55:12 Alderperson Brendan Reilly said he was sympathetic to Alderperson William Conway concerns and joined his deferral request.
• 56:39 The chair invited Alderperson Daniel La Spata to respond to the deferral request.
• 56:45 Alderperson Daniel La Spata responded to Alderperson William Conway, saying he knows the parking challenges in that area but the ordinance contains no mandates.
• 57:54 Alderperson Pat Dowell joined Alderperson William Conway in asking for a deferral.
• 57:54 Alderperson Pat Dowell joined Alderperson Brendan Reilly in asking for a deferral.
• 58:00 Alderperson Pat Dowell responded to Alderperson Daniel La Spata point about developers meeting the market by noting the context in which they build.
• 1:06:39 The chair thanked Alderperson William Conway after his remarks on the Harris Bank landmark.
• 1:07:51 Alderperson Byron Sigcho-López thanked Chair Bennett R. Lawson before presenting the St. Adalbert substitute.
• 1:17:15 Alderperson Daniel La Spata asked Alderperson Byron Sigcho-López to confirm the zoning point about the other St. Adalbert buildings.
• 1:26:18 Alderperson Ronnie L. Mosley thanked the vice chair before presenting his map amendment.
• 1:41:06 Alderperson Felix Cardona Jr. thanked the vice chair before speaking on 4411 West Diversey.
• 1:45:18 The chair thanked Alderperson Gregory I. Mitchell after his item passed.
• 2:03:21 Alderperson Jessica L. Fuentes thanked the chairman before speaking on the North Avenue rezoning.
• 2:29:48 The chair thanked Alderperson Anthony J. Quezada after his remarks on the Puerto Rican Arts Alliance.
• 2:30:24 The chair responded to Alderperson Jessica L. Fuentes that Puerto Rican organizations are shared across wards.

Documents

• Summary
• Agenda
• Notice