City Council meeting, October 16, 2023

When: Mon, Oct 16, 2023, 9:45 AM (Chicago time)
Where: City Council Chamber, 2nd Floor, City Hall, 121 North LaSalle Street - Chicago, IL 60602
Status: Scheduled & Published
Body: full City Council
Video: https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/874225416
Transcript: full text (6,242 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.

At this regular City Council meeting, members allowed Alderperson Michael D. Rodriguez to participate remotely and heard four public commenters, who raised concerns about budget priorities, access to public meetings, treatment of speakers, and housing for African and Haitian migrants. The mayor's budget-related communications, including the 2024 tax levy and revenue ordinances, were referred to committees. The Council approved committee reports from Housing and Real Estate (including a firehouse lease, a Ronan Park expansion agreement and city land sales), Pedestrian and Traffic Safety, Police and Fire, Zoning, and a joint Environmental Protection and Public Safety committee resolution calling for hearings on recent flooding. Items deferred and published from October 11 were referred to committees through the Rules Committee report, and the next meeting was set for November 1, 2023.

Topics: Committee reports, City land sales, Zoning and landmarks, Flooding hearings, 2024 budget ordinances, Public comment, Committee referrals

Agenda items discussed

13:06 Motion to allow Alderperson Michael D. Rodriguez to participate remotely: passed
16:08 Public comment: discussed
29:54 Mayor's communications on 2024 tax levy, revenue, salary and management ordinances, referred to committees
33:34 Housing and Real Estate: lease of former firehouse at 11954 South State Street: passed
38:27 Housing and Real Estate: Ronan Park expansion agreement and city land sales: passed
41:49 Pedestrian and Traffic Safety report including River North nightlife corridor permit parking: passed
42:45 Police and Fire: renewal of mutual aid box alarm system intergovernmental agreement: passed
43:41 Zoning report: Eugenie Lane Apartments landmark designation, map amendments and large signs: passed
45:31 Joint committee resolution calling for hearings on recent extreme flooding events (R2023-0002925): passed
50:14 Rules Committee referrals of items deferred and published on October 11, 2023: passed
56:45 Ordinance setting the next meeting for November 1, 2023: passed

Alderpersons who spoke

Byron Sigcho-López (alderperson): Presented the Housing and Real Estate report recommending 14 ordinances, including a firehouse lease for emergency response training in the 9th Ward. (33:34); Said the housing report was submitted electronically and a written copy could be provided. (35:11); Moved the Ronan Park expansion agreement and a series of city land sales, including sales under the adjacent neighbors land acquisition program. (38:27)
Gilbert Villegas (alderperson): Asked that staff circulate the housing committee report to members. (35:00)
Daniel La Spata (alderperson): Reported 547 routine traffic items and an amendment establishing River North nightlife corridor permit parking in the 42nd Ward. (41:49)
Chris Taliaferro (alderperson): Reported the committee's recommendation to renew the mutual aid box alarm system agreement for coordinated disaster responses. (42:45)
Carlos Ramírez-Rosa (alderperson): Presented the Zoning committee report including a landmark designation for the Eugenie Lane Apartments, map amendments and large signs. (43:41)
Maria E. Hadden (alderperson): Reported the joint committee's resolution calling for subject matter hearings on recent extreme flooding and the city's response. (45:31)
Michelle A. Harris (alderperson): Moved Rules Committee recommendations referring items deferred and published on October 11 to Finance, Aviation, Budget, Economic Development, Environment, Health, Housing, Public Safety and Transportation committees. (50:14)

Exchanges between members

35:00 Villegas asked whether Housing Chair Byron Sigcho-López could have staff circulate the housing report.

Roll-call votes at this meeting

Vacant land sale to Spencers - Hyde Park Self Storage, Inc. (O2023-0004264): Passed 49 yea, 0 nay, 1 absent
O2023-0001993 (O2023-0001993): Passed 49 yea, 0 nay, 1 absent
Call for hearing(s) on City's plans to mitigate and respond to future extreme flooding (R2023-0002926): Adopted 49 yea, 0 nay, 1 absent
ANLAP sale of vacant property at 6801 S Justine St to Brandy Allen (O2023-0004126): Passed 49 yea, 0 nay, 1 absent
ANLAP sale of 5009 S Wabash Ave to Shelton Edwards (O2023-0004123): Passed 49 yea, 0 nay, 1 absent
ANLAP sale at 1411 W 70th St to Lawanda Kelly (O2023-0004119): Passed 49 yea, 0 nay, 1 absent
Sale 2358 S Whipple St (O2023-0004234): Passed 49 yea, 0 nay, 1 absent
ANLAP Sale of 7507 W May St to Zachary Jones (O2023-0004129): Passed 49 yea, 0 nay, 1 absent
Historical landmark designation for Eugenie Lane Apartments at 235 W Eugenie St (O2023-0003935): Passed 49 yea, 0 nay, 1 absent
Sale of seven parcels to Chicago Park District for expansion of Ronan Park (O2023-0004453): Passed 49 yea, 0 nay, 1 absent
Historical landmark fee waiver for property at 3402-3402.5 S Giles Ave (Or2023-0004113): Passed 49 yea, 0 nay, 1 absent
ANLAP sale at 1232-1234 W 81st St to Sidney Michelle Battle (O2023-0004185): Passed 49 yea, 0 nay, 1 absent
ANLAP Sale of vacant property at 11479 S Church St to Julius Strong and Claudia Strong (O2023-0004131): Passed 49 yea, 0 nay, 1 absent
Amendment of Municipal Code Chapter 9-68 by adding new Section 9-68-034 establishing new River North Street nightlife corridor parking permit Zone 1189 (O2023-0004231): Passed 49 yea, 0 nay, 1 absent