Committee on Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards meeting, June 20, 2023
- When: Tue, Jun 20, 2023, 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/836633043
- Transcript: full text (26,282 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 its first meeting under chair Ramírez-Rosa, the Committee on Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards allowed Alderperson Brian Hopkins to attend remotely, approved its April and May Rule 45 reports, and deferred a list of zoning items. Three public commenters spoke, two in support of landmarking the Warehouse at 206 South Jefferson as the birthplace of house music and one seeking clearer zoning guidance for small businesses. The committee recommended passage of Mayor Brandon Johnson's appointment to the Public Building Commission, Chicago Landmark designations for Epworth Church and the Warehouse, an administrative adjustment for a tavern, a group of large signs, and dozens of zoning map amendments and planned developments, including Deeply Rooted Dance Theater's new home, Mercy Housing's affordable housing project at 18th and Wabash, large Fulton Market residential and office developments, and a cannabis use amendment for Scottsdale Shopping Center. Several items were deferred or held, including items in the 18th Ward whose alderperson was not present.
Topics: landmark designations, house music, zoning map amendments, planned developments, affordable housing, Affordable Requirements Ordinance, Fulton Market development, restrictive covenants, public comment
Agenda items discussed
- 14:13 Rule 45 reports for April and May hearings: passed
- 14:40 Deferral of listed zoning applications: deferred
- 24:17 Appointment of Mayor Brandon Johnson to the Public Building Commission (A2023-47): passed
- 24:45 Landmark designation of Epworth Church, 5253 North Ardmore Avenue: passed
- 28:07 Landmark designation of the Warehouse, 206 South Jefferson Street: passed
- 38:31 Administrative adjustment for Friendly Tavern, 6124 West Gunnison Street: passed
- 39:47 Large signs over 100 square feet in multiple wards: passed
- 42:51 Rezoning of 5339-5353 South State Street for Deeply Rooted Dance Theater, 3rd Ward: passed
- 51:40 Rezoning of 2412 West Belden Avenue, 1st Ward: passed
- 55:10 Rezoning of 4005 South Dearborn Street (former firehouse), 3rd Ward: passed
- 59:37 Rezonings of 1235-1237 and 1257-1301 North Ashland Avenue, 1st Ward: passed
- 1:14:01 Amendment to Residential Business Planned Development 1092, 42nd Ward: passed
- 1:18:45 Rezoning of 5401-5437 South Federal Street for townhomes, 20th Ward: passed
- 1:21:05 Rezoning of 2600 West Iowa Street to restore Hamm's sign, 36th Ward: passed
- 1:29:41 Deferral of three items in the 8th, 11th and 20th Wards: deferred
- 1:33:14 Amendment to Planned Development 965 (Scottsdale Shopping Center) to allow cannabis business establishments, 18th Ward: passed
- 1:47:36 Planned development at 1300-1328 West Lake Street, 27th Ward: passed
- 1:54:57 Planned development at 1300 West Carroll Avenue, 27th Ward: passed
- 2:01:25 Rezoning of 5411 West Higgins Avenue for National Veterans Art Museum, 45th Ward: passed
- 2:10:13 Rezoning of 1924 West Grand Avenue, 36th Ward: passed
- 2:19:16 Rezoning of 2940-2946 North Leavitt Street for dog daycare, 32nd Ward: passed
- 2:25:11 Rezonings at 2306-2312 West Ainslie Street and 4900-4910 North Oakley Avenue (former St. Matthias), 40th Ward: passed
- 2:32:11 Rezoning of 1844 West Irving Park Road with affordability covenant, 47th Ward: passed
- 2:47:09 Planned development at 6206 South Racine Avenue (former Wood school), 16th Ward: passed
- 2:50:24 Planned development for Mercy Housing at 1801 South Wabash and 1800 South Michigan, 3rd Ward: passed
- 2:56:48 Amendment to Planned Development 643 and planned development at 357 North Green Street, 34th and 27th Wards: passed
- 3:05:38 Planned development at 441 North Kilbourn Avenue, 28th Ward: passed
- 3:09:47 Three items in the 18th Ward on West Columbus Avenue and South Pulaski Road: deferred
Alderpersons who spoke
- Carlos Ramírez-Rosa (chair): Spoke as a gay man about house music being born at the Warehouse and announced the Chicago House Music Festival and a related panel on the landmarking. (36:43); Echoed Burnett's remarks and urged the developer to keep its commitment to meet with SEIU Local 1. (3:04:48); Noted the committee caught up on April and May introductions, roughly double a normal agenda. (3:10:50)
- Bennett R. Lawson (alderperson): Asked what the planned use is for the Epworth Church building. (26:58); Asked whether there is a specific user or the planned development change only allows a potential future cannabis use. (1:36:17); Said he was happy the National Veterans Art Museum is getting a new home next to the Paschke Center, creating an arts hub. (2:03:40)
- William Conway (alderperson): Called the Warehouse landmarking momentous, recognizing it as a safe space for LGBTQ+ Chicagoans and the birthplace of house music, and thanked advocates. (31:11); Said he supports the Planned Development 643 boundary change, which serves developments in the 27th Ward. (2:59:40)
- Pat Dowell (alderperson): Said the Deeply Rooted design is pedestrian-friendly and that she has wanted the company in the Third Ward, asking for support. (46:37); Asked to hold the Mercy Housing item so colleagues could see the drawings of the complex development. (50:37); Supported the 4005 South Dearborn firehouse rezoning and asked the applicant to describe his business. (58:03)
- Daniel La Spata (alderperson): Thanked the North Ashland development team for community meetings and design revisions. (1:02:17); Asked how the South Federal Street project meets affordable unit requirements. (1:20:24); Asked how the 1300 West Lake project meets affordability requirements and about its unit mix. (1:50:10)
- Brian Hopkins (alderperson): Said the North Ashland project improved through community processes in both the 2nd and 1st Wards and that, while some remain opposed, he supports it. (1:02:54)
- Brendan Reilly (alderperson): Said his amendment preserves negotiated public open space at a landmark firehouse planned development against minor-change requests to convert it to private patio space. (1:14:48)
- Gilbert Villegas (alderperson): Described the historic Hamm's sign at 2600 West Iowa and thanked the zoning administrator for finding a way to reinstall it. (1:22:30); Asked whether the prospective cannabis user is part of the social equity program. (1:36:41); Asked the dog daycare applicant about planned business expansion. (2:21:38)
- Walter R. Burnett (alderperson): Said affordable units must be dispersed proportionally, described community concerns about Peoria Packing, and noted negotiations to reach 30% affordability and minority contracting. (1:51:28); Supported the 1300 West Carroll project and said Fulton Market projects fund the neighborhood opportunity fund and TIF surplus that benefit the whole city. (1:57:19); Described early affordable housing in the area and said the developer agreed to provide public parking and to meet with unions. (2:59:55)
Exchanges between members
- 46:37 Dowell responded to La Spata's question by describing the Deeply Rooted building design.
- 1:03:19 Hopkins credited La Spata's leadership for further improvements to the North Ashland project.
- 2:59:55 Burnett told Conway the area used to be in his ward and that Conway inherited good projects.