Committee on Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards meeting, December 9, 2025

• When: Tue, Dec 9, 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=1143545294
• Transcript: full text (27,584 words, automatic 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 by Alderperson Bennett R. Lawson, deferred several map amendments and heard ten public commenters, including residents opposing zoning changes affecting their properties, a Logan Square Preservation representative supporting 35th Ward downzonings, and an advocate for a cumulative impact ordinance. The committee recommended passage of a substitute ordinance expanding Accessory Dwelling Unit allowed areas in RS-zoned districts, the landmark designation of the Central YMCA headquarters at 19 South LaSalle, and a set of large sign orders. It approved numerous aldermanic and private map amendments and planned developments, including corridor rezonings in the 7th, 16th, 28th and 35th Wards, the Blue Azul community center in the 17th Ward, a DePaul University basketball practice facility (with Alderperson William Conway recusing), the Morgan Park Commons redevelopment, a Lawndale recreation center, and several transit-oriented residential projects in the 27th Ward. A hemp-product ordinance was re-referred to the Committee on License.

Topics: Accessory dwelling units, Landmark designation, Zoning map amendments, Planned developments, Transit-oriented development, Commercial corridor rezoning, DePaul athletic facility, Public comment

Agenda items discussed

• 15:40 Motion to allow Alderpersons Ramirez and Clay to attend remotely under Rule 59: passed
• 15:57 Deferral of map amendments in the 25th, 26th, 27th, 34th, 36th and 44th Wards: deferred
• 17:13 Public comment: discussed
• 40:08 Amendment of Title 17, Section 17-7-0574, to expand ADU Allowed RS Areas (substitute): passed
• 56:39 Re-referral of 32nd Ward hemp product sales prohibition ordinance to the Committee on License: passed
• 57:14 Landmark designation of the Central YMCA headquarters, 19 South LaSalle (34th Ward) (O2025-0020890): passed
• 1:01:57 Large sign orders in the 21st, 23rd, 27th, 28th, 29th, 34th, 43rd and 47th Wards: passed
• 1:03:17 Map amendment, 2429-2431 West Fullerton Avenue, B2-3 to B3-1 (1st Ward): passed
• 1:05:04 Map amendment, 2700-2864 East 95th Street (7th Ward): passed
• 1:06:40 Map amendment, 9500 block of South Torrance and South Colfax to B2-1 (7th Ward): passed
• 1:07:38 Map amendment, 6355 South Central Avenue, B1-1 to RS-2 (13th Ward): passed
• 1:08:38 Map amendment for Blue Azul center, 7936-7956 South Emerald and 7937-7945 South Halsted to B3-2 (17th Ward): passed
• 1:14:04 Map amendment, 4508 South Cottage Grove Avenue, B3-3 to B2-3 (4th Ward): passed
• 1:15:28 Three map amendments on North Kedzie Boulevard/Avenue and West Wrightwood Avenue (35th Ward): passed
• 1:20:26 Map amendment, 1234 North State Parkway (2nd Ward): passed
• 1:22:23 Map amendment, 3522-3524 South Calumet Avenue, RM5 to RS3 (3rd Ward): passed
• 1:24:38 Map amendment, 2527 North Burling Street, RT4 to RM4.5 (43rd Ward): passed
• 1:27:12 Map amendment, North Sheridan Road and West Morse Avenue, B3-1 to B2-5 (49th Ward): passed
• 1:30:22 Map amendment, 2240 North Milwaukee Avenue, C1-1 to B3-3 (1st Ward): passed
• 1:32:50 Map amendment, 1536-1538 North Halsted Street (2nd Ward): passed
• 1:34:05 Map amendment, 2804 North Lakewood Avenue (32nd Ward): passed
• 1:35:24 Map amendment, 2036-2038 West Armitage Avenue (32nd Ward): passed
• 1:36:45 Map amendment, 2718 North Hamlin Avenue (35th Ward): passed
• 1:38:53 Map amendment, 2254 West Grand Avenue, B2-2 to C2-2 (36th Ward): passed
• 1:40:28 Map amendment, 2531-2533 West Augusta Boulevard (36th Ward): passed
• 1:42:20 Map amendment, 4943-4947 North Damen Avenue (47th Ward): passed
• 1:43:55 Map amendment, 2529-2549 West Fillmore Street (28th Ward): passed
• 1:46:37 Map amendment, 3734 West Wrightwood Avenue, RS3 to RT4 (35th Ward): passed
• 1:48:12 Five map amendments along West Fifth Avenue and nearby streets to B2-2 and RT4 (28th Ward): passed
• 1:52:24 Map amendment, 2821-2823 South Stuart Avenue, M1-2 to RM5 (11th Ward): passed
• 1:54:19 Map amendment, 900-910 West Fulton Market, PD 1475 to DX-5 (27th Ward): passed
• 1:57:11 Planned development, 4641 North Ashland Avenue (47th Ward): passed
• 1:59:30 Map amendment, 3051 North Drake Avenue (35th Ward): passed
• 2:02:10 Map amendment, 3649 South Emerald Avenue (11th Ward): passed
• 2:04:58 Map amendment, South Morgan Street (11th Ward): deferred
• 2:05:25 Map amendment, 4851 South Ridgeway Avenue and 3716 West 49th Street (14th Ward): passed
• 2:06:58 Three map amendments along West 63rd Street to B2-3 (16th Ward): passed
• 2:09:57 Map amendment, 640-652 West 47th Street, B1-1 to C1-1 (15th Ward): passed
• 2:11:54 DePaul University institutional planned development amendments for basketball practice facility (43rd Ward): passed
• 2:21:13 Map amendment, 6743 South Honore (16th Ward): passed
• 2:23:58 Map amendment, 1855 West Grand Avenue (27th Ward): passed
• 2:26:33 Map amendment, 4070 West Ogden (22nd Ward): deferred
• 2:27:01 Map amendment, 3256 West Franklin Boulevard, B3-1 to C1-1 (27th Ward): passed
• 2:28:53 Map amendment for health center, West Fullerton and North Kenton Avenue (31st Ward): passed
• 2:30:33 Planned development 1541 amendment, 210-220 North Morgan Street (27th Ward): passed
• 2:38:22 Map amendment, 3057-3059 West Augusta Boulevard (36th Ward): passed
• 2:41:36 Map amendment, 1801 West Byron Street, M1-2 to RM5 (47th Ward): passed
• 2:44:10 Planned development 131 amendment for Morgan Park Commons, 11400 South Halsted (21st Ward): passed
• 2:48:14 Planned development for recreation center at former CTA site, South Springfield and West Cermak (22nd Ward): passed
• 2:51:04 Planned development 1478 amendment, 1200 West Carroll Avenue (27th Ward): passed
• 2:54:03 Map amendments, 2401-2411 West Congress Parkway (28th Ward): passed
• 3:01:27 Map amendment, 3339 North Hamlin Avenue (30th Ward): passed
• 3:02:36 Planned development 1364 amendment to allow esports and golf simulators, West Lawrence Avenue (45th Ward): passed
• 3:06:16 Motion to adjourn: passed

Alderpersons who spoke

• Bennett R. Lawson (chair): Explained that the substitute ordinance maps RS areas where ADUs will be allowed, with optional owner-occupancy, block-limit and administrative adjustment restrictions. (41:03); Explained that alderpersons opt in their RS areas by ordinance and that ADUs are already allowed by right in multi-unit and business districts. (48:20); Told Alderperson Pat Dowell that the area in question was part of the original pilot and that pilot restrictions remain in place. (52:46)
• Brendan Reilly (alderperson): Asked how aldermanic sign-off works under the ADU expansion and whether colleagues with concerns were briefed. (48:07)
• Daniel La Spata (alderperson): Thanked the chair for leadership on ADUs and said the 1st Ward has had pent-up demand that supports affordability and housing supply. (50:01); Asked to revert zoning at 2429-2431 West Fullerton because the developer never bought the property or moved forward. (1:03:40); Supported the 2240 North Milwaukee project, citing multiple community meetings and over 80% positive feedback. (1:31:51)
• Pat Dowell (alderperson): Asked what the yellow ADU zones on the map mean for parts of the 3rd Ward and whether future RS zoning there would automatically be included. (51:02)
• William Conway (alderperson): Supported landmarking the Central YMCA building and thanked the Department of Planning and Development. (1:00:51); Recused himself from the DePaul items, disclosing that he is an adjunct professor at DePaul. (2:19:14)
• Gregory I. Mitchell (alderperson): Said the 7th Ward map amendments align zoning with current and foreseeable land uses along the corridor. (1:05:37)
• Marty Quinn (alderperson): Asked to rezone a closed tavern site on South Central Avenue to residential. (1:07:57)
• David H. Moore (alderperson): Supported the Blue Azul athletic and mental health center, noting the owner bought the land with his own funds. (1:12:16)
• Anthony J. Quezada (alderperson): Explained three 35th Ward rezonings to align zoning with existing two- and three-flats and vintage commercial buildings, citing community support. (1:16:57); Said the Hamlin Avenue lot division would help owners remain in their home and went through community review. (1:38:30); Agreed that the Wrightwood unit addition could have been handled through the ADU ordinance had it rolled out sooner. (1:47:44)
• Timothy R. Knudsen (alderperson): Supported the Burling Street project for adding a unit while preserving the building. (1:25:56); Described extensive community meetings and a detailed plan of operations for the DePaul facility and expressed support. (2:16:47)
• Walter R. Burnett (alderperson): Supported the 900 West Fulton Market project for adding housing under the TOD ordinance while keeping the landmark building. (1:56:23); Supported the 1855 West Grand project for adding larger housing units with less parking. (2:25:59); Supported rezoning to let Chicago Data and Voice keep its headquarters in the ward. (2:28:24)
• Jason C. Ervin (alderperson): Explained that rezoning Fifth Avenue to B2-2 encourages residential and mixed-use development and avoids automotive uses in a residential area. (1:50:19)
• Stephanie D. Coleman (alderperson): Said the 63rd Street rezonings aim to revitalize and stabilize the corridor and keep out bad actors. (2:08:25)
• Ronnie L. Mosley (alderperson): Supported the Morgan Park Commons redevelopment of a long-vacant site, crediting Far South CDC and city departments. (2:46:34)

Exchanges between members

• 48:20 The chair answered Alderperson Brendan Reilly question about aldermanic sign-off for ADUs.
• 50:01 Alderperson Daniel La Spata thanked the chair for his leadership on the ADU ordinance.
• 52:46 The chair responded to Alderperson Pat Dowell questions about ADU zone boundaries near the 3rd Ward.
• 56:03 Alderperson Pat Dowell thanked the chair for the explanation.
• 1:00:47 The chair invited Alderperson William Conway to speak on the YMCA landmark designation.
• 1:00:51 Alderperson William Conway thanked the chair.
• 1:05:35 Alderperson Gregory I. Mitchell thanked the vice chairman before presenting his map amendment.
• 1:13:40 The chair congratulated Alderperson David H. Moore on the Blue Azul project.
• 1:26:51 The chair helped answer Alderperson Daniel La Spata question on why the Burling Street project needs RM4.5 zoning.
• 1:47:44 The chair asked Alderperson Anthony J. Quezada whether the Wrightwood project could have used the ADU ordinance.
• 2:08:25 Alderperson Stephanie D. Coleman thanked the chair.
• 2:08:29 Alderperson Stephanie D. Coleman thanked her 15th Ward neighbor for his patience while her items were heard.
• 2:09:54 Alderperson Stephanie D. Coleman thanked Alderperson Pat Dowell and the committee.
• 2:19:04 The chair thanked Alderperson Timothy R. Knudsen and remarked on DePaul's winning season.
• 2:20:36 The chair acknowledged Alderperson William Conway recusal disclosure.
• 2:38:01 The chair thanked Alderperson Walter R. Burnett for his remarks on the Morgan Street project.
• 2:47:26 Alderperson Ronnie L. Mosley thanked Alderperson Pat Dowell for advice on supporting local businesses at the site.

Documents

• Agenda
• Notice
• Summary