Mayor's zoning reform show hits the road

by Ronald Roenigk
Publisher

Mayor Richard Daley's Zoning Reform Commission has held three of the six scheduled public hearings on proposed revisions to the city's outdated zoning code. And a new report outlines recommendations for preserving, protecting and strengthening Chicago's neighborhoods is being distributed.

A key item lightly addressed at the community hearings and mostly absent from the report remains the aldermanic zoning prerogative, a storied City Hall tradition which gives the sitting alderman in each ward broad latitude in determining zoning policy within his ward.

This tightly guarded aldermanic privilege is hailed by community activists yet questioned by some city planners and technocrats. The prerogative has become a cottage industry of sorts for some aldermen who have found it to be a safe fundraising tool and solid vote-getting strategy.

Over 360 people have attended hearings in the last week held at DePaul University, City Hall and most recently Monday night's meeting at Truman College, 1145 W. Wilson Ave., where Ald. William Bank (36th) and Ald. Burton Natarus (42nd), along with committee co-chairs Tom Smith of the Department of Zoning and David Mosena of the Mayor's Office, took testimony from citizens and other interested parties about their proposals.

"The point is to get community input over our guiding principles of preserving, protecting and strengthening our neighborhoods," said Smith. "We haven't re-written these codes in 45 years and the idea with this proposal is to make them more predictable."

Even at 65 pages the recently released report gives rather broad generalizations of goals whose implementation under the aldermanic prerogative would still be open for alteration from ward to ward. Most of the suggestions appear to be well intended and give a broad outline for initiatives designed to help mold Chicago's neighborhoods in the future. Almost every meeting attendee has found something to like within the proposal.

How the new guidelines will be interpreted and ultimately implemented within each ward is unknown but some of the themes include:

• Protecting residential character.

• Making districts fit residential

neighborhoods.

• Strengthening business districts.

• Creating downtown-specific zoning.

• Retaining jobs and attracting industry.

• Enhancing transportation options.

• Promoting housing affordability

and choice.

• Expanding environmentally responsible

zoning.

• Promoting rehabilitation and reuse.

• Reducing sign clutter.

• Simplifying and streamlining zoning

rules and regulations.

PARK HERE

With regard to Chicago's North Side, some of the proposals appear a bit late. For instance, the proposal calls for increasing parking requirements for new residential developments from one spot per unit to 1.5 or even two in some instances. Congested areas throughout the North Side will find little comfort in seeing such a change enacted only after the housing booms of the late 1980s and 90s.

"In my three flat there's only one car," said Michael Burton of Logan Square. "I'm not sure it could be re-built today under these guidelines. I'd have to provide 4.5 to six parking spots. This would create a city not like Chicago but more like Los Angeles," he said. City code presently requires an 8' x 19' space per car which poses problems on many of the city's narrow 25' lots.

The city is also going to encourage more sharing of commercial parking lots and promote development of three types of commercial streets: those that are primarily pedestrian friendly, those that are auto-oriented and those that are transitional mixed use.

FIT IN, SLIM DOWN

The proposed code also calls on developers to build properties which blend in with the neighboring properties, discourages projects with blank walls facing onto streets, keeps parking access off the alley as opposed to curb cuts and driveways, encourages more green space and eliminates front yard patio pits.

It also proposes two new zoning categories, an R-3.5 designed to encourage the construction of more two flats and an R-4.5 designed to lower density on lots which now may have an R-5 designation. But these new designations were questioned by one developer, who said the city should be wary of unintended consequences of this legislation.

"These statistics are deceptive and unrealistic," said David Berger of Berger Development, Ltd. in Lake View. "I see these new designations as a threat of downzoning. There is no demand right now for two flats and the economy of the market will dictate what gets built. Buyers today want amenities and at some point the consumer is going to pay for it.

"We have to be wary of unintended consequences of these zoning changes because you're already restricted with what you can do with your typical 25-foot city lot. Now you want more parking and green space, smaller units and no patio pits? Something's got to give here. New construction means jobs and a growing tax base."

ZONING BONUS

Zoning bonuses have also been suggested for those builders who add affordable housing to new developments. And the city would also like to consolidate zoning in high density districts in the Loop, Near North Side, Lincoln Park and Lake View.

"You may not like high rises but people want to live in these buildings and they want two parking space too," said Ald. Burton Natarus (42nd). "They are moving back into the city and buying million dollar properties all over my ward. That's what's paying for our schools."

The city would also like to reduce the number of commercial zoning classifications from 52 to six and consolidate commercial thoroughfares, specifically along established public transportation lines.

Three more public hearings are scheduled including one on Tuesday, July 16, at the Copernicus Cultural and Civic Center, 5216 W. Lawrence Ave.

Those who would like to review the zoning proposal can access it on the Internet at: www.cityofchicago.org/mayor/zoning.