Committee on Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards [remote]

#CHIDocumenters

Here’s a link to the livestream, roll call has just begun: https://www.chicityclerk.com/committee-zoning-landmarks-and-building-standards-6

Previous meeting minutes are approved. Chairman Tom Tunney is now moving through the list of properties in the agenda and reading them aloud. There will be a vote to approve and discussion at the end of this reading.

There’s 16 pages of addresses with zoning requests changes, so this could take a moment.

Tunney cracks a joke about how long the list is. He just finished and we are now moving forward with a vote on whether or not to defer these agenda items

All of the items are deferred. Onto public comment!

The first speaker is a representative from the West Chatham Improvement Committee. The speaker is vocalizing disapproval of a Buddy Bear Car Wash being planned for an empty lot in the ward

The speaker says that her group and many in the area have requested that this project be denied in order to build a family oriented restaurant in the area, as there are already car washes in the neighborhood. Tunney says the petition to deny the project have been recognized.

Next speaker is a resident from Little Village, who is looking for an explanation from the city as to what the plans are for an empty lot next to his house. Tunney says this will be addressed later in the meeting.

Now, another speaker from West Chatham. She says that the lot in which the Buddy Bear is planned for already experiences strain on the drainage system, which the car wash would exacerbate

She also notes that a project with more job opportunities for the community would fit the communities needs. Chatham is, in fact, a neighborhood that experiences excessive flooding: https://chicago.suntimes.com/2020/7/20/21327802/flooding-rain-basements-street-chatham-may-weather-311

Next speaker is also from the Little Village neighborhood, inquiring about a development notice listed for an empty lot next to her house. Tunney thinks that the development in question is slated for “affordable housing,” but to stay tuned for more

Another speaker now who is a resident of the South Loop neighborhood. She is speaking out against a marijuana dispensary planned for a currently empty Potbelly restaurant at Roosevelt/Wabash.

She thinks that the dispensary will cause even more traffic issues in the highly congested area as well as increase crime in an area with multiple schools, including Jones College Prep.

Next speaker. Speaker is a representative an equitable housing group (will find details on which, lost in transcription) and is opposing the development of a Chicago Fire practice facility planned for CHA land at Roosevelt Square

It would be a 25-acre facility in an area that was initially planned for affordable community housing:

https://chicago.urbanize.city/post/chicago-fire-proposes-practice-facility-near-west-side

Onto a motion to approve substitutes for the 2022 Energy Transformation Code, a sustainibility plan for city development. Dept. Commissioner Grant Ulrich is presenting on the matter

Amendment to a previous tweet –– the speaker vocalizing pushback on the Chicago Fire project was Emily Coffey, senior counsel for the Chicago Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights: https://www.clccrul.org/equitable-comm-dev-housing

Now we’re into some discussion on the Energy Transformation Code. Ulrich is laying out how the new code, energy conserving renovations to existing buildings as a part of the new code will be ultimately more cost effective

For example, new buildings approved within this code will require the homes be wired for electric appliances. The initial setup costs a “couple of hundred dollars,” its less than what is costs to retrofit old units for electricity and saves energy long term.

No objections and the ordinance passes. Now moving on to mayoral appointments.

Danielle Tillman is the first appointment for the Planning Commission to succeed a long-serving committee member who’s 20+ year term has expired. Tillman is a local architect at firm BKL, and vocalizes her excitement to join the commission.

Tunney asks what her vision is from “an equity lens,” for the planning commission. She answers that equity is entwined deeply into her design process – one of her projects being the Whitney Young library in Chatham.

Tillman has also worked on the Lathrop Homes project and notes that the community process there was both “challenging and thoughtful,” and says that it was an experience in being able to link new housing to the historical nature of the area.

Tillman is approved for the planning commission. Onto the next, the appointment of Claudette Soto to the planning commission to exceed a former chairperson to the planning commission.

Soto is now speaking, talking about her experience as a fourth generation Chicagoan from the Gage Park area as well as her technical development experiences.

Technical meaning mostly in construction services. Tunney asks how she will incorporate this into her work.

Soto discusses that despite having more trained experience in construction, her 20 years in the industry has given her insight into how to navigate the planning process for buildings as well as design and community engagement.

Appointment approved! Next appointment is Johnathan Fair.

Fair is a lifelong Chicagoan and will be joining the historic preservation division of the Landmark Commission. Ald. Pat Dowell speaks positively on Fair’s experience and motions to approve.

Approved! Next appointment is Rev. Richard L. Tolliver, who is up for renewal of his term on the Landmarks Commission.

The appointment currently up for renewal will expire in May 2023, which seems confusing to the committee. Renewals are typically for 3-4 years at a time. Motion to approve –– Tolliver is approved.

Next is a fee waiver for a historical landmark document for a project in Hyde Park. Michele Rhymes from Landmarks is speaking on this now. The fee waiver is for request to complete renovations for a church in the 4th ward. Waiver is approved.

Next is a listing of several large signs being requesting for approval. Tunney is reading the list, which will be approved/discussed at the end of reading.

The signs are approved.

Now onto the regular agenda items. Some of these will be read in a different order than what the agenda lists to “avoid technical difficulties.”

These are more zoning change requests. First request is to add parking spaces as well as some other building changes to a building on Irving Park Road, which already has approval from other pertinent commissions and a community approval process.

Records from the July Planning Committee will be incorporated into the proceedings here today, but there is some discussion over changes that were made to the ordinance.

While this is getting sorted out, James Cappleman is speaking on the 46th Ward Zoning and Development Committee’s process for this project, supporting its approval.

The issue has been sorted –– there was a directional change in one of the building notices being submitted to the record. Motion to pass, all in favor.

Next change request from an industrial zoning classification on Noble Street to a detached house residential zoning classification. Rep from the 1st ward here to speak on this one –– this is a detached house being converted to a legal living space.

Next request is from an RS3 to an RT4 on Paulina Street. Ald Brookins from the 21st Ward defers to Scott Borstein, on behalf of Learn Charter School, which is looking to build out parking on their property.

This is passed. Next item is in the 22nd Ward on S. Knox Avenue from a manufacturing district to a residential one.

Approved. Onto the next 16 items, all brought forth by the Dept. of Housing to build affordable housing in the 24th Ward.

So it seems like this large cluster of change requests are all for the same housing project. Tunney is reading through the list now.

Brian O’Donnell from Dept. of Housing is now here to talk about this project.

The zoning amendments here would allow for construction of housing on the ground floor of empty lots on S. Kedzie Avenue.

These would be single family homes with some 2 and 3-flats mixed in. https://t.co/DCkfH19UpQ

Tunney wants to know if these are all single family homes, to which O’Donnell says yes. He clarifies that this is of benefit to the neighbors in the area and that there will be drawings of the home on the last slide.

These are the prototypes for the homes that would be built in the area. https://t.co/XLaEcByTCu

Ald. Scott has already approved this project. The city is actually footing the bill for all of these homes and the cost of remediation on each lot.

Lots of discussion on this –– other alderman are interested in having this sort of project in their wards, especially those in which there’s a number of empty lots.

This is passed! Onto the next set of ordinances, a parcel just north of a hotel in the 42nd Ward. Residents in the area opposed the planned development of a hotel in the area due to existing issues with crime surrounded a hotel in the area.

This is passed (meaning there will be no further hotel development on this parcel).

Next item is in the 44th Ward, which is a request to make compliant a basement unit in a building that was previously recognized by the city as a 4-flat instead of 5. Ald. Sawyer gives the ok and the ordinance is approved.

An item that was previously deferred is now up for discussion, another residential zoning change in the 3rd Ward. It would convert an empty warehouse to a 40+ unit apartment building.

Ald. Dowell vocalizes her support for this project in her ward and this is passed.

Next item is on at 4800-4949 S. Cottage Grove. This would be a planned business development.

Records from the previous meeting are incorporated. This would be owned in part by Northwestern Hospital. The spokesperson for this notes that there has been extensive community engagement and support from local oversight agencies. https://t.co/xAoERsp1Vj

This will be a community health center. Some discussion now about the excessive height on the mechanical penthouse on the top of this building, which was approved by other entities in the ward. https://t.co/F88nTeheM5

Passed. Next item is also in the 4th Ward. Records from a previous meeting are being incorporated into these proceedings. This is for Family Roots LLC, which is a cannabis dispensary. If approved, they can move forward with the planning process, so this isn’t approval to build.

Ald. Sophia King vocalizes her support for this project and addresses fears from an earlier public speaker that a dispensary could attract negative activity to the area.

This passes, so it will move forward for further community approval.

Next item is a change request to correct some non-conforming aspects of an existing commercial property. It’s a technical correction. Passes.

This amendment would allow for expansion of the building to include more units at 3100 N. Leclaire Avenue. Passes.

Deferred item here, a change from a shopping district to a mixed-use district at 1836 W. 18th Street. There would be changes to the attic of the building as well as the addition of some parking spaces.

Ald. Byron Sigcho Lopez is on the call and supports the motion –– passes.

Next item is deferred to the next meeting. Next ordinance is in the 22nd Ward and would allow for 8 dwelling units above Carnitas Uruapan.

Passed. Next item is at 47th/California. This would create a health center in Brighton Park with parking across the street. https://t.co/uPsoIOk9Hs

This has support from the alderman. Motion to pass, and it does. Next two items are deferred.

Next item is at 8900 S. Genoa Avenue, a request to build a grow facility for cannabis.

This is passed. We’re moving a little out of order to the car wash proposed in Chatham at 201-357 W. 83rd Street, 8301-8455 S. Stewart Avenue. This is the car wash that earlier speakers were opposing.

This is an aerial of the site. There’s a petition against this development with a couple of hundred signatures. https://t.co/ZIfLwAmXNo

Discussion now from Ald. Moore about how the owner of this project should move forward with support from the community. Ald. Brookins, the alderman for the ward, is speaking now on his position in this.

He says that concerns about flooding are unfounded, as “modern car washes use little to no water” and “people do not get car washes in the rain.” He addresses the complaint from residents that a car wash is not an apt use of the space…

and he says that he has been trying to develop this empty lot for years, and has experienced many challenges in doing so. He vouches on behalf of the car wash owners, saying they keep their facilities clean and prohibit loitering.

He notes that sales in the nearby Walmart are low, and that essentially, any development in this area will help keep up business and prevent retailers from deserting the area.

This moves forward after much discussion, deferred item at 2654 West Adams Street. This is actually a cluster of several building proposals which will include affordable housing. Passes.

Next item was deferred from 2021. Owner is the Salvation Army, who is looking to acquire some adjacent parcels to expand their parking. This is passed.

Next item is at 3355 N. Southport Avenue, seeking an amendment to an application to build a mixed-use building. Item is passed.

Next item. This is also a deferred item to redevelop a 17-unit apartment complex at 1654 W. School Street. This is supported by the alderman and the item passes.

Next item is deferred. The following item is a change request at 3225 N. Kenneth Avenue to bring the building into compliance. Passes.

Next: 4709-4713 North Lincoln Avenue, change request to a commercial district. passes.

Next item is at 4160 N. Lincoln Avenue. This is an existing building and the applicant wants to start a wine bar there were there was formerly a BBQ restaurant. Passes.

Next is a change request at 1201-1285 W. Cabrini Street, et al to a community shopping district. There was objection to this one –– it’s the Chicago Fire practice center.

This is part of the plan for Roosevelt Square. https://t.co/I5M0ZQrwMI

and this is a rendering of the practice center. https://t.co/j6ueKoDiKF

There was an error in the wording of which type of zoning request is being put forth here (a typo). The substitute is accepted. CHA is on the line now talking about this project.

Ald. Maria Hadden presses CHA about how this project conflicts with their goals of building over 700+ units of affordable housing in this district, a goal that they are far behind.

CHA rep is arguing that this development will actually attract more housing to area where they’ve struggled to secure housing developments.

Hadden responds, “I don’t hear any numbers.” CHA responds that this is a “neutral” development, and that this won’t change the commitment to the # units of that CHA has committed to building in this area.

Hadden presses the legal issues her that were brought up by the public speaker earlier. CHA responds that this will still have to go through an approval process with HUD.

Ald. David Moore speaking now, asking if there are letters of support from CAC and local advisory councils. CHA says approval from LAC is in progress but letters from either do not exist. Moore says he cannot support this without those letters.

Ald Sigcho Lopez speaking now. He wants to now if anyone from CHA’s law department can answer to the concerns raised by the Coalition lawyers earlier. Lisa Misher, a lawyer with CHA is on the call now.

Basically, she says, nothing can move forward without approval from HUD.

Sigcho Lopez further vocalizes concern about this project. “How are we going to be sure that another private-public partnership isn’t going to delay more units? We’re still waiting on 1800 units of housing.”

CHA responds that if the zoning for this is approved, it will speed up the development of further housing development.

Pat Dowell is on now. She is inquiring about the terms of the lease with Chicago Fire, which is a 40 year lease with 2 potential renewals. They’re paying 700-800,000 dollars a year for this lease. Remediation for this site will be ~$4 million.

On top of that lease, the Chicago Fire will pay $8 million to CHA. There’s some back and forth now about the exact number of units of housing will exist on this 25 acre parcel.

Ald. Ervin speaking now. He vouches for the Chicago Fire as a neighbor to the West Side and validates the concern about CHA’s commitments to affordable housing.

He is ultimately approving of this project. However, Alds. Moore, Hadden, Rodriguez, Sigcho-Lopez, Dowell, Beale, and Cardona all go on the record as NO. This item does not pass out of committee.

Next. Change request at 10759 S. Burley Avenue. This will be to establish a banquet hall on the premises. Passes.

Next. Change request at 914 West 63rd Street. Tunney mentions that this meeting is on a time constraint at this point (we’re passed on 4 hours). This is a project with Invest South/West for a mixed use building. This passes.

Change request at 301-313 East 43rd Street and 4301-4313 South Prairie Avenue to change eventually to a planned development. This will be an 80-unit building. https://t.co/GXkhXOKxLF

Passes. Seems like we’re paused for a moment.

We’re moving out of order to defer a change request in the 11th ward. Moves and passed. Everything else on the agenda has also been deferred.

The Chicago Fire issue is going to be re-discussed tomorrow, as the meeting is now recessing for tomorrow at 9:30am. Motion to recess approved –– they’ll be back at 9:30am tomorrow. I’ll share that information in this thread.