Committee on Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards [remote or in person]

The @ChicagoDPD committee meeting started at 10:08 a.m. This is the committee’s first in-person meeting in 32 months.

There is a quorum and the minutes from the October meeting were approved.

There are 5 people signed up for public comment.

Mr. Pratt is speaking in favor of the change recommended at 757 E Oakwood Blvd. Pratt says 757 was previously a vacated beauty supply store that has tried to become a private event space. It is painted black and covered with security bars & padlocks, and the glass is blacked out.

Pratt says the private events go until 12 a.m., and the neighbors aren’t happy. This is a residential block with a park across the street.

There is also a fire concern for the building as patrons only use the rear entrance; the front entrance is padlocked.

Ronnie Reed has a limited business license and a pop-up host license to operate out of this space. He states the ultimate goal is to host an art gallery in the community.

Kathleen Trainor lives in Lincoln Square. She is reading a statement from 75-year-old senior Ruth Shilling, who has lived in the neighborhood for 31 years. She applied to 6 affordable housing buildings but could not find a studio or 1bdrm for her budget of $900.

Trainor hopes the affordable housing project in Lincoln Square with 63 units will be approved, as she sees a great need for affordable housing in her community. She has found temporary housing in Uptown, but hopes to return to the neighborhood soon.

John Morrison is also speaking on the Leeland project at 4715 N Western Ave. Morrison recently bought a home, but he’s seen his neighbors struggle as apartment buildings are being torn down to build single-family homes, making Lincoln Square a more expensive place to live.

Morrison says he is fighting the xenophobic misinformation campaigns in Lincoln Square, including websites and racist flyers being put up overnight in the neighborhood. He says this is not representative of the community and welcomes the new housing project.

Alex Nelson is an organizer of Build Housing Now, also speaking on the 4715 N Western project. She voices support for the affordable housing that will be in a thriving community with a small business district and accessible public transit vai the brown line.

Items will be grouped by witness attorney, rather than ward order.

The first item to be discussed is a zoning change at 10813 S Homan Ave, currently Mt. Greenwood Elementary School.

The school wants to incorporate an LED sign, which was not previously renewed by the zoning board. The school will have to change to a B1-1 Neighborhood Shopping District before returning to residential zoning in order to add the sign.

The motion passed.

The next item in the 44th ward is a zoning change at 3829 N. Southport Avenue. Southport Properties, LLC wants to convert the storefront on the 4-story mixed-use building to a dwelling unit.

The item has passed.

Continuing with the 44th ward, the estate of Kathy A. Poczatek is seeking to change the property at 2821 N. Orchard Avenue to a 5-unit condo building.

The item has passed.

Next in the 44th ward, a change request at 3346 N. Lakewood. The applicant wants to remove the current zoning designation so they can build a single-family home.

The item has passed.

The agenda is running out of order; we are no longer grouping items by ward. It is unclear what the new order of the items is, or if there is any rhyme or reason to this new order.

Next, a zoning change request at 1423 West Cortez Street in the 2nd ward. Cortez Ventures, LLC is seeking to create a dwelling unit in the basement & bring it up to code after the building fell into disrepair under the previous owner. The building would offer 4 affordable units.

The next 3 items are nearly identical applications by Cortez Ventures, LLC. These separate applications are on the same block, but not continuous properties:

1432 West Cortez Street
1503 West Cortez Street
1528 West Cortez Street

We are returning to following the order of the published agenda.

Next, another address on Cortez Street! At 1433 West Cortez Street, the applicant is seeking to construct a 3-unit dwelling building on what is now a vacant lot. There will be 3 off-street parking spaces.

Alderman Hopkins says the project is met with community support due to the applicant’s willingness to decrease the proposed 5-unit building to a shorter 3-unit building.

The item passed.

Next, a change request at 6601 S. Drexel Avenue in the 5th ward.

This is currently a vacant corner lot. The applicant plans to build a dwelling building with 8 units.

The item passes.

Also in the 5th ward, a change request at 1035 E. Marquette Road. 929 Legacy Holdings, LLC is seeking to build a residential building with a total of 8 dwelling units on a vacant corner lot.

The item passes.

Next in the 5th ward, a change request at 6659 S. Greenwood Avenue. 3MS Community Opportunity for Growth, LLC plans to build a residential building with a total of 8 dwelling units on a vacant corner parcel.

The item passes.

It looks as though there will be a lot of housing being built in the 5th ward! Alderwoman Hairston sent a letter of support for all 3 projects in her ward. @5thWardChicago

Moving on to the 6th ward! A change request at 6932 S. Wentworth Avenue. The zoning change will allow The Rebound Foundation to establish a domestic violence group residence within the existing 2-story residence with a basement.

Marta’s House is a transitional housing program for women and children that are survivors of domestic abuse. The program allows for up to 6 months of housing while providing advocacy, emotional support, and assistance in finding permanent housing.

In the 11th ward, there is a change request at 700 W. 43rd Street, Racing Muffler & Brakes, Inc. The owners want to expand their business to Canaryville, and potentially train apprentices in the community.

The item passes.

Next, zoning change requests for 801-825 South Kilpatrick Avenue, 4607-4659 West Polk Street, and 4606-4658 West Arthington Street.

The facilities manufacture street lights and fixtures while employing 45 people; 70% are “second chance citizens.”

The item passes.

Alderwoman King is now present and can speak on her application for the zoning change request at 757-773 E Oakwood Blvd.

King says this one business is the outlier on a residential block, “it is a common nuisance in the community” due to after-hours partying, says King.

The area has not seen many businesses in over 30 years; it is entirely residential.

The owner is not present; Mr. Reed who spoke during public comment is one of the owner’s leasees.

Alderman Osterman says if city employees are leasees of a property that is causing issues in the community, that should be taken up with the law department. Reed is a firefighter.

There is a question concerning the zoning change affecting the value of the property; would the city be subject to a lawsuit?

The determination was that it is impossible to determine value based on zoning.

The item passes.

Next, a zoning change in the 26th ward at 1361 W. Chicago Ave. Ali Manesh recently bought the vacant lot and is seeking to build a new mixed-use commercial and four-dwelling-unit building.

The item passes.

In the 28th ward, a change request at 3450 West Lake Street. SkyART NFP is seeking to open a children’s play center. The building is currently an unoccupied warehouse.

SkyART provides services at many CPS schools, but they also have an art therapy/activity center on the South Side. The organization wants to expand its art services to children on the West Side.

SkyART has planned to expand to the West Side since before the pandemic. There are other non-profits that assist children in the area, a park, and other schools that SkyART is already involved with.

The item passes. Welcome @skyartnfp to the West Side!