Have any of you had to deal with Chicago's Zoning Dept? (apartment, legally)

[the urban politician]

I am dealing with Chicago's Zoning Dept for the first time in the permit process for a rehab and I'm beginning to feel uneasy.

They have now sent my architect away TWICE. They want to check this or that, they want to confirm this or that... I am trying to deconvert a 4 flat into a 3 flat, legally it is a 3 flat (and historically records show it was a 4 flat).

What is the deal? I have read blogs about the frustrations architects have with this dept. Are they just doing this because they enjoy torturing people, or do they really have some sort of unwritten mandate to just put people through the hoops to get their stamp of approval? What is it to them, anyhow? What motivates them to not simply say "hey, looks like you have proof that 3 units are legal, I'll be happy to stamp them".

[snoylekim]

Your alderman also plays a big part in zoning in your ward... you might want to have a chat with him/her if you feel you're getting the run around ...

[Attrill]

Does your architect have any experience with this sort of thing? Reducing the number of units should be pretty easy. They'll almost always send you away once just to prove they're doing their job, but if everything is in order the second visit should be the last. What sort of things do they want checked or confirmed?

[the urban politician]

Originally Posted by Attrill

Does your architect have any experience with this sort of thing? Reducing the number of units should be pretty easy. They'll almost always send you away once just to prove they're doing their job, but if everything is in order the second visit should be the last. What sort of things do they want checked or confirmed?

^ My architect is experienced.

He actually seems pretty optimistic.

Just to be fair, the second "rejection" wasn't really a rejection. The Zoning guy told my architect that he wants to show the plans to his supervisor, and to come back Monday.

I find that odd, and kind of frustrating. If they have to show it to their supervisor, it suggests that they still see some kind of issue..

[chet everett]

Originally Posted by the urban politician

...The Zoning guy told my architect that he wants to show the plans to his supervisor, and to come back Monday.

I find that odd, and kind of frustrating. If they have to show it to their supervisor, it suggests that they still see some kind of issue..

See in Chicago, and the vast majority of other large urban areas, the frontline workers in government offices are basically hacks. They got their jib becuase they knew somebody. Maybe their relatives took pity on their their lack of skill and sent a bankrolled some elections and as payback the got hired.

There are people with actual skills that also happen to work in government offices. Especially stuff that could ultimately result in an apartment fire during into a deathtrap or a porch collapsing and killing a dozen so drunk party goers. Thus the "supervisor" kinda has to sign off on anything that seems like life safety issues are potentially at risk.

Now if you were asking about the process of getting a purely economic thing (like a 4AM liquor license or remodeling a taco stand into a sit down resturant) then the issue becomes one of clout and "pay to play".


Really I would think any "urban politician" would know how the wheels of government gets greased in Chicago...