Connecting Communities On Broadway: Approved at February 20th Plan Commission Meeting

2/20/25

On Thursday February 20, the Chicago Plan Commission voted to approve the Department of Planning and Development (DPD’s) proposed Broadway Land Use Framework.

The proposal, which was jointly supported by Alderwoman Clay, Alderman Martin, and Alderwoman Manaa-Hoppenworth, supports the development of additional housing along Broadway between Montrose and Devon and transparently realigns land use expectations to enable mixed-income, mixed-use, transit-accessible mid-rise development along and near Broadway. 

The recommendations in this study have been informed by a significant community process involving residents, local businesses, and several chambers of commerce. These conversations - through two in-person community meetings each attended by more than 150 residents, a virtual public meeting attended by over 350 individuals, small-group conversations, and surveys with over 1,400 responses, and a large amount of individual feedback to the ward office - highlighted the community’s desire to further activate Broadway Avenue through expanded housing affordability, increased density, and reduced zoning barriers for new businesses.

The 46th Ward office intends to work closely with Alderman Martin, Alderwoman Manaa-Hoppenworth, and the Department of Planning & Development to bring these recommendations to fruition by implementing proactive zoning changes that align with the framework’s goals.

We’d like to give a big thank you to all the neighbors who came out and contributed to a lively, thoughtful, and thorough public comment session at Plan Commission on Thursday - passionate neighbors like you are what make Chicago great!

If you have additional feedback or questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to the ward office.

For more information about proposed Zoning Changes and to share feedback, click here.

If a property owner or developer in the 46th Ward seeks a zoning amendment (or "zoning change"), they must obtain support from Alderwoman Clay. To ensure decisions are inclusive and reflect community priorities, Alderwoman Clay has established a Community-Driven Zoning Process that prioritizes transparency, community voice, and equity.

The 46th Ward is home to a diverse network of residents, neighborhood associations, block clubs, and community organizations, all with valuable perspectives on land use, zoning, and development. To shape this process, Alderwoman Clay's office engaged with these stakeholders to gather feedback on how best to structure a system that reflects the needs and goals of the community.

The 46th Ward Community-Driven Zoning Process is designed to continuously incorporate community input and align it with key development principles. This approach allows Alderwoman Clay to make informed decisions about zoning changes that balance community needs with development goals.

For more details on proposed zoning changes and how the community-driven process works, explore the information below.

For Zoning Change Applicants

For applicants requesting an amendment to the zoning map, the first step is to complete the 46th Ward Zoning Information Form. Be ready to provide detailed information on the concept, current zoning, commitment to affordable housing, community engagement and impact, and other relevant information.

Administrative adjustments (decided by the city’s Office of Zoning Administration), variances, and special use permits (decided by the Zoning Board of Appeals) are not normally reviewed by the 46th Ward office. Please reach out to info@46thward.com with questions about these types of matters.

Development Principles

Alderwoman Clay’s office has created Development Principles that will help guide conversation and evaluation of zoning change proposals. Every proposal will have its own unique considerations, given location in the ward, economic realities, and other factors. However, Alderwoman Clay seeks to approve developments that prioritize the following:

1. Affordability (maximize number of affordable units, prioritizing on site)

2. Equity (inclusion of family size units, ADA accessible units, and housing stock that reflects the needs of our ward, opportunities to retain displaced residents)

3. Sustainability (sustainability features like water retention, energy efficiency, maximum public space and green space)

4. Preservation (complementary and compatible development with the surrounding neighborhood, construction processes that are respectful of neighbors and the environment, setbacks and heights appropriate to the area, diverse mix of housing styles that contributes to community’s architectural heritage)

5. Economic Development (opportunities for commercial development, small business development that reflects our Ward’s history of cultural vibrancy).

The 46th Ward's Community-Driven Zoning Process ensures transparency, community involvement, and thoughtful decision-making in all zoning change proposals. The process consists of three stages: Proposal, Input, and Evaluation & Decision.

Stage 1: Proposal

Developers seeking a zoning amendment in the 46th Ward must begin by submitting the 46th Ward Zoning Intake Form, which includes detailed information about the proposed development, site plans, and renderings.

Steps in the Proposal Stage:

1. Submission: Developers submit the intake form to Alderwoman Clay’s office.

2. Review: Alderwoman Clay and her team will review the submission within 2–3 weeks.

3. Follow-Up: If needed, the 46th Ward staff will meet with the developer to discuss concerns or questions and outline the next steps in the process, which may include scheduling a community meeting.

Stage 2: Input

Community feedback is central to the decision-making process. Once the 46th Ward office has reviewed the proposal and communicated expectations to the developer, the following steps take place:

1. Outreach:

   • Contact the block club, neighborhood association, and Chamber of Commerce in the area where the development is proposed.

   • Request written feedback from these groups and facilitate communication with the developer if necessary.

2. Public Engagement:

   • Post detailed information about the proposal on this webpage.

   • Provide an online survey open for two weeks and share it via the Ward’s newsletter and website.

3. Significant Proposals:
   For proposals with broad impacts (e.g., increasing density, affecting housing stock, or commercial vitality), additional steps include:

   • Hosting a block club or neighborhood meeting.

   • Organizing a community-wide meeting for 46th Ward residents.

   • Distributing flyers with survey and meeting details.

   • Requesting the developer to send a mailer within 2 blocks of the proposed site to notify neighbors and share the survey link.

Stage 3: Evaluation & Decision

After gathering community feedback, Alderwoman Clay and her team will carefully evaluate the proposal. This stage includes:

1. Feedback Compilation:

   • Review letters from block clubs, neighborhood associations, and Chambers of Commerce.

   • Analyze survey results, community meeting outcomes, and other feedback from residents and stakeholders.

   • Pay special attention to input from residents in the immediate area while considering feedback from across the Ward.

2. Principles-Based Evaluation:

   • Measure the proposal against the Ward’s Development Principles, which prioritize equity, sustainability, and community impact.

   • Engage with the developer for revisions if community feedback identifies concerns. In such cases, the process may return to the Input Stage for further feedback on the updated proposal.

3. Final Decision:

   • Alderwoman Clay will issue a written decision, made publicly available on the 46th Ward’s website, social media, and newsletter

Stay Informed

The 46th Ward Community-Driven Zoning Process prioritizes open communication and active participation. For updates on zoning proposals and community input opportunities, visit this page regularly and subscribe to our newsletter.

By adhering to these clear and inclusive steps, we ensure that zoning decisions reflect the needs and values of our community while promoting equitable and sustainable development.

Update: Zoning Board of Appeals Meeting on February 21, 2025

Catapult Real Estate is proposing redevelopment of the existing 3-story mixed-use building at Sheridan and Irving Park into a 7-story, 91-unit residential building with 38 parking spaces with 2 retail spaces.  The site currently houses the Holiday Club, El Palmar, and Roots Smoke Shop, as well as multifamily rental housing units.

This is a by-right development, meaning that Aldermanic or City Council approval is not required to move forward. The site is already zoned B3-5, which allows for a residential building of the proposed height and density. The proposal requires two variations and a special use permit - approval for variations and special use permits are provided by the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA). The variations and special use permit would enable the developers to reduce the amount of parking, eliminate the requirement for an on-site loading zone, and reduce the amount of ground-floor retail space.

The 46th Ward Office hosted an Information Session for residents last summer on June 6 to learn more about the proposal and provide feedback to the developers, a recording of which can be viewed here.

Since the meeting last summer, the 46th Ward Office has been working with Holiday Club and the development team to preserve Holiday Club's ability to move back into the redeveloped space - or - if not feasible, relocate to an existing space nearby. Holiday Club has not yet completely finalized their plans to relocate and/or return in the event the proposal is approved, but is intending to stay in the neighborhood and has been actively pursuing plans to do so. Stay tuned for more details!

We have also been working with the development team to take the feedback from the information session into account and ensure that the development provides as many benefits to ward residents as possible. Unfortunately, as the development is not seeking a a change in zoning, we are unable to require affordable (ARO) units.

However, the Ward Office has received commitments from the development team that they will do the following:

• Work with Holiday Club to enable their return to the building, should Holiday Club desire to do so.

• Work with the Chicago Low Income Housing Trust Fund (CLIHTF) to make units in the building available to tenants with very low incomes.

• Partner with Housing Choice Partners to ensure that units in the development are available and accessible to voucher recipients.

• Ensure a full reconstruction of the adjacent sidewalk, pavement, alley, and ADA ramps at the Sheridan/Irving Park corner.

• Set up a loading/standing zone in front of the building to better manage pick-ups, drop-offs, and deliveries.

• Connect external security cameras to the Office of Emergency Management and Control to improve neighborhood public safety.

• Widen the sidewalk along Irving Park Road as requested by community members.

• Ensure that bike parking includes spaces for cargo bikes and e-bikes.

If you want to provide written feedback to the Zoning Board of Appeals about this proposal, you can do so by emailing Victor Resa, Jeanette Velazquez, and Nancy Radzevich at Victor.Resa@cityofchicago.org, Jeanette.Velazquez2@cityofchicago.org, and Nancy.Radzevich@cityofchicago.org by 9am on Tuesday, February 18.

If you want to provide in-person feedback and/or cross-examine witnesses at the hearing, you may do so by following the steps detailed out here.

Update: June 6 Information Session

The 46th Ward is hosting an informational session for neighbors to learn more about the proposal to develop 4006 N. Sheridan. The site currently houses the Holiday Club, El Palmar, and Roots Smoke Shop, as well as multifamily rental housing units. Catapult Real Estate intends to develop the site into a 7-story, 92-unit residential building. 

This is a by-right development, meaning, no Aldermanic or City Council decision is needed to move forward. The site is already zoned B3-5, which allows for a residential building of the proposed height and density. The proposal requires variations and a special use permit which are decided by the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA).

Given the volume of outreach we received from neighbors after initial notices were mailed out last summer, our office wanted to provide more information to the public about the proposal. 

Renderings and plans can be found below, as well as the recording from the info session that took place on June 6th. The proposal includes:

• 92 rental units, mix of studios, 1BD, and 2BDs

• 38 car parking spaces, 92 bike parking spaces

• Two spaces for commercial tenants, one on Irving Park and one on Sheridan

Recording from June 6th info session is below along with renderings.

Approval of two projects was currently pending during the transition from Alderman Cappleman to Alderwoman Clay:

• 3925 N. Clarendon – Zoning Change: Alderman Cappleman received and approved a proposal for an 18-unit, five story Transit-Oriented Development (TOD). This proposal would rezone 3925 N. Clarendon, currently an empty lot, from B3-2 to B2-3. This proposal was never approved through City Council. Alderwoman Clay’s office is currently awaiting information from the developer about plans to move forward.

• 4655-4657 N. Broadway – Zoning Change: Developer Wemi Properties LLC requested a zoning change from B3-2 to B2-5 in order to build on the existing two story building with 24 dwelling units above the retail spaces.The transfer of ownership never went through, this proposal is indefinitely paused. If a new developer has a proposal for this parcel, they will have to start at step one for Alderwoman Clay’s zoning process.

If you have questions about the status of developments approved under the prior administration, please contact info@46thward.com.