Originally Posted by PKDickman
What a bunch of armchair quarterbacks. There is more to city planning than density and transit.
That particular census tract has, over the last 40 years, seen the largest percentage increase in density and dwelling units in all of Westtown.
This wasn't all that tough, as 60% of the land area had been industrial. But as a result of that heritage, the tract is a rabbit warren of narrow blind streets, oblique intersections, physical obstructions and bad drainage.
I suspect that it is only their dedication to duty that entices the CFD to drive their trucks into there.
Here's the story of those parcels.
All numbers are approximate.
12 years ago the property between W’bago and the tracks was zoned R4. That would allow 3 1/2 story residential buildings, 50000 sq ft total and 42 total dwelling units.
The Milwaukee half was zoned B4-2. That would allow 4 story buildings, commercial on the first floor. 80000 sq ft and 40 Dwelling units (DU) total.
Both parcels were owned by developer #1. He rolled them into a Planned development (PD) (#975). In order to maximize the residential (W’bago) side he agreed to wave a large portion of the floor area and all the DUs on the Milwaukee side (to build a strip mall) in exchange for an 80% increase in floor area and an extra 3 DUs on the W’bago side.
Eventually Developer #1 sold the W’bago side to another investor. This is common, all investors must abide by the original agreement.
That investor, Developer #2 fell into foreclosure.
Developer #3 bought it in a short sale ..
The PD was set to expire at the end of June 2012 and, by ordinance, the parcels are supposed to automatically revert to RT4 and B3-2
The Milw’ side still belongs to Developer #1 who created the PD. When it expired, any concessions he made on that portion of the development were no longer binding.
In May of 2012, developer #3 who owns the W’bago side said he feels that despite the loss of those concessions, he should retain the enhancements granted, asked for further zoning enhancements.
The Nimbys were willing to abide by the original development plan for the W'bago side, but developer #3, still wanted more.
He thought he was in the catbird seat because the Department of Planning never gets around to rolling back the zoning on expired PDs.
The Nimbys contacted Patty Scudiero directly and said:
"Ever since the fiasco of RPD 196, Chicago’s Municipal Code has made it clear that every subsequent Planned Development ordinance had a clear expiration date and that failure by the developer to perform, for whatever reason, should not be rewarded by the umbrella zoning, used to legitimize the project, becoming the new benchmark for the parcel or used as a springboard for further enhancements.
Planned Development 975 expires on June 29 2012. Section 3-16 of its own PD ordinance states that, “the zoning of the Property shall automatically revert to the B3-2 Community Shopping District and RT4 Residential Two-Flat, Townhouse and Multi-Unit District classifications applicable to the Property prior to the adoption of this Planned Development.”
The only fair disposition of a failed project is to return the parcel to its original zoning.
Section 17-13-0612-E of the Chicago Municipal Code makes that clear. It also makes it clear that the duty to initiate this change rests solely with your office.
We respectfully request that your office initiate a Zoning Ordinance Map Amendment to rezone the subject property to the zoning classification that applied to the subject property before approval of the planned development, in accordance with the procedures of Sec. 17-13-0300."
She contacted the alderman and said, "Make this go away".
The properties were zoned back.
Now, they are back where they should be with moderate density on the residential side where it may be adequately served by city services and the Milw' side (although no plans seem to be in the works) reverted back to the kind of potential it deserved.
Hopefully avoiding another strip mall.
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