# Locate development sites and build a "Standard 6-3" or "Standard 8-3" The [[Connected Communities]] ordinance adopted by Chicago City Council on July 20, 2022, enables some new residential building designs that were previously infeasible. In RM-5 and higher zoning districts property owners are able to build fewer car parking spaces on standard size lots near transit facilities, thus allowing more dwelling units than were possible before. The reduction in required car parking is what allows more units to be built on a standard size lot. Before the ordinance, each dwelling unit had to have an associated car parking space, but the maximum number of car parking spaces that fit on a standard lot is three, thus limiting the building to three units. Now that the ordinance is effective, at least six units are allowed to be built while still providing three car parking spaces (or fewer). Some Chicagoans may realize that this is a "return to form" for a common housing type in Chicago. Chicago Cityscape and Aggregate Studio [[Standard 6-3, 8-3 building designs|show a potential massing and unit layout in a Standard 8-3 building]]. *This Knowledge Base Article describes our best interpretation of the Chicago zoning code and and is not legal or architectural advice.* ## Description of a "Standard 6-3" A Standard 6-3 is a six-unit building that's two, three, or four stories tall and has one to two units per floor and zero to three car parking spaces that can be built on a standard size lot in an RM-5 or higher zoning district. (It can actually be built on a lot that's smaller or larger than standard size of 3,125 s.f. but we're sticking with the standard size because of how ubiquitous they are.) (Here's how I created the name: Standard size lot, 6 units, 3 car parking spaces.) ### Examples of Standard 6-3  *Image 1: You probably wouldn't know by looking at it, but what looks like a typical three-flat actually has six condos. This six-unit, three-story building is mid-block, three car parking spaces, and a tiny paved backyard.* There are about 22 buildings like examples 1 and 2 below in the Humboldt Park community area.  *Image 2: A 6-unit building on a standard size lot with two car parking spaces (Google Street View). The third space is used mainly as an area for a garbage bin and path to the building's rear door. The one above is on a corner.*  *Image 3: There are some two-story buildings with three units per floor in Chicago, but these are long and have no space for car parking. The one above is on a corner.*  *Image 4: This six-unit building is mid-block and has a storefront, three car parking spaces, and a small backyard.* ### Qualifications 1. A lot must have an area of at least 2,400 s.f. in an RM-5 zoning district (smaller lots can be used in higher zoning districts). 2. A lot must have a zoning district of RM-5, RM-5.5, RM-6, or RM-6.5. 3. A lot must be in a Transit-Served Location (or TOD area), which is within 2,640 feet of a CTA or Metra station entrance or exit, or within 1,320 feet of specific CTA and Pace bus corridors. 4. A lot can be vacant (for new development) or improved (existing developments can be modified to expand the number of units) 5. The development must provide at least 1 car parking space per 2 dwelling units, but the number of car parking spaces provided can be decreased to zero or increased to one per unit if the developer obtains an #administrative-adjustment. ## Description of a "Standard 8-3" A Standard 8-3 is an eight-unit building that's three, four, or five stories tall and has one to two units per floor and zero to three car parking spaces that can be built on a standard size lot in an RM-5 or higher zoning district. (It can actually be built on a lot that's smaller or larger than standard size of 3,125 s.f. but we're sticking with the standard size because of how ubiquitous they are.) New for 2023: Chicago Cityscape and Aggregate Studio [show a potential massing and unit layout in a Standard 8-3 building](/guide/standard6383design).  *Image 5. Massing diagram for the Standard 8-3 design, by Aggregate Studio* ### Qualifications for the Standard 8-3 These qualifications are largely the same as the Standard 6-3. 1. A lot must have an area of at least 2,880 s.f. in an RM-5 zoning district (smaller lots can be used in higher zoning districts). 2. A lot must have a zoning district of RM-5, RM-5.5, RM-6, or RM-6.5. 3. A lot must be in a Transit-Served Location (or TOD area), which is within 2,640 feet of a CTA or Metra station entrance or exit, or within 1,320 feet of specific CTA and Pace bus corridors. 4. A lot can be vacant (for new development) or improved (existing developments can be modified to expand the number of units) 5. The development must provide at least 1 car parking space per 2 dwelling units, but the number of car parking spaces provided can be decreased to zero or increased to one per unit if the developer obtains an Administrative Adjustment. ## Use Chicago Cityscape to find qualified lots Follow this tutorial, which is similar to our other tutorials about Property Finder, to locate the lots where either product could be built. 1. Open Property Finder for any Place in Chicago, including one you draw your own. You can also use the [citywide Property Finder map](/place/municipality-il-chicago). 2. Select the "Property Finder" button and scroll down to the Property Finder filters. 3. Below the "Special & value add filters" heading, select the radio button next to either the "Standard 6-3" or "Standard 8-3" names. These buttons are programmed to look for properties matching qualifications 1-3. 4. Select the "Apply filters" button. The system will refresh the data table and map in a moment. 5. Scroll up to review the properties in the data table and shown on the map.  *Screenshot 1: In Property Finder, select one of the two "Standard" filters, then select the "Apply filters" button.* ### Next steps after locating qualified lots - You can apply additional filters (incentives, vacant land clusters, ChiBlockBuilder properties, or ARO areas) - Export the data as a CSV file for use in spreadsheet applications - Export the data as a GIS file for use in QGIS or ArcGIS - Select up to 15 adjacent parcels to [create a Super Parcel](/guides/index.php?article=superparcel). ## Entitlements & zoning standards - An Administrative Adjustment is required in order to build a number of car parking spaces different than the standard 1 space per 2 units (see 17-13-1003-EE). For example: An AA is required to provide two car parking spaces for an 8-unit building. - An Administrative Adjustment is required in order to allow eight dwelling units on a lot smaller than 3,200 s.f. (see 17-13-1003-A). - At existing buildings (ones that are 20 years or older) in ADU pilot areas it would be possible to subdivide a house on a standard size lot into seven units. An administrative adjustment to reduce the car parking requirement for the additional units would still be necessary. This could be practical for existing large single detached houses in high-rent neighborhoods like Lincoln Park and Lakeview that have sufficient interior space for the subdividing. ### Bonuses Basement area (not required) which is more than 50 percent below grade does not count towards the FAR standard. Basement area can be used for common space, bicycle parking, mechanicals, storage, dwelling units, duplex unit space, or not provided at all. A ground floor accessible unit will not count towards FAR and minimum lot area per unit standards (this is also a feature of the [[Connected Communities]] ordinance). ### Height limits for 25-feet wide lots - RM-5: 45 feet - RM-5.5: 47 feet - RM-6: None - RM-6.5: None ### Code section See [section 17-2-0311](https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/chicago/latest/chicagozoning_il/0-0-0-48902) in the Chicago zoning code. ### Final notes - Standard size lots are 25 feet wide and 125 feet deep. The width is sufficient to accommodate three car parking spaces (which the zoning code establishes as 8 feet wide each, or 24 feet wide), but may not accommodate garbage and recycling bins. - These new rules apply to existing buildings in TOD areas as well: Legalize existing units by upzoning to RM-5+, or upzone and add additional units without having to add parking. - Secure bicycle parking is required, one parking space per unit. - There is the issue of rear yard open space, which can be reduced by obtaining an Administrative Adjustment from the Zoning Administrator or a variation from the Zoning Board of Appeals. - Larger lots will allow more units than either the Standard 6-3 or Standard 8-3 products propose, but there are limitations when it comes to unit size, rear yard open space requirements that are a product of the number of units, setbacks, other zoning code and building code standards, and marketable designs that may come into play. - If more than two Administrative Adjustments are needed developers must obtain them as variations from the Zoning Board of Appeals, which would requires preparing more documentation and likely hiring a consultant or attorney. ## Additional information The following information applies to both Standard 6-3 and Standard 8-3 products. ### Where the Standard 6-3 and Standard 8-3 are allowed At the time of publication there are 9,560 properties that meet the Standard 6-3's qualifications and 7,823 properties that meet the Standard 8-3's qualifications (see *screenshot 2*).  *Screenshot 2: Map that shows lots that meet the Standard 6-3's qualifications.* The majority of qualifying lots are in Bronzeville, Garfield Park, Lakeview, Washington Park, and Woodlawn. Other areas with high concentrations of qualifying lots are North Lawndale, South Shore, and Uptown. ## Related articles - [[Picks]] are properties that have good fundamentals for new housing development. Many Picks include properties for sale that are already zoned to allow a "Standard 6-3".