# How to read zoning assessments Chicago Cityscape's Property Report display automatically-generated Zoning Assessments for properties **in Chicago**. Zoning Assessments compile nearly all zoning rules and land use policies, including: - Affordable (housing) requirements ordinance (ARO) areas - Transit Served Location (transit-oriented development) ordinance distance requirements - Zoning district and its associated bulk & density requirements - Dwelling units allowed on a given site - Permitted uses - Searchable even if you don't know the right names - Obscure policies like sports betting and where cannabis craft growers can open as-of-right ## Accessing a Zoning Assessment Find our automated Zoning Assessment after looking up or opening an Property Report, or follow these steps: 1. Access a Property Report ([look up an address](http://chicagocityscape.com/address.php) or use one of the samples below) - [Sample commercial property](http://chicagocityscape.com/address.php?pin=17193010470000) - [Sample residential property](http://chicagocityscape.com/address.php?pin=17193010450000) - [Sample mixed-use property](http://chicagocityscape.com/address.php?pin=17194060370000) 2. Once in the report, click on "Zoning Assessment" in the table of contents, or scroll down until you see the heading for it. <hr> ## Three parts of the zoning assessment The zoning assessment is divided into three parts: 1. Essential data (which is shown by default) 2. allowed uses 3. expanded information in the appendix ### 1. Essential data The essential data part of the zoning assessment is shown by default. *Screenshot 1* below identifies the five sections in this part.  *Screenshot 1: The five sections of essential data in the Zoning Assessment* #### Current zoning district The name of the property's current zoning district is in bold. - We update our copy of the Chicago zoning map at least every quarter but usually every month. The date will be shown next to the current zoning district. - Zoning maps outside of Chicago are updated as needed; this includes Aurora, Evanston, Maywood, Naperville, Northbrook, and Oak Park. Additionally, we have zoning information for properties in incorporated parts of Lake County, Illinois, and Lake County, Indiana (including Dyer, Hammond, and Munster). #### Overlay & special districts The Chicago zoning code has overlay and special districts, which can also include sign districts, in addition to the zoning district. These apply additional rules and take precedence over other zoning code standards. Text will indicate yes or no if an overlay district applies. And separately, text will indicate if a special district applies (currently this includes the Lakefront Protection District). #### Housing [at this address] This section will not apply if the Property Report location is in a zoning district that doesn't allow housing (M, DS) or is in a Planned Development. (There is no categorization of Planned Developments so we cannot determine what uses are allowed.) The housing section can even calculate the number of dwelling units allowed if the Property Report is based on a PIN (look for "Unit calculator estimates"). If it's not based on a PIN, scroll up to "Choose an adjacent property or PIN" and choose the correct overlapping property. <i class="fad fa-lightbulb-on" aria-hidden="true"></i> Tip: It's possible to virtually propose a different zoning district and the number of allowed dwelling units will be recalculated. Select a desired zoning district in the dropdown menu below the "Change the zoning district to recalculate" heading. It will take a moment to recalculate and present the new number of dwelling units allowed. Doing this will also refresh the "Developments allowed in [zoning district]" data table. (See *screenshot 2* below.) Proposing a different zoning district is especially useful when working with a [[Super Parcel|Super Parcel]] Property Report.  *Screenshot 2: It's possible to virtually propose a different zoning district and the Zoning Assessment will recalculate the number of dwelling units allowed.* #### Liquor moratoriums Many streets in Chicago have liquor license moratorium (prohibition of new licenses), and some neighborhoods have dry voting precincts. This section will explain if there is a liquor moratorium close by (on the same or intersecting street) or the location is within a dry voting precinct. ### 2. Allowed uses The Chicago zoning code regulates land uses and businesses (together, "uses") that are allowed on any given property, which is determined by the property's zoning district. The zoning code has definitions and descriptions for each use and each zoning district lists whether the use is permitted as of right (no special approval necessary), with a special use, with a mandatory Planned Development (PD), or not permitted. If a use is not listed then consider it to have the same status as "not permitted" in that zoning district. Within each Property Report that you look up – which is not in a Planned Development (PD) – there will be a table under the heading "Zoning uses in [name of zoning district]" that lists hundreds of uses and whether and how they're allowed in the zoning district that regulates the property. *See screenshot 3*  *Screenshot 3: A zoning uses table within a Zoning Assessment for a Property Report* The zoning code's naming is presented in the first column and the second indicates if it's permitted as of right, requires a special use, or requires a PD. Chicago Cityscape has also expanded the use descriptions by assigning hidden keywords to make it easier for members to filter for the appropriate use for a proposed land use or business. Use the search bar below the Zoning uses data table to find the appropriate use and its status. The data table shows the status in a column called "Permission". The four permissions are described in a list to the right of the data table. Many uses also have additional regulations which members can find by selecting "reveal the note" within that use's row (these notes are especially relevant to architects that may affect how they design a building or renovation). <i class="fad fa-lightbulb-on" aria-hidden="true"></i> Tip: It's possible to virtually propose a different zoning district and the data table showing allowed uses will refresh. Select a desired zoning district in the dropdown menu below the "Change the zoning district to recalculate" heading. The list of uses in the "Developments allowed in [zoning district]" data table will refresh. Proposing a different zoning district is especially useful when working with a [Super Parcel](/guide/superparcel) Property Report. ### 3. Expanded info in the Zoning Assessment Appendix Expand the zoning assessment by clicking the button in the Property Report. The expanded zoning assessment has two columns, and the following starts with the first in the left column. The button looks like this, in *screenshot 4*: ![[Pasted image 20240627132317.png]] *Screenshot 4: The "Zoning Assessment Appendix" unveils additional information in the automated zoning assessment.* #### Zoning standards [for this zoning district] The zoning district's bulk & density standards are listed here (minimum lot area per unit, height, FAR, and setbacks). #### Zoning matrix Click on the button titled, "Open the zoning matrix for this location", to open the Zoning Matrix in a new browser tab. The Zoning Matrix is useful for zoning attorneys and architects who need to submit this spreadsheet as part of a zoning change application or building permit application. #### Parking requirements The majority of Chicago's parking requirements for the given location's zoning district are shown. Residential parking requirements are straightforward; commercial and mixed-use parking requirements are based on the specific uses in the development and are not shown. #### Short-term rentals Chicago Cityscape keeps track of which voting precincts have elected to ban short-term rental (STR), like Airbnb and VRBO. #### Signs Sign standards in Chicago are based on the type of sign proposed, the lot frontage, and the zoning district. This section will indicate if certain sign types are prohibited, based on the given location's zoning district. Properties may also be in a [[Special sign districts|sign district]] which sets different rules for signage.  #### 80 Acres maps The 80 Acres maps moved to [[Historical maps locators]] in 2024. #### Affordable housing requirements This section describes which of the five ARO 2021 areas the given Property Report is in. A map can be loaded to show the extent of that area as well as the adjacent ARO areas (in case off-site housing is being sought). If the Property Report is in the Little Village/Pilsen pilot area, that will be indicated. This pilot area expired on December 31, 2023. #### 2-flat preservation area This section has a limited application and won't always appear. An overlay district in part of Pilsen and an area around the Bloomingdale Trail/606 have minimum density standards. If the location is in either area, it will be indicated and some of the basic rules will be shown. Show the maps for each special overlay district: - [Predominance of the Block (606) District](https://www.chicagocityscape.com/maps/index.php?place=chicagooverlaydistricts-predominance-of-the-block-606-district) - [Multi-Unit Preservation (Pilsen) District](https://www.chicagocityscape.com/maps/index.php?place=chicagooverlaydistricts-predominance-multi-unit-preservation-pilsen-district) #### Woodlawn Housing Preservation Ordinance An overlay district in the [Woodlawn community area](http://chicagocityscape.com/place/communityarea-woodlawn), this ordinance sets rules around affordable housing requirements and sale of city-owned land and existing apartment buildings. (This is also related to the Community Benefits Agreement organizing in Woodlawn and South Shore community areas.) #### Fair Market Rent The Fair Market Rent (FMR) feature works for every Property Report lookup in Illinois. It shows the rents that the [U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development](https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/fmr.html) is willing to pay to local Public Housing Authorities (like the Chicago Housing Authority) who will then pay landlords for affordable housing. In other words, for landlords of qualified housing who rent to someone with a voucher, this is how much they can expect in guaranteed rent. The data is organized by ZIP code. See *screenshot 5* below. ![[Pasted image 20240627132411.png]] *Screenshot 5 showing the Fair Market Rent data for the 60608 ZIP code.* #### Chicago zoning history Chicago Cityscape keeps a record of previous zoning maps so it's possible to see a location's change in zoning districts since August 2012 (our earliest zoning map). Note that most properties will not have their zoning district change in such a limited time period. #### Zoning change advice Because our exclusive database of zoning changes can be filtered by Ward, Chicago Cityscape can calculate the median time to approval. Click on the link in this section to see what other zoning change applications were approved or languished. This section will also list the names of one or more neighborhood organizations that have a boundary containing the Property Report location. As of September 22, 2024, Chicago Cityscape had mapped 95 of these groups. ![[Pasted image 20240627132500.png]] *Screenshot 6 shows the links to zoning change advice which is a history of zoning change applications that were and were not approved.* #### Sports betting Adopted in 2021, some locations in Chicago near one of five sports stadiums allow sports betting. The location must be within five blocks of the stadiums, and this section will measure the distance to the nearest eligible stadium within seconds. Select the "Find nearest stadium" button and Chicago Cityscape will locate the nearest eligible stadium and measure the distance in blocks (660 feet per city block) and in feet. ![[Pasted image 20240627132532.png]] *Screenshot 7 shows a sample result of the sports better section's nearest stadium lookup.*= ##### Eligible stadiums The relevant zoning code section is [17-9-0110](https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/chicago/latest/chicagozoning_il/0-0-0-50340). - Wrigley Field - Guaranteed Rate Field - Soldier Field - United Center - Wintrust Arena # Related articles - [[Property history]] - [[Housing calculator]] - [[Historical maps locators]] - [[Unused zoning capacity]] helps members find properties that are not built out to their full zoning capacity.