The prospect of yet another new condominium or McMansion in the city is heralded in a manner only a zoning lawyer could decipher. The City of Chicago requires that the builder post a sign on the property saying that the zoning would change, for instance, “from R3 to B3-2.”
The new head of the City Council’s Zoning Committee is proposing, however, that the signs and his committee’s agendas state what exactly would be built.
The committee head, Alderman Daniel Solis (25th Ward), also wants members of the committee to “publicly disclose the nature and extent” of their interest in pending real estate plans. He proposes that they should abstain from voting on such matters and physically remove themselves during debate.
“In this era of cynicism,” said Mr. Solis, an ally of Mayor Richard M. Daley, “we want to be as transparent and ethical as possible.”