CCC Architecture
Programs in Architectural Studies at the City Colleges of Chicago
Zoning Study
For this project you are asked to complete a zoning study of a property. A site address will be given to you. You will be:
Using the Chicago Zoning Map to determine the zoning district.
Finding the size of the property by using the Cook County Map Application.
Using the Chicago Zoning Ordinance to find the rules for sizing and placing a structure on the property.
Calculating the allowed size and placement for a structure on the property.
Creating a drawing that that illustrates your research.
Steps:
Z.1.1. Go to https://gisapps.cityofchicago.org/zoning/
Z.1.2. Accept the Liability terms.
Z.1.3. Search by address and click on Find Address. An address will be provided to you.
Z.1.4. Make note of the zone on the worksheet. RS-zones are single family residential. B-zones are Business. C-zones are Commercial. In the example below the address at 3446 is in a C1-2 zone. Notice how the zones on the left and right are RS-3 zones.
Z.2.1. Use the Measure tool to measure the dimensions of the site.
Z.2.2. Click on the corners of the site to retrieve dimensions.
Z.2.3. Add the dimensions your zoning analysis document.
Z.3.1. Conduct the Zoning Analysis of your site by visiting the website for the Chicago Zoning Ordinance. http://www.amlegal.com/nxt/gateway.dll/Illinois/chicagozoning/chicagozoningordinanceandlanduseordinanc?f=templates$fn=default.htm$3.0$vid=amlegal:chicagozoning_il
Click on Title 17 Chicago Zoning Ordinance. Refer to the Section 17-2 Residential Districts.
The following is an example for a different address.
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EXAMPLE
Site Address: 4912 S. Blackstone Ave. - PIN #20-11-210-36
Zoning District (from the zoning map): RM5
Width of Lot (from the Cook County map): 38 feet
Depth of Lot (from the Cook County map): 150 feet
Square Footage of Lot (calculate the area of the lot, 38' x 150'): 5,700 square feet
Maximum Floor Area Ratio (FAR) (from the Zoning Ordinance): 2.00
Maximum Allowable Buildable Area (Multiply the FAR times the area of your lot. This is how big the building can be when the areas of all levels are totaled.): 11,400 square feet
Front Yard Setback rule (from the Zoning Ordinance): 15 feet or 12% of lot depth, whichever is less
Front Setback calculated dimension (because 12% of the lot depth is 18 feet and 15 feet is less): 15 feet
Rear Yard Setback rule (from the Zoning Ordinance): 30% of lot depth or 50 feet, whichever is less
Rear Yard Setback calculated dimension (because 30% of the lot depth is 45 feet which is less than 50 feet): 45 feet
Minimum Rear Yard Open Space requirement (from the Zoning Ordinance) (The Rear Yard Open Space is the minimum amount of open space you are required to have behind the structure. It is in terms of square feet per dwelling unit divided by a % of lot area, whichever is greater): 36/5.25; 525
Note: This calculation is simpler for RS zones because one dwelling unit is located on a lot. Other zones may have multiple dwelling units. Let’s say that you have proposed six dwelling units on your property. Using the rule above, you would multiply 6 x 36. That equals 216 square feet. Then you would calculate 5.25% of 11,400 which is the square footage of your lot. The result is 598.5 square feet. That is greater than 216 square feet, so I must provide 598.5 square feet for my rear yard open space. The value would be different if there were four dwelling units on the lot. If there was just one unit on your lot, you would multiply 1 x 36.
Minimum Rear Yard Open Space calculated area: 598.5 square feet.
Minimum Dimension on any Side of Rear Yard Open Space (from Zoning Ordinance): 10 feet
Side Setback rule (from the Zoning Ordinance): Combined total width of side setbacks must equal 20% of lot width with neither required setback less than 2 feet or 8% of lot width, whichever is greater; no side setback is required to exceed 5 feet in width.
Total Combined Side Setback calculated dimension (because 20% of my lot width of 38 feet): 7.6 feet
Minimum Side Setback permitted on one side calculated dimension (8% of the lot width of 38 feet is 3.04 feet which is greater than 2 feet): 3.04 feet
Maximum Building Height (from Zoning Ordinance): 47 feet
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