Chapter 17-6Special Purpose Districts

17-6-0100 General.

Special purpose districts are established to address land use and development issues that are not easily addressed by R, B, C, D or M district regulations. Special purpose districts are base zoning districts, not overlays.

(Added Coun. J. 5-26-04, p. 25275)

17-6-0200 POS, Parks and Open Space District.

17-6-0201 Purpose and Applicability. The "POS", Parks and Open Space zoning district is intended to preserve, protect and enhance lands set aside for public open space, public parks and public beaches. Such areas and facilities provide many benefits to city residents and visitors. They provide cultural and recreation opportunities; preserve natural and scenic areas; protect sensitive natural resource areas; and offer refuge from the built, urban environment. The POS district is also intended to be applied to cemetery lands. Other than cemeteries, the POS district is intended to be applied exclusively to public-owned lands. #

17-6-0202 Establishment. POS zoning may be established or changed to another classification only in accordance with the Zoning Map Amendment procedures of Sec. 17-13-0300. Parcels zoned POS must be identified with the map symbol "POS" and accompanied by an indication of the applicable park or open space type: #

17-6-0202-A Regional or Community Park (POS-1); #

17-6-0202-B Neighborhood Park, Mini-Park or Playlot (POS-2); #

17-6-0202-C Open Space or Natural Area (POS-3); or #

17-6-0202-D Cemetery (POS-4). #

17-6-0203 Allowed Uses. Permanent uses and facilities are allowed in the POS district in accordance with the use table of this section. #

17-6-0203-A Permitted Uses. Uses identified with a "P" are permitted by-right, provided they: #

1. have been approved by the governing body with jurisdiction over the park or open space area (e.g., Chicago Park District Board of Commissioners); and

2. comply with all other applicable standards of this Zoning Ordinance.

17-6-0203-B Special Uses. Uses identified with an "S" may be allowed if reviewed and approved in accordance with the special use procedures of Sec. 17-13-0900, provided they: #

1. have been approved by the governing body with jurisdiction over the park or open space area; and

2. comply with all other applicable standards of this Zoning Ordinance.

17-6-0203-C Planned Developments. Uses identified with a "PD" may be allowed if reviewed and approved in accordance with the procedures of Sec. 17-13-0600, provided they: #

1. have been approved by the governing body with jurisdiction over the park or open space area (e.g., Chicago Park District Board of Commissioners); and

2. comply with all other applicable standards of this Zoning Ordinance.

17-6-0203-D Accessory Uses. Uses that are necessarily and customarily associated with, and appropriate, incidental, and subordinate to allowed principal uses will be allowed as accessory uses within the POS district. No attempt is made in the use table to identify all allowed accessory uses, although some examples are listed. Uses identified with an "A" and others as determined by the Zoning Administrator may be permitted by-right when they constitute an accessory use or activity to the primary use of the park/open space site, provided that they: #

1. have been approved by the governing body with jurisdiction over the park or open space area; and

2. comply with all other applicable standards of this Zoning Ordinance.

17-6-0203-E Use Table For a printer-friendly PDF version of Table 17-6-0203-E, please click here. #

17-6-0204 Development Standards. #

17-6-0204-A Bulk Standards. #

1. The size, location and design of all buildings, structures, activity areas and other improvements must be expressly approved by the governing body with jurisdiction over the park or open space area or shown on an approved Park Master Plan.

2. Buildings must be set back from side property lines and rear property lines at least one foot for each foot of building height.

3. No front setback is required, except on lots abutting R-zoned lots that have lot frontage on the same street. The required front setback in those cases must be equal to at least 50% of the front yard that exists on the abutting R-zoned lot. If the abutting R- zoned lot is vacant, the 50% must be calculated on the basis of the abutting lot's required front setback.

17-6-0204-B Lakefront Protection Ordinance; Applicability. All development proposed within the boundaries of the Lake Michigan and Chicago Lakefront Protection District are subject to the provisions of Chapter 16-4 (Lake Michigan and Chicago Lakefront Protection Ordinance). #

17-6-0204-C Light and Glare. All lighting must be located, designed and operated to minimize light spillover and glare onto R-zoned properties. #

17-6-0204-D Noise. All loudspeakers and public address systems must be located, designed and operated to minimize disturbance or nuisance to the surrounding area. #

17-6-0204-E Landscaping and Screening. #

1. The vehicular use area landscaping standards of Sec. 17-11-0200 apply within the POS district.

2. All maintenance facilities and outdoor storage areas must be completely screened from view of recreation areas within parks and from abutting streets and R-zoned property.

17-6-0204-F Exceptions. Any application seeking a zoning map amendment, pursuant to Section 17-13-0300, in order to establish a day care, parks and recreation, eating and drinking establishment with an outdoor patio or outdoor assembly use that is proposed to be established within 660' of any (a) windrow composting facility, (b) intensive manufacturing, production and industrial service use, (c) Class III, Class IVA, Class IVB and Class V recycling facility, (d) warehousing, wholesaling, and freight movement use, (e) container storage, (f) freight terminal, (g) outdoor storage of raw material as a principal use, (h) waste-related use, or (i) manganese-bearing material operation use may be allowed only if farther reviewed and approved in accordance with the special use procedures of Section 17-13-0900, unless it otherwise meets a planned development threshold of Section 17-8-0500. #

(Added Coun. J. 5-26-04, p. 25275; Amend Coun. J. 3-9-05, p. 44391; Amend Coun. J. 9-13-06, p. 84870, § 2; Amend Coun. J. 2-7-07, p. 98536, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 9-8-11, p. 7541, § 5; Amend Coun. J. 4-30-14, p. 80394, § 5; Amend Coun. J. 3-28-18, p. 74512, § 5; Amend Coun. J. 3-24-21, p. 29065, § 5; Amend Coun. J. 12-15-21, p. 42922, § 10)

17-6-0300 T, Transportation District.

17-6-0301 Purpose and Applicability. The "T", Transportation zoning district is intended to preserve, protect and enhance road, rail and other important transportation corridors and to ensure public review of proposals to convert such corridors to non- transportation use. #

17-6-0302 Establishment. "T" zoning may be established or changed to another classification only in accordance with the Zoning Map Amendment procedures of Sec. 17-13-0300. Lands included in the T district must be identified with the map symbol "T". #

17-6-0303 Allowed Uses. #

17-6-0303-A Uses Permitted By-right. Only the following uses are allowed by-right in the T district: #

1. Roads,

2. Commuter and freight rail lines and activities directly related to the provision of commuter or freight rail service;

3. Bus ways;

4. Pedestrian and bicycle trails;

5. Minor utilities;

6. Customary and incidental accessory uses to any of the uses described above, as determined by the Zoning Administrator.

17-6-0303-B Other Uses. Only those uses listed in Sec. 17-6-0303-A are allowed in the T district. Land within a T district may be put to another use only after rezoning to a base zoning district classification that allows such use, following the Zoning Map Amendment procedures of Sec. 17-13-0300. #

17-6-0304 Buildings and Structures. The only permanent buildings or structures allowed in a T district are those directly and customarily related to uses allowed under Sec. 17-6-0303. Buildings in the T district may not exceed a floor area ratio of 1.5. #

(Added Coun. J. 5-26-04, p. 25275)

17-6-0400 PMD, Planned Manufacturing Districts.

17-6-0401 General. #

17-6-0401-A Purpose. The "PMD", planned manufacturing district zoning classification is intended to: #

1. foster the city's industrial base;

2. maintain the city's diversified economy for the general welfare of its citizens;

3. strengthen existing manufacturing areas that are suitable in size, location and character and which the City Council deems may benefit from designation as a PMD;

4. encourage industrial investment, modernization, and expansion by providing for stable and predictable industrial environments; and

5. help plan and direct programs and initiatives to promote growth and development of the city's industrial employment base.

17-6-0401-B Minimum Land Area. Only areas of 5 or more contiguous acres are eligible for designation as a planned manufacturing district. #

17-6-0401-C Establishment. PMD zoning may be established only in accordance with the PMD rezoning procedures of Sec. 17-13-0700. #

17-6-0401-D District Boundaries. The boundaries of PMD districts must be shown on the Official Zoning Atlas. Detailed legal descriptions must be included in the ordinance establishing the specific PMD. #

17-6-0401-E Conflicting Provisions. When any provision of this section conflicts with a comparable provision concerning the same subject matter in another section under this Zoning Ordinance, the provisions of this section will govern. #

17-6-0401-F Districts Established. The following planned manufacturing districts are established: #

1. Reserved

2. P.M.D. 2, Elston Corridor

3. P.M.D. 3, Goose Island

4. P.M.D. 4, Kinzie Corridor

5. P.M.D. 5, Chicago/Halsted Corridor

6. P.M.D. 6, Lake Calumet

7. P.M.D. 7, Western/Ogden

8. P.M.D. 8, Stockyards

9. P.M.D. 9, Northwest

10. P.M.D. 10, West Pullman

11. P.M.D. 11, Pilsen

12. P.M.D. 12, Harlem

13. P.M.D. 13, Greater Southwest

14. P.M.D. 14, Kennedy

15. P.M.D. 15, Armitage

17-6-0402 Reserved. (Deleted Coun. J. 3-9-05, p. 44391) #

17-6-0403 Allowed Uses. Permanent uses and facilities are allowed in PMD districts in accordance with the use table of this section. #

17-6-0403-A Permitted Uses. Uses identified with a "P" are permitted by-right in the subject zoning district, subject to compliance with all other applicable standards of this Zoning Ordinance. #

17-6-0403-B Special Uses. Uses identified with an "S" may be allowed if reviewed and approved in accordance with the special use procedures of Sec. 17-13-0900, subject to compliance with all other applicable standards of this Zoning Ordinance. #

17-6-0403-C Prohibited Uses. Uses identified with a "-" are expressly prohibited. Uses that are not listed in the table are also prohibited. #

17-6-0403-D Use Standards. The "Use Standard" column of the following Use Table identifies use-specific standards that apply to some uses. Compliance with such standards is required regardless of whether the use is a permitted use (P) or special use (S). #

17-6-0403-E Planned Developments. Uses identified with a "PD" may be allowed if reviewed and approved in accordance with the planned development procedures of Sec. 17-13-0600. Other uses and development activities may also require review and approval as a planned development based on their size, height or other threshold criteria. (See the mandatory planned development thresholds of Sec. 17-8-0500) #

17-6-0403-F Use Table and Standards. For a printer-friendly PDF version of Table17-6-0403-F, please click here. #

17-6-0403-G Supplemental Use Standards. In addition to the use standards listed in Sec. 17-9-0100, the following Supplemental Use standards also shall apply where specifically indicated. #

1. Artist Work Space. Accessory galleries, showrooms and sales spaces shall not be larger than 4,000 square feet. In PMD 8, one accessory dwelling unit for an artist's household may be established within the principal building provided the floor area of the dwelling unit is less than or equal to the floor area of the artist's work space within the building and the dwelling unit is separated from the artist's work space and all other areas of the building in accordance with Section 14B-5-508 .

2. Business Support Service. Copying and reproduction services as a principal use shall not be larger than 3,000 square feet, provided:

a. this floor area limit does not apply to projects which reuse an existing building;

b. this floor area limit does not apply in PMD 7B, PMD 8B and PMD 11B.

3. Urban Farm. Retail sales are limited to sales of goods produced on site, and sales space shall not occupy more than 3,000 square feet.

4. Construction Sales and Service. Building material sales uses shall have a maximum customer accessible retail sales area of not more than 20% of gross floor area, provided this floor area limit does not apply in PMD 7B, PMD 8B and PMD 11B.

5. Eating and Drinking Establishments. Eating and drinking establishments shall not be larger than 4,000 square feet and shall not provide entertainment, provided:

a. in PMD 3, PMD 4, PMD 9 and PMD 14 the maximum floor area limit is 8,000 square feet, there is no entertainment restriction, and the Zoning Board of Appeals is authorized to, if approved in accordance with the special use procedures of Sec. 17-13-0900, (i) increase the maximum floor area to 12,000 square feet and (ii) allow an outdoor patio.

b. these floor area and entertainment limits do not apply in PMD 2, PMD 7B, PMD 8B and PMD 11B.

6. Financial Service. Financial service uses shall not be larger than 3,000 square feet, provided:

a. this maximum floor area limit is 6,000 square feet in PMD 9 on lots abutting West North Avenue;

b. this floor area limit does not apply in PMD 7B, PMD 8B and PMD 11B.

7. Food and Beverage Retail Sales. Food and beverage retail sales uses shall not be larger than 3,000 square feet, provided:

a. this maximum floor area limit is 8,000 square feet in PMD 3;

b. this maximum floor area limit is 6,000 square feet in PMD 8 on lots abutting South Halsted Street north of Pershing Road;

c. this floor area limit does not apply in PMD 4B, PMD 7B, PMD 8B and PMD 11.

8. Medical Service. Medical service uses shall not be larger than 9,000 square feet, provided:

a. this floor area limit does not apply to projects which reuse an existing building;

b. this floor area limit does not apply in PMD 7B, PMD 8B and PMD 11B.

9. Office. Office uses shall not be larger than 9,000 square feet, provided:

a. this floor area limit does not apply to projects which reuse an existing building or are accessory to an allowed industrial use;

b. this floor area limit does not apply in PMD 2, PMD 3 and PMD 5;

c. this floor area limit does not apply in PMD 4A, on lots abutting North Ashland Avenue if reviewed and approved in accordance with the special use procedures of Sec. 17-13-0900;

d. this floor area limit does not apply in PMD 4B, PMD 7B, PMD 8B and PMD 11B.

10. Personal Service. Personal service uses shall not be larger than 3,000 square feet, provided:

a. the floor area limit is 8,000 square feet in PMD 3 and PMD 4B;

b. the floor area limit does not apply in PMD 7B, PMD 8B and PMD 11B.

11. Repair or Laundry Service, Consumer. Consumer repair or laundry service uses shall not be larger than 3,000 square feet, provided this floor area limit does not apply in PMD 4B, PMD 7B, PMD 8B and PMD 11B.

12. Retail Sales, General. General retail sales are limited to incidental sales of goods produced on site, and retail space shall not occupy more than 3,000 square feet or 20% of the total gross floor area, whichever is less, provided:

a. this on-site production limit shall not apply in PMD 4B, and the Zoning Board of Appeals is authorized to increase the maximum floor area limit if reviewed and approved in accordance with the special use procedures of Sec. 17-13-0900;

b. this on-site production and floor area limit does not apply in PMD 7B, PMD 8B, and PMD 11B;

c. this on-site production and floor area limit does not apply in PMD 14 if reviewed and approved in accordance with the special use procedures of Sec. 17-13-0900.

13. Auto Supply/Accessory Sales. Auto supply/accessory sales uses shall not be larger than 3,000 square feet, provided this floor area limit does not apply in PMD 7B, PMD 8B and PMD.

14. RVs or Boat Storage. In PMD 6, boat storage is permitted only on sites of 10 acres or more located on the Calumet River north of East 100th Street.

15. Manufacturing, Production and Industrial Service. In PMD 2, intensive manufacturing, production and industrial service uses are limited to asphalt plants and concrete plants only.

16. Incidental Commercial Use. Office buildings located on lots abutting North Ashland Avenue in PMD 4A may have incidental commercial use tenants if reviewed and approved in accordance with the special use procedures of Sec. 17-13-0900, provided the incidental commercial uses:

a. are located on the ground floor of the building;

b. are clearly incidental and subordinate to the office use;

c. occupy no more than 25%, in the aggregate, of the gross floor area of the ground floor of the building;

d. are limited to the following use categories:

i. Building Maintenance Services

ii. Business Support Services

iii. Day Care

iv. Financial Services (bank, savings bank, savings and loan association, currency exchange, and credit union use types only)

v. Food and Beverage Retail Sales (no liquor or live poultry sales)

vi. Medical Service

vii. Personal Service

viii. Repair or Laundry Service, Consumer

ix. Retail Sales, General

17. Fulfillment Centers. Warehouses may include the distribution of retail products, both general and food and beverage, directly to the consumer through third-party delivery, provided there is no customer-accessible sales area on site. Such products do not have to be produced on site.

17-6-0404 Nonconforming Uses. Nonconforming uses may be replaced only with allowed uses. #

17-6-0405 Development Standards. #

17-6-0405-A Regulations Along R District Boundaries. Setbacks must be provided in accordance with the standards of Sec. 17-5-0405 and Sec. 17-5-0600. #

17-6-0405-B Sign Standards. Development in all PMD districts must comply with the sign standards applicable to M districts (see Chapter 17-12). #

17-6-0405-C Off-street Parking. Development in all PMD districts must comply with the off-street standards applicable to M1, M2 and M3 districts (See Sec. 17-5-0206 and Chapter 17-10). When no off-street parking standard for a PMD use is established in Sec. 17-5-0206, a parking standard must be established in accordance with Sec. 17-10-0406) #

17-6-0405-D Off-street Loading. Development in all PMD districts must comply with the off-street loading standards of Sec. 17-10-1100. #

17-6-0405-E Floor Area Ratio. All development in PMDs is subject to the following maximum floor area ratio standards: #

(See Sec. 17-17-0305 for rules governing the measurement of floor area ratio.)

17-6-0406 Indoor/Outdoor Operations. Within 300 feet of any R district, all business, servicing, processing and product assembly must take place within a completely enclosed building. #

17-6-0407 Indoor/Outdoor Storage. Within 300 feet of any R district, all storage of goods and materials, except motor vehicles, must take place within a completely enclosed building or be effectively screened from view by a solid fence or wall (including solid entrance and exit gates) at least 8 feet in height. #

(Added Coun. J. 5-26-04, p. 25275; Amend Coun. J. 5-26-04, p. 25277, 25287, 25299; Amend Coun. J. 1-11-05, p. 41231; Amend Coun. J. 3- 9-05, p. 44391; Amend Coun. J. 7-27-05, p. 54238; Amend Coun. J. 9-14-05, p. 55912; Amend Coun. J. 9-14-05, p. 55914; Amend Coun. J. 11- 1-05, p. 60274; Amend Coun. J. 11-30-05, p. 62719; Amend Coun. J. 11-30-05, p. 62732; Amend Coun. J. 1-11-06, p. 67927; Amend Coun. J. 9-13-06, p. 84870, § 2; Amend Coun. J. 9-27-07, p. 10279, §§ 2 - 4; Amend Coun. J. 4-9-08, p. 24657, § 7; Amend Coun. J. 1-13-09, p. 54380, § 4; Amend Coun. J. 2-11-09, p. 55336, § 4; Amend Coun. J. 5-12-10, p. 92107, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 5-12-10, p. 92109, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 2-9-11, p. 112149, § 23; Amend Coun. J. 6-8-11, p. 1725, § 4*; Amend Coun. J. 9-8-11, p. 7541, § 7; Amend Coun. J. 1-17-13, p. 45622, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 2-13-13, 47141, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 6-5-13, p. 55448, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 7-24-13, p. 58321, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 7-24-13, p. 58324, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 12-11-13, p. 71898, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 1-15-14, p. 73271, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 2-5-14, p. 74738, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 4-30-14, p. 80394, § 6; Amend Coun. J. 7-30-14, p. 86194, § 5; Amend Coun. J. 9-10-14, p. 88538, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 10-8-14, p. 93150, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 11-5-14, p. 96205, § 3; Amend Coun. J. 1-21-15, p. 102086, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 2-10-16, p. 18766, § 13; Amend Coun. J. 5-18-16, p. 25018, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 9-14-16, p. 31756, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 3-29-17, p. 45475, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 5-24-17, p. 50364, § 2; Amend Coun. J. 7-26-17, p. 53898, § 6; Amend Coun. J. 11-21-17, p. 62501, § 3; Amend Coun. J. 3-28-18, p. 74512, § 6; Amend Coun. J. 6-27-18, p. 80808, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 9-20-18, p. 84908, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 3-13-19, p. 97359, § 2; Amend Coun. J. 4-10-19, p. 100029, Art. II, § 108; Amend Coun. J. 4-10-19, p. 100807, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 9-18-19, p. 6224, §§ 2, 3; Amend Coun. J. 10-16-19, p. 7854, § 4; Amend Coun. J. 10-7-20, p. 21791, Art. VII, § 26; Amend Coun. J. 2-26-21, p. 28054, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 3-24-21, p. 29065, § 6; Amend Coun. J. 11-17-21, p. 41637, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 12-15-21, p. 42922, § 10; Amend Coun. J. 5-25-22, p. 48249, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 6-22-22, p. 49379, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 2-21-24, p. 9667, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 3-20-24, p. 10438, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 1-15-25, p. 23473, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 4-16-25, p. 26841, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 9-25-25, p. 32108, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 9-25-25, p. 32110, § 1)

* Editor's note- Coun. J. 6-8-11, p. 1725, § 4, mistakenly stated that it amended § 17-6-207. In reality, the ordinance amended this section; however, that amendment has been subsequently repealed.