A month ago, 5th Ward Alder Leslie Hairston proposed eight ordinances to change the zoning classification of the 71st Street business district from various mixed-use districts to RS-3, which allows only single-family houses.
The proposals were announced last week by the hanging of posters along the street.
This zoning change will prevent any new business from opening and obtaining a business license “by right” — all new businesses will have to get approval from Alder Hairston to get a zoning change before opening. The city charges a $1,025 zoning change fee; there may be other costs, especially if one needs to hire a lawyer to ease the change.
There is also a time cost, as a zoning change takes a minimum of three months to be approved.
One of the eight changes is in the 7th Ward, Gregory Mitchell — it’s the one at the southeast corner of 71st Street and Stony Island Avenue.
We’ve drawn a map interpreted from the ordinance descriptions.
What do you think of the alder’s proposal?
The group Reclaiming South Shore for All has posted why this would be very bad for the already economically marginalized business community.