2-157-020 Establishment of program.

   Pursuant to the powers and authority granted under Article VII of the Constitution of the State of Illinois of 1970, and the home rule powers granted thereunder, the City hereby establishes the "Large Lot Program", which shall be administered by the City's Department of Planning and Development.

(Added Coun. J. 12-10-14, p. 100328, § 2)

2-157-030 Definitions.

   For the purposes of this chapter:

   "Block" means a City Block on which a Qualifying Property Owner owns a parcel of real property, plus the parcels along the face of the City Block across the street from such Qualifying Property Owner's parcel.

   "City" means the City of Chicago.

   "City Block" means the smallest possible area of land bounded on all sides by streets and/or boundaries of standard geographic areas (e.g., rivers, embankments and railroads, but not alleys), and commonly referred to as a ‘City block'.

   "City Parcel" means a parcel of City-owned vacant (i.e., no structures) real property, which is zoned residential.

   "Department" means the Department of Planning and Development.

   "Person" means any natural individual.

   "Program" means the Large Lot Program.

   "Qualifying Property Owner" means (i) a Person who owns and resides at a parcel of real property located on the same Block as a City Parcel, and who is not delinquent in the payment of any property taxes or any debt owed to the City, County of Cook or State of Illinois.

(Added Coun. J. 12-10-14, p. 100328, § 2; Amend Coun. J. 4-21-21, p. 29626, § 1)

2-157-040 List of city-owned real estate – Required.

   The Department shall prepare and maintain, or cause to be prepared and maintained, a list of City-owned real estate which shall include those City Parcels available for sale under the Program. This list shall be made available to the public during normal business hours.

2-157-050 Purchase price required – Sale procedures.

   The Department is authorized to prepare applications designed to provide all the information needed by the City to fairly and completely evaluate proposals for participation in the Program. The purchase price for each City Parcel shall be One Dollar ($1.00). A Qualifying Property Owner may not purchase pursuant to the Program more than two (2) City Parcels per parcel of real property that the Qualifying Property Owner owns on the same Block as the City Parcels. Completed applications which conform to the requirements of the Program, as determined and identified by the Department, shall be submitted by the Department to the City Council and shall thereafter be referred to the City Council committee having jurisdiction over the disposition of City-owned real estate; provided, however, the Department shall not submit at a City Council meeting more than one completed application per City Parcel. If the Department receives complete applications from more than one Qualifying Property Owner for a particular City Parcel, then the Department will select the application to submit to City Council based on a random (e.g., blind lottery) selection process; provided, however, if only one of the complete applications was submitted by a Qualifying Property Owner who owns a parcel of land adjacent to the City Parcel, then the Department will submit such Qualifying Property Owner's application to the City Council. The applications shall be promptly placed on the committee's agenda and a public hearing shall be held within a reasonable time thereafter. The committee shall promptly consider the applications and then forward its recommendation(s) to the City Council. The City Council may authorize or reject the proposed conveyance of the City Parcel(s) to a Qualifying Property Owner by a majority vote.

(Added Coun. J. 12-10-14, p. 100328, § 2)

2-157-060 Covenants in deed – Termination of covenants.

   Any deed conveying a City Parcel to a Qualifying Property Owner may contain such covenants as the Department reasonably deems necessary, including, but not limited to, covenants that require the Qualifying Property Owner for a period of five (5) years commencing on the date on which the City conveys title to such City Parcel to the Qualifying Property Owner (a) to remain in title to the City Parcel and (b) to maintain the City Parcel. The City shall have a right of reverter if the Qualifying Property Owner fails to comply with such covenants. The Department may require the Qualifying Property Owner to execute a reconveyance deed, for the purpose of facilitating the City's exercise of its right of reverter, if necessary.

(Added Coun. J. 12-10-14, p. 100328, § 2)