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Municipal Code of Chicago
MUNICIPAL CODE OF CHICAGO
TITLE 1 GENERAL PROVISIONS
TITLE 2 CITY GOVERNMENT AND ADMINISTRATION
TITLE 3 REVENUE AND FINANCE
TITLE 4 BUSINESSES, OCCUPATIONS AND CONSUMER PROTECTION
TITLE 5 HOUSING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
TITLE 6 HUMAN RIGHTS*
TITLE 7 HEALTH AND SAFETY
TITLE 8 OFFENSES AFFECTING PUBLIC PEACE, MORALS AND WELFARE
TITLE 9 VEHICLES, TRAFFIC AND RAIL TRANSPORTATION
TITLE 10 STREETS, PUBLIC WAYS, PARKS, AIRPORTS AND HARBORS
TITLE 11 UTILITIES AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
TITLE 12 RESERVED
TITLE 13 BUILDINGS AND CONSTRUCTION
TITLE 14 RESERVED*
TITLE 14A ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS OF THE CHICAGO CONSTRUCTION CODES*
TITLE 14B BUILDING CODE*
TITLE 14C CONVEYANCE DEVICE CODE*
TITLE 14E ELECTRICAL CODE*
TITLE 14F FIRE PREVENTION CODE*
TITLE 14G FUEL GAS CODE*
TITLE 14M MECHANICAL CODE*
TITLE 14N 2022 ENERGY TRANSFORMATION CODE*
TITLE 14P PLUMBING CODE*
TITLE 14R BUILDING REHABILITATION CODE*
TITLE 14X MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR EXISTING BUILDINGS*
TITLE 15 FIRE PREVENTION
TITLE 16 LAND USE
TITLE 17 CHICAGO ZONING ORDINANCE
TITLE 18 BUILDING INFRASTRUCTURE
APPENDIX TO THE MUNICIPAL CODE OF CHICAGO (RESERVED)*
TABLES
Chicago Zoning Ordinance and Land Use Ordinance
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16-18-010 Title.
   This Chapter 16-18, Sections 16-18-010 through 16-18-110, shall be entitled and referred to as "The Open Space Impact Fee Ordinance".
(Added Coun. J. 4-1-98, p. 65269)
16-18-020 Purpose and intent.
   The purpose and legislative intent of this chapter is to require new residential development to contribute its proportionate share of open space and recreational facilities which directly and materially benefit such development, or fees in lieu thereof, in order to ensure that adequate open space and recreational facilities are available to serve residents of such development.
(Added Coun. J. 4-1-98, p. 65269)
16-18-030 Applicability.
   The provisions of this chapter shall apply to all new residential development and rehabilitation which results in the creation of additional dwelling units, except additional dwelling units for which a complete building permit application (with a complete set of drawings) was filed as of the date of passage of this chapter. Replacement housing which does not increase the existing number of dwelling units shall be exempt.
(Added Coun. J. 4-1-98, p. 65269)
16-18-040 Fee formula.
   (a)   Open space impact fees shall be calculated based on the following formula (the fee per dwelling unit being rounded to the nearest dollar before being totaled for the development as a whole):
      (1)   Fee = Open Space Need × Open Space Cost × Developer’s Share; where:
      (2)   Open Space Need = Number of Dwelling Units of a particular size which do not qualify as affordable housing units under paragraph (b) of this section × that particular size unit’s Estimated Household Size × Minimum Open Space Standard (2 acres per 1,000 people);
         (i)   As necessary, repeat this Open Space Need formula for all relevant sizes of units and add together each result to calculate a given development’s total Open Space Need; and
      (3)   Household Size is estimated to increase with the size of the dwelling unit as follows:
 
Size Of Unit
(Square Feet)
Estimated Household Size (Persons)
Less than 800
1
800 – 1,599
2
1,600 – 2,999
3
3,000 and greater
4
 
      (4)   Open Space Cost = $12.00 per square foot prior to and including December 31, 2024; and henceforth shall be adjusted as follows:
         (i)   Beginning on January 1, 2025, Open Space Cost shall increase to $16.00 per square foot; and
         (ii)   Beginning on January 1, 2026, Open Space Cost shall increase to $20.00 per square foot; and
         (iii)   Beginning on January 1, 2027, Open Space Cost shall increase to $24.00 per square foot; and
         (iv)   Beginning on January 1, 2028, and on every January 1 thereafter, the Open Space Cost shall be, the lesser of, (1) the prior year’s cost adjusted by the percentage increase in the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index for all Urban Consumers for the Chicago metropolitan area; or (2) 102.5 percent of the prior year’s Open Space Cost, to reflect current market-rate land values.
      (5)   Minimum Open Space Standard (2 acres per 1,000 people) = $87.00 per person (rounded to the nearest dollar and based on 43,560 square feet per acre).
      (6)   Developer’s Share = 30 percent, except units which qualify as “affordable housing”.
      (7)   Affordable housing units, counted separately from any calculations of the fee formula in subsection (a)(1) or open space need formula in subsection (a)(2) of this section, shall be charged a flat nominal fee of $100.00 per unit regardless of size.
   (b)   Affordable housing is defined as housing which is sold or rented at or below the maximum price or fair market rents for household income limits up to 120 percent AMI as established by Section 2-44-085 of the Code (the Affordable Requirements Ordinance or the ARO), localized financial statistics updated annually by HUD, and including ARO program rules promulgated by the Department of Planning and Development. The sale or rental price of each unit will be the primary criteria for its status as affordable housing, regardless of the development's or unit’s level of government financial assistance. The above-stated maximum price or fair market rents may be modified by the Department of Planning and Development from time to time. The Department of Planning and Development may also issue a fee schedule with updated rates based on the formulas and values in subsection 16-18-040(a) without the need to amend this chapter.
(Added Coun. J. 4-1-98, p. 65269; Amend Coun. J. 11-19-08, p. 47220, Art. VIII, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 11-17-10, p. 106597, Art. IX, § 10; Amend Coun. J. 11-26-13, p. 67481, Art. I, § 29; Amend Coun. J. 9-18-24, p. 16622, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 12-16-24, p. 22233, § 6)
16-18-050 Reserved.
Editor’s note – Coun. J. 9-18-24, p. 16622, § 2, repealed § 16-18-050, which pertained to fee schedule.
16-18-060 Timing of payment of fees.
   Open space impact fees shall be paid as a condition of issuance of a building permit for proposed new dwelling units.
(Added Coun. J. 4-1-98, p. 65269)
16-18-070 Individualized assessment of impact.
   Any person applying for a building permit may opt to submit an individualized assessment of impact in lieu of calculation of fees pursuant to the fee formula in Section 16-18-040 hereof. Individualized assessments shall establish why new open space is unnecessary in the area because of adequate existing open space or why the fees should be reduced because of lower open space costs in the area than those estimated in Section 16-18-040 hereof. Existing open space shall be deemed to be adequate if it meets the goals set forth in the “City Space Plan”.
(Added Coun. J. 4-1-98, p. 65269; Amend Coun. J. 9-18-24, p. 16622, § 1)
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