CHAPTER 17-6
SPECIAL PURPOSE DISTRICTS

17-6-0100   General.

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

17-6-0300   T, Transportation District.

17-6-0400   PMD, Planned Manufacturing 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.

USE GROUP		Park/Open Space Facility Type				Additional Standards
Use Category		POS-1 Regional or Community Parks	POS-2 Neighborhood, Mini- and Play-lot Parks	POS-3 Open Space/ Natural Areas	POS-4 Cemeteries
	Specific Use Type
A = accessory P= permitted by-right S = special use approval required - = Not allowed
PUBLIC AND CIVIC
A. Daycare		P	P	-	-
B. Parks and Recreation
1.	Arboretums and Botanical Gardens	P	P	P	-
2.	Band Shells and Outdoor Theaters	P	P	-	-
3.	Batting Cage	P	P	-	-
4.	Beaches	P	P	P	-
5.	Bowling Alley	P	P	-	-
6.	Canoe/Boat Launch	P	P	P	-
7.	Community Center, Recreation Building and Similar Assembly Use	S	S	-	-
8.	Community Garden	P	P	-	-	§ 17-9-0103.5
9.	Conservatories and Greenhouses	P	-	-	-
10.	Dog Park	P	P	-	-
11.	Driving Range	P	-	-	-
12.	Fishing Pier	P	P	P	-
13.	Forest or Nature Preserve	P	P	P	-
14.	Golf Courses	P	-	-	-
15.	Harbor Facilities	P	-	-	-
16.	Ice Skating Rink (indoor and outdoor)	P	P	-	-
17.	Marinas	PD	-	-	-
18.	Miniature Golf	P	P	-	-
19.	Passive Open Space	P	P	P	-
20.	Playgrounds including water play areas	P	P	-	-
21.	Playing Courts (basketball, volleyball, etc.,)	P	P	-	-
22.	Playing Fields (baseball, soccer, etc.,)	P	P	-	-
23.	Skate Park	P	P	-	-
24.	Swimming Pools	P	P	-	-
25.	Tennis Courts (indoor and outdoor)	P	P	-	-
26.	Trails for Hiking, Bicycling, or Running	P	P	P	-
27.	Zoos	PD	-	-	-
28.	Parks and Recreation uses not listed above	Allowed when expressly approved by governing body with jurisdiction over facility or shown on approved master plan
C. Cultural Exhibits and Libraries		PD	PD	-	-
D. Utility Service, Major		S	S	S	S
E. Utility Service, Minor		P	P	P	P
F. Hospitals		p	-	-	-
COMMERCIAL
G. Food and Beverage Retail Sales		A	A	-	-	No liquor/alcohol sales allowed
H. Funeral and Interment Services
1.	Cemeteries and Mausoleums	-	-	-	P
I. Eating and Drinking Establishments		A	A	-	-
OTHER
J. Field house, locker rooms or similar buildings that support primary outdoor recreation areas.		A	A	-	-
K. Kiosks		A	A	-	-
L. Off-Street Parking, Accessory		A	A	-
M. Off-Street Parking, Non-accessory		S	S	-	-
N. Restrooms		A	A	-	-
O. Storage and Maintenance Areas/Buildings		A	A	-	-	Must be screened from public view by fences, walls and landscaping
P. Temporary Uses		P	P	-	-
Q. Wireless Communication Facilities
1.	Co-located	P	P	-	P	§ 17-9-0118
2.	Freestanding (Tower)	S	S	-	S	§ 17-9-0118
R. Coke & Coal Bulk Material		-	-	-	-	§ 17-9-0117-B
S. Manganese-bearing Material Operation		-	-	-	-	§ 17-9-0117-D
T. Wagering Facility		P	-	-	-	§ 17-9-0110

 

   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)