Administrative Adjustment

The City of Chicago Zoning Administrator is tasked with administering and enforcing the City of Chicago Zoning Ordinance. Under Section 17-13-1000, the Zoning Administrator is permitted to approve minor modifications to the City’s zoning standards. These minor modifications are also known as administrative adjustments. Administrative adjustments are typically requested in connection to minor reductions of the front, rear, and side setbacks; reductions in rear yard open space, increases in building height, and reductions in parking requirements, to name just a few.

In the event, you are seeking zoning relief in the form of an administrative adjustment, the City of Chicago requires you to file an application with the Office of the Zoning Administrator at City Hall, 121 N. LaSalle Street, 9th Floor, and evidence that the adjustment would meet all of the criteria required in order to approve the request. Failure to meet all the criteria is grounds for denial of your request. You will then need to provide written notice of the requested adjustment to the adjacent property owners on both sides of your lot. The Zoning Administrator will also require a courtesy notice to be sent to our office. Once you have proven that the adjacent neighbors have been notified, usually by producing signed receipt cards for the mailings, the Zoning Administrator must wait at least 10 days to make its determination as to the administrative adjustment request. Please consult the City of Chicago Zoning Ordinance for the required notice and application laws with respect to administrative adjustment requests.

Although not required, our office requests that an applicant for an administrative adjustment provide evidence that the neighbors have been advised of the proposed project and zoning relief and that they have no objection to the matter. Additionally, we may ask for input from the local community association. Typically, the community association will write a formal letter indicating their support or set forth any objections they have with the administrative request. If the applicant fails to provide any of the requested information, Alderman Knudsen may elect to object to the requested administrative adjustment.