Zoning change sought
by BRIAN NADIG
A zoning change is being requested that would allow an apartment in the basement of a four-flat at 6253 W. Devon Ave.
In 2013 city inspectors issued citations for an illegal dwelling unit in the basement of the two-story brick building, as the zoning of the site does not allow five units in the building. One the citations required the removal of all partitions and fixtures, including electrical and plumbing, which were installed without a permit, and another citation required the basement to be restored to its original state.
A construction permit that was applied for in 2014 seeks to restore the basement apartment.
However, the permit cannot be issued unless the property is rezoned from RS-3 Residential Single-Unit District to the less restrictive RT-4 Residential Multi-Unit District, which would permit five living units on the 5,625-square-foot parcel. The 4,500-square-foot building was constructed 47 years ago, according to the Cook County Assessor’s Office.
The south side of the block, which consists of a mix of multi-family and single-family buildings, is zoned RS-3. Caldwell Woods is on the north side of the block.
The City Council’s Committee on Zoning is scheduled to hold a hearing on the proposal at its meeting at 10 a.m. Wednesday, July 22, in the Council Chamber at City Hall, 121 N. LaSalle St.
