Chicago Plan Commission (CPC), Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA), and Commission on Chicago Landmarks (CCL) meetings held during the COVID-19 public health crisis will be conducted with special emergency procedures that enable their lawful and safe administration from remote locations, according to rules posted to the Department of Planning and Development (DPD) website today.

The rules, which can be viewed at www.chicago.gov/cpc, www.chicago.gov/zba and www.chicago.gov/ccl, will apply for upcoming meetings of each board and commission starting with the below times and dates.

• CCL: 12:45 p.m., Thursday, May 7
• CPC: 10 a.m., Friday, May 8
• ZBA: 9 a.m., Friday, May 15 

The rules will enable meetings for the first time to be conducted remotely by video conference and streamed live through YouTube. Links to the stream will be provided through each commission’s respective website on the day of each meeting. The emergency rules have been approved by the chair of each commission or board, per guidelines approved last week by City Council.

Brief summaries on the public comment portion of the rules are provided below. More detailed information for the public, as well as for project presentation teams, is available in the rules themselves on each commission’s website.

Chicago Plan Commission

• Written statements are the preferred method of public comment and will be accepted up to 24 hours in advance of the meeting at CPC@cityofchicago.org. Statements will be posted online for public review prior to the start of each meeting.
• Members of the public wishing to speak must submit a speaking request form, available at www.chicago.gov/cpc, beginning at 10 a.m. the Friday preceding the meeting. Forms must be submitted by 10 a.m. the Tuesday preceding the meeting to CPC@cityofchicago.org.
• Verbal statements for all agenda items will take place at the beginning of each meeting, versus after each presentation.
• A maximum of 15 members of the public will be permitted to comment on each proposal due to technical limitations. Selected speakers for each item will be chosen on a first-come, first-serve basis. Each will be given instructions on how to provide up to three minutes of testimony.

The Chicago Plan Commission is responsible for the review of proposals that involve Planned Developments (PDs), the Lakefront Protection Ordinance, and Planned Manufacturing Districts (PMDs), among other duties.

Zoning Board of Appeals

• Written statements are the preferred method of public comment and will be accepted at ZBA@cityofchicago.org until 5 p.m. the Monday before the meeting.
• Members of the public wishing to speak must submit a speaking request form, available at www.chicago.gov/zba by 5 p.m. the Monday before the meeting to ZBA@cityofchicago.org.
• Speakers will be given instructions individually.

Additionally, the ZBA will limit its agenda to matters that can be productively heard in a virtual format. Applicants may request a deferral to a later date. ZBA will not hear cannabis-related items at its May 15 meeting.

The Zoning Board of Appeals reviews proposed variations from the zoning code, special use applications, and appeals of decisions made by the Zoning Administrator.

Commission on Chicago Landmarks

• Written statements are the preferred method of public comment and will be accepted up to 24 hours in advance of the meeting at ccl@cityofchicago.org.
• Verbal statements for all agenda items will take place at the beginning of each meeting, versus after each presentation.
• Members of the public wishing to speak must fill out a speaking request form, available at www.chicago.gov/ccl, beginning at 9 a.m. the Friday preceding the meeting. Forms must be submitted at least 48 hours before the meeting to ccl@cityofchicago.org.
• A maximum of 15 members of the public will be permitted to comment on each proposal due to technical limitations. Selected speakers will be chosen on a first-come, first-serve basis. Each will be given instructions on how to provide up to three minutes of testimony.
• The Permit Review Committee (PRC) will meet immediately after CCL and follow identical rules on public comment.

The Commission on Chicago Landmarks is responsible for recommending landmark designations to City Council and reviewing projects that involve designated landmarks, among other duties.

Similar emergency rules for the Community Development Commission (CDC) will be posted online in coming days.

DPD provides staff services for all four boards that are subject to emergency meeting procedures.

Questions and comments should be directed to DPD@cityofchicago.org.

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