Zoning, Chicago-Style: Hanna v. City of Chicago

Abstract The circuit court's decision in Hanna v. City of Chicago is a good illustration of how zoning works, or doesn't work, in Chicago. Hanna v. City of Chicago, No.98 CH 1219, slip op. (Cook County Cir. Ct., April 4, 2001), 53 ZD 147. On its face, it appears to be a fairly typical ruling, decided under Illinois' admittedly idiosyncratic zoning jurisprudence, of a typical downzoning challenge by an affected landowner. But, if you appreciate the larger political and social context under which this remapping controversy arose, the case provides an interesting peek at the political culture surrounding decision making about land use in Chicago.