Rezoning Map Amendments

The uses permitted in a zoning district are classified in three ways: permitted uses, provisional uses, and special uses. Permitted uses, which are specified in the Zoning Ordinance, do not require special permission. They simply require a building permit and in some cases, a site plan. Provisional uses are also specified in the Zoning Ordinance and are generally compatible to other uses in a zoning district, as long as they comply with certain restrictions regarding location, operation, or screening.  A Rezoning Map Amendment will change the zoning designation for a lot or a group of lots, which will change the permitted uses or provisional uses allowed at that location.  Additionally, different zoning districts allow different development standards for buildings, like height, setbacks, parking requirements, etc.  The City of Champaign’s Zoning Map identifies every zoning district for every parcel of land in the City.

There are several things to consider when considering a Rezoning Map Amendment.  Is the proposed rezoning consistent with the City of Champaign’s Future Land Use Map?  The Future Land Use Map is a map that has been approved as part of the Comprehensive Plan, which identifies how the City of Champaign will grow.  This map identifies which direction commercial districts may grow, and which neighborhoods should  not experience any encroachment of commercial growth.  It also identifies which neighborhoods may be appropriate for additional density in residential units, and which neighborhoods should be preserved.

In addition to the Future Land Use Map, the petitioner and the City would consider the impacts of a proposed rezoning on the surrounding land uses.  Will a rezoning introduce additional noise, light, truck traffic, or odors into an area?  Will these attributes create a negative impact that will impact a neighbors quiet neighborhood and potentially impact property values?  These issues are issues that are considered when evaluating the LaSalle Critieria, which are identified below.

A pre-application conference with a member of the City’s Current Planning Staff is recommended to discuss the proposal before filing an application.

• The Planning Department has an application form which must be completed.
• Once the Zoning Administrator has determined the application is complete and all accompanying material has been submitted, the item will be scheduled for review by the Plan Commission at a public hearing.
• A report will be prepared by Planning and Development Department staff, including comments from the City Engineer, Fire Department, and other relevant City officials regarding the applicability of City Codes to the proposed development.
• Public notice will be given prior to a public hearing before the Plan Commission.  Public notice consists of posting a Legal Ad in the News-Gazette, which will be billed to the petitioner.  Notification signs will be posted on the property 14 days prior to the public hearing, and notification letters will be sent to all of the property owners within 250 feet of the property within 14 days of the hearing.
• The Plan Commission will conduct the hearing and make a recommendation to City Council on the application for the rezoning which will include how the rezoning meets the LaSalle Criteria.
• The City Council will make the final determination to grant or deny the rezoning application.
• The review fee for a Rezoning Map Amendment is $125 and is submitted at the time of application. An additional fee for public notice will be billed to you by The News-Gazette.

The LaSalle Criteria are a set of standards established by the State of Illinois as criteria that communities can use when judging the appropriateness of a rezoning.  These criteria help the Plan Commission and City Council objectively review the rezoning before acting on an application.  The application for a rezoning asks the petitioner to state how the proposed rezoning meets all of the LaSalle Criteria, which helps justify the rezoning.  Below are the LaSalle Criteria, that the petitioner must respond to in the application:The existing uses and zoning of nearby properties.

• • The extent to which property values are diminished by the particular zoning restriction.
  • The extent to which destruction of the property value of the petitioner promotes the health, safety, morals, and general welfare of the public.
  • The relative gain to the public as compared to the hardship imposed upon the individual property owner.
  • The suitability of the subject property for the zoned purpose.
  • The length of time the property has been vacant as zoned considered in the context of land developed in the area in the vicinity of the subject property.
  • The care which a community has undertaken to plan its land use development.
  • The community need for the use proposed by the plaintiff.

This is a summary of the Rezoning Map Amendment process, if you have any further, more detailed questions, please contact the Planning and Development directly to inquire about more information.