Ald. Proco “Joe” Moreno (1st) took hard lumps last week from some council members in the first round of hearings on his push to make it easier for Chicagoans to live where they work.

Co-sponsored by Ald. Tom Tunney (44th), the measure would allow owners to operate live/work spaces in all business districts, as well as in commercial areas with a special use permit.

Per the code, only artists are currently permitted to live in ground floor studios and galleries are allowed in only one of the five business districts, with a special use required for most areas.

Moreno introduced the legislation to the City Council in June, but spent three months tweaking the amendment before bringing it to the Committee on Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards on Sept. 1.

At the hearing, Moreno presented the ordinance as an “aggressive and pragmatic” measure that was one part economic stimulant and one part history lesson.

“It comes back to the tradition of Chicago, which is how the city was built: families and entrepreneurs working and living in their space,” he said.

The alderman said several major cities like New York City and Boston already have zoning ordinances which allow for live/work spaces to exist in different districts, allowing business owners there to forgo the challenges of paying for both a home and a work space.

“We need to work with our communities and adapt to the needs of commercial enterprises,” added Tunney.

The revised code would define a live/work space as any business, service or retail property “in which up to 30 percent of the floor area or 750 square feet … may be utilized as a residence, occupied by the operator and his family.”

Mark Thomas, a local business owner and executive director of the Kedzie Elston Business Industrial Council, testified in favor of Moreno’s ordinance, framing it as an economic redeemer for an ailing real estate market.

“They’re talking about the collapse of commercial real estate as being the next shoe to drop, and if we can repopulate these stores in Chicago, maybe we can stop [that],” he said.

Thomas pointed to the symptoms of an economy in need of such legislation — namely the e-commerce website Etsy, which serves as an online market for stay-at-home craftmakers and vintage collectors to peddle their wares.

He said the city retains very few paybacks from its estimated 70,000 Etsy sellers, because they are often working in a place that is not zoned for commercial uses and only a minority contribute to local sales tax revenues.

“This is a way to bring people out of the dark and on to the street,” said Thomas, referring to the live/work ordinance.

After hearing Moreno’s pitch, the zoning committee seemed more interested in the ordinance’s hypothetical pitfalls than its benefits.

“Do you understand why the zoning code in Chicago was started?” asked Ald. Ray Suarez (31st), rhetorically.

Suarez said that “there are businesses where this shouldn’t be allowed,” and argued that the ordinance could effectively blur the lines between zoning districts.

Ald. Robert Fioretti (2nd) pondered whether the ordinance would allow business owners to have all of their employees living under one roof, and Ald. Jason Ervin (28th) — though not on the committee — asked if the owner of a live/work space could “literally have a bed behind a meat counter?”

Zoning Administrator Patricia Scudiero explained that the city’s building regulations would continue to limit “one household per unit,” and that the current health, safety and welfare standards written into the municipal code would still be pertinent if Moreno’s ordinance should pass.

“So the bed next to the meat counter may not be permitted,” she said.

The ordinance, which was not up for a vote that day, was deferred until next month’s meeting — but not before Suarez left Moreno with one final thought.

“I think probably one of the best ways for you guys to get this ordinance through is to pass it in your own wards and see what happens,” he said.

When Skyline caught up with Moreno a few days after the hearing, the alderman seemed undeterred by the committee’s criticisms.

“We’re not going to sit there and listen to anyone on the council criticize an idea when they don’t have ideas of their own,” he said.

Moreno said that he would continue to sculpt the ordinance, looking mainly at fire code requirements and licensing issues and possibly amending a special use requirement for one of the business districts. But the objective of the ordinance would remain the same, he said.

“My neighborhood needs storefronts filled, and this is very progressive,” he said. “I have no reason to believe that we will not get this passed very quickly.”

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By Annoyed Homeowner from Douglas
Posted: 09/10/2011 9:12 PM

Well if they are only residing in space in their commercial businesses, this would be a savings especially for college grads who want to start a franchise without the extra cost of an apartment, condo bill. Thanks Lee from Lakeview! I'm all for this ordinance if the homeowners can't use it.

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By Lee from Lakeview
Posted: 09/10/2011 3:45 PM

@Annoyed Homeowner from Douglas: no, you've got it backwards. The live-work would not allow people to run commercial businesses in residential areas -- it would allow people to live in their work spaces in areas zoned for business. This is a great ordinance, and I'm pleased to see my Alderman (Tunney) is a sponsor. This would help new business owners get on their feet. We shouldn't force people to pay leases in two places (work and home) if they can harmlessly live in the back of their shop.

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By Annoyed Homeowner from Douglas
Posted: 09/10/2011 8:45 AM

This homeowner also has handicapped parking in front of their house but it is extended to take up 1 1/2 spaces, thus removing any foot traffic away from their parkway plants. Therefore, their customers get out of their cars and many exit the passenger side and walk on the neighbors parkway plants or grass. Is this neighborly or what???

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By Annoyed Homeowner from Douglas
Posted: 09/10/2011 8:37 AM

I have a neighbor that has far too many yard sales. She's even having one today. She is a realestate broker and I suppose she collects plenty of unwanted items from home sellers and sells these items at her sales. This year she started placing a sign in front of my house across the street without asking, to direct her customers to her garage sales. Under the live-work ordinance, would she be able to run a resale shop 5 days a week and take away public parking from the homeowners who need it?

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By dan from River West
Posted: 09/09/2011 5:12 PM

Not only should this be a highly considered proposal, they should also include a proposal to allow variances to Mixed Use zoning in certain zones/streets that formerly had residential 2/3 flats that were torn down and forced to be rebuilt with a commercial storefront and condos above. The variance should allow buildings in this category to permit residential use on the street level as it once was years ago. This is why we have so many empty storefronts. they never were storefronts before

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By Grandma from Douglas
Posted: 09/09/2011 1:30 PM

Maybe Fioretti thinks the owners may rent to a section 8 tenant to make extra cash. Just kidding! Realistically speaking, maybe he's concerned that his Motor Row Entertainment District may end up with residential tenants in his non condo zone.

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By Tom.D from West Town
Posted: 09/09/2011 11:52 AM

I am generally supportive of this sort of change to the Zoning Code, but... You really do need to look at all these hypotheticals and proceed with caution. Building owners and developers will put a lot of mental energy over years to figure out how to manipulate and abuse any opening - that's simply the history and reality of changes to zoning and similar codes. They WILL build the "worst case scenario."

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By Allan M from Lincoln Park
Posted: 09/09/2011 10:11 AM

This is a great ordinance. It will help entrepreneurs, artists, and other startup businesses. In addition it will stimulate the redevelopment of vacant industrial businesses. The second mxim in real estate after \"Location, Location, Location\" is invest where the artists are.

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By chicago or ? from westside
Posted: 09/09/2011 1:59 AM

I don't think Alderman Jason Ervin should have the right to make a comment. He should take a good look at his own ward (Madison & Pulaski). It looks like the city dump.

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By Chgohunt from South Loop
Posted: 09/08/2011 9:24 PM

Seems Fioretti, like Suarez, seems to have little understanding of the proposal, and little attention to the details as presented by Moreno (and Tunney). Their questions are just plain ignorant of how live/work plays out in actuality, and of its potential success for select artisan businesses. More power to Moreno on this one -- he's thinking creatively!