COMMUNITY INPUT GUIDELINES 

Since I have taken office, it has been the highest priority of mine to give the communities of the 25th Ward a voice in matters that affect their neighborhoods and quality of life. As such, we have compiled general guidelines on preferred practices in gathering community input. My office explicitly uses documented community feedback as the basis to make recommendations and decisions regarding various permits, projects, zonings, licenses, etc. 

Accessibility

  • Projects/proposals require language accessibility relative to the surrounding community, including any flyering/digital materials, surveys/petitions, and community meetings. E.g. Spanish for Pilsen/McKinley park, Cantonese/Mandarin for Chinatown. 

Notification

  • Community input should be treated as a first and foremost priority, NOT as an afterthought or formality. Should certain formal applications be submitted before meaningful community input, my office will consider this a penalty during review.

  • Proposals should be communicated to residents via mailing, canvassing, & flyering within a 500ft radius, or greater proportional to the scope of impact. Notification should be between 2-4 weeks prior to the meeting, depending on the scale and impact of the project.

  • Notification should include pertinent information regarding the request, and tangible avenues for residents to provide documented input. This can include petitions, surveys, etc. to be collected by my office. 

  • Outreach to this end will be in partnership. Both my office and the applicant will coordinate notification efforts. 

Community Meetings

  • Depending on the size, scope, and impact of a project, my office may recommend a community meeting be held. 

  • While we are observing safety measures due to the pandemic, community meetings are strongly encouraged to take place via digital video-conferencing platforms such as Zoom. 

  • If meetings are to be held in-person, safety procedures need to be sent and reviewed by my office. 

  • Community meetings should include a presentation of the project/proposal by the involved parties, as well as ample time for community residents to respond with feedback, questions, or comments.

  • Digital meetings should be recorded. 

Feedback

  • Feedback is to be collected in a documented measurable format in order to map majority/minority opinion, physical proximity of input (such as address), and the specific substance of support/opposition/neutrality. 

  • If upon receiving feedback regarding a project/proposal there is a pattern of specific concern, the applicant may be expected to address those concerns directly. This may include altering the project/proposal.

  • If community feedback regarding a project remains mixed, further community input may be requested, such as additional community meetings, extended outreach for surveys, etc. 

  • In special cases, certain studies and/or departmental review may be requested.

Participatory Infrastructure Intake Form

  • This is a data collection tool for 25th Ward neighbors on suggestions where you think improvements need to happen. We welcome you valuable input all year round, and we submit the data in the first quarter of each year to the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) for further review and survey.

  • Click HERE to access the form.

*Recommendations are ultimately at the discretion of the alderman.