Applications & Documents

Applications for zoning anaylsis and building permits requiring PLATS OF SURVEY must accurately represent the current site conditions. Showing ALL existing buildings, walkways, driveways, patios and other paved surfaces.

 

 Zoning Analysis, Zoning Certification, and Rebuild Letters 

 Fence Variation

 Garage, Yard and House Sales Permit Application 

 Home Occupation Permit

 Major Variance

 Minor Variance

 Special Use Permit

 Adminstrative Interpretation

 Amendment to Zoning Ordinance (Map Amendment/Rezoning or Text Amendment)

 Appeal of Zoning Administrator's Decision

INFORMATION

 

 Zoning Office General Information & List of Services

 Zoning District Summary Sheets 

 Comprehensive Plan: Goals, Objectives & Policies/Actions

 Zoning Fee Schedule

 Fee Ordinance - Updated Fees, March 2009

 Planned Development

 Plat Approval, Subdivision, Resubdivision and Consolidation

 Residential Districts General Information

 Restaurants (Food Establishments) and Sidewalk Cafés

 

Amendments to Zoning Ordinance, Map or Text
Amendment Information for Neighbors (Standards)
Public Hearings Information for Noticed Neighbors
Application for Map Amendment
Application for Text Amendment
General Applicant's Data Form

Required for all amendment, zoning variance, appeals, special use or other zoning relief applications.
Disclosure Statement for Zoning Relief

This is an applicant's conflict of interest declaration. Use this form for all matters going to a public hearing before the Zoning Board of Appeals or Plan Commission, such as amendments, appeals, major variances, special uses and planned developments.

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Analysis, Zoning
Use this form to verify that the Zoning Ordinance allows you to do what you want to do with your land or building without or before applying for a building permit. Construction activities generally require a permit before one commences them. Other activities may require other forms of City approval, such as a business license.
Zoning Analysis Application

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Appeal of Zoning Administrator's Decision
Appeal Application

Use this form to appeal a decision granting zoning certification, with or without a building permit, or to appeal a minor or fence variance decision
General Applicant's Data Form

Required for all amendment, zoning variance, appeals, special use or other zoning relief applications.
Disclosure Statement for Zoning Relief

This is an applicant's conflict of interest declaration. Use this form for all matters going to a public hearing before the Zoning Board of Appeals or Plan Commission, such as amendments, appeals, major variances, special uses and planned developments.

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Comprehensive Plan: Goals, Objectives & Policies/Actions
Comprehensive Plan Information

 

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Fee Schedule for Zoning

Fee Schedule (updated March 2009)

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Fences
You must get a building permit to erect a fence. In general, Evanston now prohibits fences along street sides unless you obtain a variance to this requirement. The forms and sheets below concern the City's fence regulations and the process for requesting an exception to these regulations.

 

Fence Variation Application - New Form for 2009!
Summary of Fence Regulations
Information on Exceptions to Fence Regulations

Information on Type 1 Streets for Fences

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Garage/Yard Sales

You must get a permit from the Zoning Office in order to hold a garage or yard sale. There is no fee, however, garage/yard sales are limited to 3 in a 12-month period, and are only permitted in residential zoning districts.

The one-page Garage/Yard sale application can be downloaded by clicking the link below.

Submit the completed application to the Zoning Office either in person or by fax for processing. You will receive a garage/yard sale permit that must be posted during the time of your sale. Permits must be picked up at the Zoning Office, and can usually be issued immediately when you submit your application.

 

Garage & Yard Sale Application

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Home Occupations
Application & Information, Home Occupations

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Administrative Interpretation

Application (pdf, updated 3-27-09)

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Major Variances
The City provides several processes for one to request exceptions to the "as-of-right" requirements of the Zoning Ordinance. The forms and sheets below relate to the "major variance" procedure. Generally, one uses major variances for exceptions to the bulk (height, setbacks, building and lot size, etc) and parking requirements.


Major Variance Application
Variance Standards
Public Hearings Information for Noticed Neighbors

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Minor Variances
Minor Variances are handled via an administrative process and do not require a public hearing. The following are eligible:

  • Single-family and three-family uses only
  • Variances concerning required setbacks, building lot coverage, impervious surface coverage, accessory structures, lot width, dormers
  • Up to 35% over a "maximum allowable" regulation or up to 35% under a "minimum required" regulation.

Minor Variance Application

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Zoning District Summary Sheets
These one-page information sheets are summaries of the zoning regulations for the City's most referred-to districts. PLEASE NOTE that these summary sheets do give an exhaustive list of requirements for a property in any district, but are intended to provide a convenient reference for the most requested information.

R1 - R3 Residential Districts (pdf, updated 1-27-09, 378 KB)

R4 - R6 Residential Districts (pdf, updated 1-27-09, 386 KB)

B1 - B3 Business Districts (pdf, updated 1-28-09, 347 KB)

C1 - C2 Commercial Districts (pdf, updated 1-28-09, 343 KB)

D1 - D4 Downtown Districts (pdf, updated 1-28-09, 337 KB)

I1 - I3 Industrial Districts (pdf, updated 1-28-09, 339 KB)

MU - MUE - MXE Transitional Manufacturing (pdf, updated 1-28-09, 331 KB)

ALLOWABLE USES by Zoning District (Use Matrix) Updated Nov. 2009

This chart identifies uses that are allowed in each zoning district.

USE DEFINITIONS excerpts from Chapter 18 of the Zoning Ordinance. Updated Nov. 2009

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Planned Development
Planned developments generally are major development projects that require individual zoning reviews involving public hearings and City Council approval.

Planned Development Information Sheets, Required Submittals, & Findings & Standards: 

Planned Development Business Districts
Planned Development Commercial Districts
Planned Development Downtown Districts

Planned Development Industrial Districts
Planned Development Office Districts
Planned Development Research Park District

Planned Development Residential Districts
Planned Development Transitional Manufacturing (MU/MUE) Districts


  General Applicant's Data Form (Coming soon)

Required for all amendment, zoning variance, appeals, special use or other zoning relief applications.
Disclosure Statement for Zoning Relief

This is an applicant's conflict of interest declaration. Use this form for all matters going to a public hearing before the Zoning Board of Appeals or Plan Commission, such as amendments, appeals, major variances, special uses and planned developments.

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Plat Approval, Subdivision, Resubdivision and Consolidation
A plat is a map of an individual parcel or parcels of real estate. Generally a plat graphically identifies the boundaries of a coherent piece of land as identified through documents recorded with the Cook County Recorder of Deeds. The plat also may show the location of various features on, in or above the land. Under certain circumstances the division or joining of parcels of land may trigger State or City requirements to record a new plat. The forms and sheets below concern this process.


Plat Information Sheet
  Zoning Analysis Application (Coming Soon)

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Residential Districts General Information
Residential_Bulk_Requirements
Residential Garages and Other Accessory Structures

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Restaurants (Food Establishments) and Sidewalk Cafés

Food establishment business licenses and sidewalk café permits are managed by the Health and Human Services Department.

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Special Use
For each zoning district, the Zoning Ordinance contains a list of "permitted uses" and "special uses." A permitted land use, such as a single-family home in a single-family district, is a land use for which a land owner does not need any special type of zoning permission, though other zoning and other laws do apply. A special use is one for which the land owner must obtain special permission involving public hearings and City Council approval. The forms and sheets below concern this process.


Special Use Application
Special Use Information for Neighbors (Standards)
Public Hearings Information for Noticed Neighbors
Substitution of Special Use Application