A set of recommendations from the Chicago mayor’s office calls for streamlining city processes to stimulate more residential and commercial development.

A report from the Chicago Mayor’s office outlines more than one hundred recommendations to streamline the development process in the city that include eliminating parking requirements and removing barriers to development.
Dubbed Cut the Tape, the report aims to make development faster and more affordable, reports Melody Mercado in Block Club Chicago. “The report highlights three priorities: build faster, build everywhere and build together. This encompasses speeding up development timelines, allowing more housing and businesses to be developed in more places and partnering with a variety of stakeholders to make that happen.”
Among the top 10 recommendations:
- Adopt “transformational” zoning changes that would eliminate minimum parking requirements, streamline special use permits and more.
- Streamline design and construction requirements.
- Reduce the number of design review meetings within the Department of Planning and Development from three to one, and reassess the role of the Committee on Design.
The report also focuses on upgrading and modernizing technology in city departments and digitizing processes to make information more centralized. For the Department of Buildings, “The city has already created an online permit application system and is working on creating a permitting and licensing portal.”
FULL STORY: Mayor Plans To Boost Housing, Business Development By Cutting Red Tape

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Congressman Proposes Bill to Rename DC Metro “Trump Train”
The Make Autorail Great Again Act would withhold federal funding to the system until the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), rebrands as the Washington Metropolitan Authority for Greater Access (WMAGA).

The Simple Legislative Tool Transforming Vacant Downtowns
In California, Michigan and Georgia, an easy win is bringing dollars — and delight — back to city centers.

The States Losing Rural Delivery Rooms at an Alarming Pace
In some states, as few as 9% of rural hospitals still deliver babies. As a result, rising pre-term births, no adequate pre-term care and "harrowing" close calls are a growing reality.

The Small South Asian Republic Going all in on EVs
Thanks to one simple policy change less than five years ago, 65% of new cars in this Himalayan country are now electric.

DC Backpedals on Bike Lane Protection, Swaps Barriers for Paint
Citing aesthetic concerns, the city is removing the concrete barriers and flexposts that once separated Arizona Avenue cyclists from motor vehicles.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)