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Planning Board recommends rezoning at 671 North Chicago Ave. to allow two-family use
Summary
The Kankakee City Planning Board on April 15 voted unanimously to recommend that City Council approve a map amendment changing 671 North Chicago Avenue from R-1 single-family to R-2 two-family residential; the case is scheduled for City Council on May 5.
The Kankakee City Planning Board on April 15 voted to recommend approval of a map amendment to rezone 671 North Chicago Avenue from R-1 (single-family residential) to R-2 (two-family residential). Commissioner Deb Terrell made the motion and Commissioner Barry McCracken seconded; the board’s roll-call vote was unanimous in favor and the case will go to City Council on May 5.
The rezoning matter arose during a public hearing after applicant Carlos Cuevas told the board he believed the property had been a two-unit when he bought it and sought the amendment to correct the zoning for that use. “When I bought the property, I was under the impression that it was a 2 unit. So that’s why we’re doing the amendment,” Cuevas said. He said the zoning discrepancy delayed a planned sale and affected his financing timeline.
The board discussed whether the structure predated the current zoning rules. Commissioner Deb Terrell said the building appeared to have been built as a two-unit in 1978, before the city’s zoning ordinance, and characterized the situation as a legal nonconforming condition that could be administratively corrected. The board opened the public hearing and, seeing no speakers from the audience, closed it before taking action. Planner Melissa King offered to help Cuevas review his other Kankakee properties to confirm their zoning status.
The board’s motion recommended approval “with the findings attached” (motion text as recorded). The roll-call vote in favor was recorded for Barry McCracken, Arthur Wachs, Susan Lopez, Jose Arturo Barajas, Steve Case, Deb Terrell, Chip Wurm and Beverly Hood. The Planning Board’s recommendation does not itself rezone the property; the matter will be considered by Kankakee City Council at its May 5 meeting.
The zoning change would formally align the parcel’s map designation with the applicant’s assertion that the building functions as a two-family residence; the Planning Board did not adopt additional conditions or amendments on the record. Planner Melissa King encouraged the applicant to consult staff about other properties that may have similar discrepancies before future transactions.
The Planning Board concluded the meeting after taking the vote; no public comments were recorded on the rezoning beyond the applicant’s testimony.
