Dear Neighbors,
As we continue to have a lot of updates worth sharing in the 43rd Ward, today we are sharing a “special newsletter” regarding a focused update on the proposed ComEd substation at 1111 W. Diversey, along with an invitation to tonight’s Streets and Sanitation “Meet and Greet” with our hardworking Ward Superintendent, John.
Pushing Back Against Proposed ComEd Substation
With any proposal that comes across my desk, I think closely about the impact it will have on residents’ quality of life and fit into our community’s evolution as guided by our Mission, Vision & Values. With many land-use proposals, alders hold authority, which our office uses to aid compromise between stakeholders through a set community process. However, sometimes a project use is permitted “by right” (automatically as a right under the law) without any aldermanic authority. To be clear, at times that can be a good thing, as Chicago has a history of aldermanic overreach that has slowed growth and led to inconsistent planning across ward boundaries. That said, at a site like 1111 W. Diversey (the former Mini Cooper/COVID Care site and one of the few large, open lots in our ward) there should still be a heightened standard of community engagement around its future use.
As a reminder, ComEd recently proposed a large substation at 1111 W. Diversey (“Block Club Chicago’s” coverage is here: Proposed ComEd Substation In Lincoln Park Has Neighbors Concerned About Size, Safety). The proposal has raised questions from many community members and myself about the project’s size and residential location near several schools. Additionally, the site is located just 735 feet from the ADA accessible Diversey CTA station, which places it within the City’s transit-oriented development (TOD) framework. As a TOD, use at the site should be guided by the Connected Communities Ordinance, which is a policy that is designed to encourage housing and pedestrian-friendly streets near transit hubs.
Although they have held a community meeting to introduce the topic, ComEd has not yet provided plans/drawings as requested. In response to ComEd’s proposal, last week I (joined by Ald. Waguespack, 32nd Ward, and Ald. Lawson, 44th Ward) submitted a formal request to the City’s Zoning Administrator for a Written Interpretation of how this project is being classified under Chicago’s zoning code. Currently, the proposal is designated as a “minor utility” which permits ComEd to do the project “by right”; however, as described in the letter, we believe that this proposal should be considered a “major utility,” which would require a heightened process. Please read the full letter here.
I am grateful for the additional partnership of State Sen. Sara Feigenholtz and State Rep. Ann Williams who issued this letter last week to the CEO of ComEd. In addition, I appreciate the great advocacy from local neighborhood groups Wrightwood Neighbors Association, Central Lake View Neighbors, and the Diversey Community Coalition. We will continue to keep you updated as we call for the community’s voice to be heard on this proposal. While there is a real need for expanded electric grid connectivity, in a dense and transit-oriented community like ours, critical infrastructure should be appropriately sized/scaled between locations. At the same time, I believe we need to uphold the goals of the Connected Communities Ordinance, especially when it comes to housing and affordability.
Community Meet & Greet w/ our 43rd Ward Superintendent
Tonight, April 7th, our 43rd Ward monthly “Meet & Greet Series” continues featuring our 43rd Ward Streets and Sanitation Superintendent, John. We are grateful for John’s work, as his role is vital; for example, a majority of outreach to our office relates to daily life, such as trash pickup, recycling, street sweeping, snow, and rodents. Therefore, we hope you join us to meet John, and ask questions on these topics.
