Tuesdays at APA — February 2007

Chicago's Zoning History

February 13, 2007

How did Chicago get its skyline, the Loop, its neighborhoods? We've heard of the Burnham Plan for Chicago, but do we know what role zoning played in making the city? Joe Schwieterman and Jane Heron, author and editor, respectively, of The Politics of Place: A History of Zoning in Chicago, talked about how zoning has shaped — and continues to shape — Chicago. They discussed Chicago's new zoning ordinance and offered their thoughts on how it will impact the visual and economic future of the city.

About the Speakers

Joseph P. Schwieterman is Director of DePaul's Chaddick Institute for Metropolitan Development. Along with Dana M. Caspall he is the author of The Politics of Place: A History of Zoning in Chicago. He has published extensively on urban and transportation topics.

Jane Heron is an urban planner who has worked in many Chicago neighborhoods and began to advocate updating the zoning ordinance long before the city was ready to act. She chaired the interagency Zoning Coalition from 1984 to 1992. A University of Chicago graduate, she has written on zoning, housing and building-code matters and lives in Logan Square.