CHICAGO — The City Council of Chicago approved a measure Thursday that would expand the city’s ban on condominium development by making it illegal for new developments to be built on a lot in any of the city`s three boroughs.
The bill, proposed by Councilwoman Janice Speck, a Democrat, would ban new condominium buildings from going on land in neighborhoods with at least 25 percent black residents.
The measure also would ban any building in any residential district within 100 feet of a school, day care center, daycare facility or daycare center with a capacity of more than 10 children.
The measure passed unanimously by a 3-2 vote.
The legislation was backed by the American Civil Liberties Union, which argued that the city should not be able to ban any part of its urban environment, even if it`s not specifically targeted to that community.
Speck said the ban on new development is intended to protect neighborhoods, particularly those with a large number of African-Americans, and is not meant to discriminate against people who live in a certain area.
The ACLU argued that a city ordinance that bans all new developments on residential lots does not protect those who live there.
The council also approved legislation Thursday that expands the city�s current zoning rules to include condominium developments, as long as the developers meet certain requirements.