Ald. Gilbert Villegas was named the permanent chair of the city’s zoning committee during a City Council meeting on April 15, following months of debate and internal lobbying.
The decision is significant because the zoning committee plays a key role in approving major development projects and advancing legislation related to landmarks and building standards in Chicago. The committee had been without a permanent leader since Ald. Walter Burnett retired last summer, causing delays for more than 100 proposed zoning changes that have yet to advance to a vote.
Villegas takes over from vice chair Ald. Bennett Lawson, who had managed the committee temporarily but declined to hold further meetings until a permanent leader was selected due to limited resources available in his interim role. “You’re not hiring staff. You’re not taking possession of the physical office space. There’s a seat on the Plan Commission, you’re not attending that. You’re not able to have the same seat when it comes to policy discussions as if you were the approved chair by the council,” Lawson told Crain’s earlier this year.
After alderpeople approved Villegas’ nomination, he said he plans to immediately resume regular committee business and may schedule two hearings ahead of May’s full council meeting to address pending proposals. “We have a lot of work to do. There’s a lot of people that want to build in this city, and I think we have to put the signal out there that Chicago is open for business,” Villegas said Wednesday during remarks at City Hall.
Support for Villegas came from both Black and Latino caucuses within City Council, with South Side Ald. Stephanie Coleman saying her caucus backed him because it allowed another member, Derrick Curtis, an opportunity for leadership as economic development chair: “We as a Black Caucus saw an opportunity that if one of the [Latino Caucus] members was elevated, then one of the members of the Black Caucus with seniority would then have a moment in leadership amongst this council,” she said.
Lawson congratulated Villegas after Wednesday’s vote: “For months, I’ve made clear this committee needs a permanent chair with the staff, resources and authority that the people of Chicago deserve from this position, and I congratulate Alderman Villegas on his chairmanship.” He added he will continue working on development issues as vice chair.
