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ZONING RELIEF
Maximize Your Envelope
When planning a new or building an addition, it is not uncommon to grapple with limitations presented by the zoning district. Maximum heights, building areas, setbacks from property lines, impervious surface areas etc, are closely regulated in most communities, but are often written to accommodate the most common lot in a given zone, however, your lot may be unique and warrant zoning relief. In every municipality, there is typically a process to gain relief from these regulations. BBA Architects has successfully navigated this process for hundreds of clients in over a dozen villages, cities and towns in several states. Challenging the status quo zoning rules will often allow owners to maximize their investment in the real estate, and overcome oddities or site hardships that the zoning code did not anticipate.
In the City of Chicago, BBA Architects has a deep knowledge the residential zoning districts, and how to not only maximize the building envelope by right, but when to apply for an administrative adjustment or to navigate the Zoning Board of Appeals. This can involve meetings with community groups, alderman, and officials from the Department of Planning. BBA Architects is the premier go-to firm when a unique solution is required to overcome a Chicago zoning limitation.