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Chicago City Council consists of 50 elected alders and meets monthly to shape the city. The council works with Brandon Johnson, the Mayor, and Anna Valencia, the City Clerk.

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Note that while the official term for a City Council member is “alderman,” Councilmatic uses “alder” for both brevity and gender neutrality.

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Citywide issues

The Mayor proposes most city-wide policies. These include business transactions, changes to the municipal code, bond issuance and appointments.

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Local issues

At the local level, matters like land use, signs, street parking, business permits, and other residents issues require the local Alder's support.

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Upcoming Meetings


Next City Council meeting

Wed 6/21/2023
10:00a.m.
Council Chambers, City Hall
121 N LaSalle St, Chicago, IL

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Committee meetings

Wed 06/14 - Committee on Finance

Tue 06/20 - Committee on Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards


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Latest Council Meeting

At the latest City Council meeting on May 31st, council members took action on 92 pieces of legislation, including 25 that are non-routine.

One of the more unusual aspects of Chicago City Council is the volume of ordinances that are introduced and passed every month. Most of these are routine items like sign permits, damaged vehicle claims, sidewalk cafe approvals and honorifics.

To help sort through all of this, we classify all legislation and tag it appropriately. If something doesn’t look like a routine piece of legislation, we tag it as Non-Routine to make it easier to discover.

Non-Routine Activity

Resolution R2023-785 Active

Call for hearing on reopening of 63rd and Racine Green Line Station

5/31/2023 - Introduced (Agreed Calendar)
Non-Routine Council Matters Call for Hearing

Ordinance O2023-2169 Active

Amendment of Municipal Code Chapter 2-40 by modifying Sections 2-40-010 and 2-40-020 regarding inclusion of visually-impaired and hard-of-hearing populations within department-specific language ...

5/31/2023 - Referred
Non-Routine City Matters Municipal Code

Ordinance O2023-2171 Active

Amendment of Municipal Code Chapter 2-80 by modifying Section 2-80-070 regarding elections for District Councils

5/31/2023 - Referred
Non-Routine City Matters Municipal Code

Ordinance O2023-2170 Active

Amendment of Municipal Code Chapter 10-20 by modifying Section 10-20-150 regarding issuance of permits for work on or under public way requiring residential disabled parking accommodations

5/31/2023 - Referred
Non-Routine City Matters Municipal Code

Report F2023-117 Active

Inspector General's report on Enforcement of Chicago Police Department's Rule Against False Reports

5/31/2023 - Placed on File
Non-Routine City Matters Special Funds Inspector General

Ordinance O2023-2172 Active

Amendment of Municipal Code Chapter 8-32 by modifying Section 8-32-140 to restrict use of noise producing machinery and mechanical equipment for construction, repair, or demolition operations ...

5/31/2023 - Referred
Non-Routine City Matters Municipal Code

Ordinance O2023-2167 Active

Amendment of Municipal Code Chapters 2-8 and 2-156 by modifying Sections 2-8-041 and 2-156-090 regarding outside compensation for Alderpersons

5/31/2023 - Referred
Non-Routine City Matters Municipal Code

Ordinance O2023-2173 Active

Amendment of Municipal Code Chapter 2-8 by deleting and replacing Section 2-8-080 requiring Committee on Transportation and Public Way to hold quarterly hearing concerning Chicago Transit ...

5/31/2023 - Referred
Non-Routine City Matters Municipal Code

Communication F2023-116 None

Designation of Aileen Velazquez as additional Mayoral proxy to any contract or modification agreement authorized by Illinois Municipal Purchasing Act or Chapter 2-92 of Municipal Code

5/31/2023 - Placed on File
Non-Routine Unclassified

Ordinance O2023-2168 Active

Amendment of Municipal Code Chapter 2-44 by creating new section entitled 'Deconversion Vacancies Act'

5/31/2023 - Referred
Non-Routine City Matters Municipal Code

Ordinance O2023-2175 Active

Amendment of Municipal Code Section 4-60-023 (10.280) to allow additional package goods licenses on portion of S. Ewing Ave.

5/31/2023 - Referred
Non-Routine Ward Matters Land Use Liquor and Package Store Restrictions

Resolution R2023-797 Active

Amendment of Rule 41 of City Council Rules of Order and Procedure regarding introductions of documents directly into committees

5/31/2023 - Referred
Non-Routine Council Matters City Council Rules

Ordinance O2023-2093 Passed

Amendment of Municipal Code Chapter 10-28 by adding new Article X entitled "Outdoor Dining Street" and modifying ancillary Sections 2-25-050 and 9-8-010

5/31/2023 - Passed
Non-Routine City Matters Municipal Code

Ordinance O2023-2186 Active

Amendment of Year 2023 Annual Appropriation Ordinance regarding wage allowance for aldermanic ward staff

5/31/2023 - Referred
Non-Routine City Matters Annual Appropriation

Resolution R2023-798 Active

Call for Chicago Fire Department and Department of Human Resources to release raw scoring for 2017 Fire Captain Promotional Examination and provide testimony before Committee on Public Safety on ...

5/31/2023 - Referred
Non-Routine Council Matters Call for Action

Ordinance O2023-2083 Passed

Substitute Amendment of Annual Appropriation Ordinance Year 2023 amendment within Corporate Fund 100 for City Council purposes relating to Human Infrastructure, Committee on Finance, Council ...

5/31/2023 - Passed
Non-Routine City Matters Annual Appropriation

Ordinance O2023-2185 Active

Amendment of Municipal Code Chapter 8-4 by adding new Section 8-4-025 entitled "Street Harassment Ordinance"

5/31/2023 - Referred
Non-Routine City Matters Municipal Code

Ordinance O2023-2184 Active

Amendment of Municipal Code Section 8-4-060 by modifying required fines and community service hours for people convicted of vandalism

5/31/2023 - Referred
Non-Routine City Matters Municipal Code

Ordinance O2023-2187 Active

Amendment of Municipal Code Chapters 17-12 and 17-17 by modifying Sections 17-12-1200 and 17-17-0200 regarding City digital signs and general terms

5/31/2023 - Referred
Non-Routine City Matters Municipal Code

Resolution R2023-796 Active

Call for President of Chicago Board of Education Miguel del Valle and community advocate organizations to appear before Committee on Education and Child Development to provide testimony on ...

5/31/2023 - Referred
Non-Routine Council Matters Call for Action

Order Or2023-212 Active

Issuance of permit(s) for sign(s)/signboard(s) at 3940 E 106th St. - Permit No. 101016718

5/31/2023 - Referred
Non-Routine Ward Matters Fee Waiver

Resolution R2023-782 Passed

Designation of June 12, 2023 as "Captain Bob Agra, Jr. Day" in Chicago

5/31/2023 - Adopted
Non-Routine Unclassified

Resolution R2023-782 Passed

Designation of June 12, 2023 as "Captain Bob Agra, Jr. Day" in Chicago

5/31/2023 - Adopted
Non-Routine Unclassified

Resolution R2023-795 Active

Call for Committee on Pedestrian and Traffic Safety to hold hearing on traffic safety and pedestrian safety impacts of street closures for NASCAR Cup Series Grant Park 220 and NASCAR Xfinity ...

5/31/2023 - Referred
Non-Routine Council Matters Call for Action

Ordinance O2023-1605 Passed

Amendment to 2023 Annual Appropriation Ordinance to appropriate Opioid and Vaping Settlement funds and to appropriate funds to support recently arrived migrants

5/31/2023 - Passed
Non-Routine City Matters Annual Appropriation

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