STANDARD PROCEDURE (2-158-010 et seq.)

Municipal Code of Chicago tit. 2, ch. 2-158, art. I

in effect

Municipal Code of Chicago § 2-158-010 Procedure.

2-158-010 Procedure. Unless another ordinance controls the manner in which a specific parcel of land is to be sold, when selling surplus land listed on the inventory of the department of planning and development ("surplus land") the city will follow those procedures set forth in Article 11, Division 76 of the Illinois Municipal Code, with the following exceptions: (a) No ordinance authorizing the publication of a notice of a proposal to sell surplus land pursuant to this chapter shall be required. (b) The commissioner of planning and development shall cause a notice of sale to be published in conformity with the provisions of Article 11, Division 76 of the Illinois Municipal Code. Bids received in response to such a notice are not required to be opened at a regular city council meeting, but shall be opened at a public meeting convened by the commissioner before a certified court reporter, who shall make a record of the proceedings. (c) All bids conforming to the published notice of sale shall be filed with the city clerk for introduction to the city council and shall be referred to the committee having jurisdiction over disposition of surplus land. The department of planning and development shall distribute a list of such bids to all members of the city council. The bids shall promptly be placed on the committee's agenda and a public hearing shall be held within a reasonable time thereafter. (d) M.A.I. certified appraisals shall not be required. The department of planning and development shall determine the fair market value for each parcel of surplus land to be offered for sale. In the event that the fair market value exceeds $5,000.00, the department shall obtain a written independent fee appraisal report. (Added Coun. J. 10-14-92, p. 22212; Amend Coun. J. 7-9-03, p. 3770, § 2; Amend Coun. J. 11-19-08, p. 47220, Art. VIII, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 11-17-10, p. 106597, Art. IX, § 2; Amend Coun. J. 11-26-13, p. 67481, Art. I, § 9)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 2-158-020 Acceptance or rejection of bids - Council to vote.

2-158-020 Acceptance or rejection of bids - Council to vote. Any member of the city council may request that the hearing on a proposed sale of surplus land be deferred for a period not to exceed 45 days. The committee shall recommend approval or disapproval of the proposed sale not later than 60 days from the date that the ordinance authorizing the sale was first scheduled for hearing before the committee. If no action is taken by the committee within the 60-day period, the highest bid shall be deemed recommended and the committee shall report the recommendation to the city council at its next meeting. The city council may accept a bid for surplus land only by a vote of three-quarters of its members. The failure to accept a specific bid by the required majority shall be deemed a rejection of that bid. The city council may also reject any and all bids by a majority vote on the question of rejection. (Added Coun. J. 10-14-92, p. 22212)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 2-158-030 Acceptance of bids other than highest.

2-158-030 Acceptance of bids other than highest. A member of the city council may recommend acceptance of a bid other than the highest bid for a parcel of surplus land provided that the recommendation is made in writing to the chairman of the committee 14 days prior to the hearing on bids for the parcel and contains the following information: (a) The name of the recommended bidder; (b) The amount of the recommended bid; (c) The purpose for which the recommended bidder seeks to purchase the surplus land and why such a purpose is in the best interest of the city; and (d) A sworn statement that the member making the request has no economic interest in the proposed sale of the surplus land, and whether the member has accepted a campaign contribution of more than $50.00 from the recommended bidder during the 12-month period immediately preceding the recommendation. Whenever a recommendation is made for acceptance of other than the highest bid, the chairman of the committee shall notify all other bidders by certified mail of the recommendation and shall provide the other bidders with an opportunity to be heard by the committee before a final decision is made. The recommending member shall appear at the committee hearing and be available for questioning by committee members concerning the recommendation. The city council may accept a bid other than the highest bid as provided herein, only upon making a finding that the lower bid is in the best interest of the city. The finding shall include a description of the intended use of the surplus land and the reason for the finding. In determining the best interest of the city, the committee may consider, among other things, such public benefits as housing, economic development and recreational open space. A deed conveying surplus land which is sold to a party other than the highest bidder shall contain such restrictions and covenants as maybe appropriate to ensure that the surplus land is devoted in a timely manner to the use described in the finding referred to in this section. (Added Coun. J. 10-14-92, p. 22212)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 2-158-040 Campaign contributions from bidders - Prohibited.

2-158-040 Campaign contributions from bidders - Prohibited. A member of the city council who recommends a bidder pursuant to Section 2-158-030 shall not receive any campaign contribution from the recommended bidder during the 12-month period immediately following the recommendation. (Added Coun. J. 10-14-92, p. 22212)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 2-158-050 Failure to consummate sale - Termination.

2-158-050 Failure to consummate sale - Termination. Upon approval of a sale of surplus land by the city council, the mayor or his proxy is authorized to execute a quitclaim deed conveying the surplus land to the approved purchaser. The department shall not accept payment for the surplus land from any person other than the approved purchaser. If the purchaser does not consummate the sale through no fault of the city within 120 days of the approval by the city council, the city may terminate the sale upon written notice to the purchaser, re-offer the surplus land for sale, and retain the purchaser's faith deposit. (Added Coun. J. 10-14-92, p. 22212)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 2-158-060 City officers - Duties and obligations.

2-158-060 City officers - Duties and obligations. Nothing in this chapter is intended or shall be construed to limit the duties and obligations of city officers under the Illinois Corrupt Practices Act or the obligations of officers and employees under the Chicago Governmental Ethics Ordinance. (Added Coun. J. 10-14-92, p. 22212)

Source: City of Chicago, Municipal Code of Chicago (American Legal Publishing, codelibrary.amlegal.com)URL: https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/chicago/latest/chicago_il/0-0-0-2604783Fetched: 10/24/2026