HARBOR JURISDICTION (10-40-010 et seq.)

Municipal Code of Chicago tit. 10, ch. 10-40, art. I

in effect

Municipal Code of Chicago § 10-40-010 Definition.

10-40-010 Definition. The harbor shall consist of the Chicago River and its branches to their respective sources and all slips adjacent to and connecting therewith. The Ogden Canal, the Calumet River and its branches and all slips connecting therewith, the waters of Lake Calumet and all slips and basins connected therewith and all piers, breakwaters, and permanent structures therein, the Drainage Canal and all piers and basins, and the waters of Lake Michigan, including all breakwaters, piers, and permanent structures therein, for a distance of three miles from the shore between the north and south lines of the city extended, to the extent that the above-named waterways are within the territorial limits of the city. The harbor as herein defined shall be subject to the control of the commissioner of transportation, and use thereof shall be governed by this Code. (Prior code § 38-1; Amend Coun. J. 12-11-91, p. 10832)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 10-40-020 Vessels, craft and floats defined.

10-40-020 Vessels, craft and floats defined. The words "vessels, craft, and floats" shall include every kind of sailing, steam or other vessel lying or floating in, or navigating the harbor. (Prior code § 38-2)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 10-40-030 Motorboat defined.

10-40-030 Motorboat defined. For the purpose of this chapter, a motorboat is defined as any vessel of any size and description propelled by machinery, whether or not such machinery is the principal source of propulsion. (Prior code § 38-2.1)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 10-40-040 Power under harbor improvement act.

10-40-040 Power under harbor improvement act. The city having elected to exercise its right under the act hereinafter named, reaffirms and ratifies such action, and confirms the said election and determination to exercise the right, power, and authority granted by an act of the general assembly of the State of Illinois, approved June 23, 1913, in force July 1, 1913, entitled "An Act to enlarge the power of cities and villages in relation to harbors, canals, slips, wharves, docks, levees, piers, quay walls, breakwaters and all harbor structures, facilities, connections, improvements and utilities constructed or operated in connection therewith and for the purpose of carrying out such power to authorize the acquisition and condemnation of property and to authorize the use, occupation, recovery and acquisition of artificially made or reclaimed lands of the state and the reclamation and acquisition of the submerged lands of the state", and to repeal an act entitled, "An Act to enlarge the power of cities in relation to harbors, canals, wharves, docks, piers, slips and other harbor structures, facilities, improvements and utilities constructed or operated in connection therewith, to authorize the acquisition and condemnation of property and the use, occupation, reclamation and acquisition of the submerged lands of the state in carrying out such power, and to repeal all Acts or parts of Acts in conflict therewith", approved June 10, 1911. For the purpose of carrying out the powers granted by the said act of the general assembly, there are created and established the four harbor districts hereinafter named. (Prior code § 38-3)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 10-40-050 Harbor district No. 1.

10-40-050 Harbor district No. 1. The public waters, the submerged lands, the artificially made or reclaimed lands and other lands which shall constitute and shall be known as harbor district No. 1, are hereby defined and particularly described as follows: Harbor district No. 1 shall include all of the Chicago River, including the main stream from its mouth to the forks, and the north branch and the south branch to the city limits, including all the public waters and submerged lands within and under said river and its branches aforesaid, and said harbor district No. 1 shall also include all the territory, public waters, submerged lands, artificially made or reclaimed and other lands lying and being within the following boundaries, to wit: Beginning at the south side of the Chicago River at the northeast corner of the old breakwater of the old United States Government lifesaving station, said point being the point of confluence of the Chicago River with Lake Michigan, thence extending in an easterly direction parallel to the north side of E. Randolph Street extended, over the waters of Lake Michigan a distance of one mile; thence extending in a northerly direction along a line running at right angles to said north line of E. Randolph Street extended east to a point where said line intersects the north line of E. Chicago Avenue extended east; thence extending in a westerly direction along the north line of said E. Chicago Avenue extended east to the present shoreline of Lake Michigan; thence running southeasterly and southerly following said shoreline of Lake Michigan to the north line of E. Grand Avenue extended east to the shoreline of Lake Michigan; thence west along the north line of E. Grand Avenue extended east to the east line of N. Peshtigo Court as laid down and indicated on a plat of the Chicago Dock and Canal Company's Peshtigo dock addition in section ten, township thirty-nine north, range fourteen east of the third principal meridian in Cook County, Illinois, recorded September 17, 1889, in the recorder's office of Cook County, Illinois, as document number 1157023 in Book 39 of plats, page 18; thence south along the east line of N. Peshtigo Court seventy- four feet, more or less, to the south line of E. Grand Avenue; thence east along the south line of E. Grand Avenue extended east nine hundred feet, more or less, to the west line of the east one hundred feet of lot seven in the Chicago Dock and Canal Company's Peshtigo dock addition; thence south along the west line of the east one hundred feet of said lot seven, two hundred and eighteen feet, more or less, to the north line of E. Illinois Street extended east; thence west along the north line of E. Illinois Street extended east nine hundred feet, more or less, to the east line of N. Peshtigo Court; thence south along the east line of N. Peshtigo Court seventy-four feet, more or less, to the south line of E. Illinois Street; thence east along the south line of E. Illinois Street extended east nine hundred feet, more or less, to the west line of the east one hundred feet of said lot seven; thence south along the west line of the east one hundred feet of said lot seven one hundred and fifty-eight feet, more or less, to the north line of the Ogden or Michigan slip; thence east along the north line of the Ogden or Michigan slip to the wooden pier or breakwater at the southeast corner of said lot seven; thence in a southerly direction along the west line of said wooden pier or breakwater to the southwest corner of what is known as the United States Government north pier; thence in a southwesterly direction nine hundred seventy-four feet, more or less, on a straight line to the northeast corner of the old breakwater of the old United States Government lifesaving station, said last point being the place of beginning. All of the aforesaid submerged lands, artificially made or reclaimed lands and other lands and public waters in said harbor district No. 1 are situated within the jurisdiction and corporate limits of the city and are by this section declared to be necessary and appropriate for the purposes enumerated in said act of the general assembly mentioned in Section 10-40-040. (Prior code § 38-4)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 10-40-060 Harbor district No. 2.

10-40-060 Harbor district No. 2. The public waters and all public turning basins, canals and slips, the submerged lands, the artificially made or reclaimed lands, and other lands which shall constitute and shall be known as harbor district No. 2, are hereby defined and particularly described as follows: Harbor district No. 2 shall include all the territory, including the public waters and all public turning basins, canals, and slips, the submerged lands, the artificially made or reclaimed lands and other lands, lying and being within the following boundaries, to-wit: Beginning on the south side of the Chicago River at a point that is 3019.28 feet east and 1436.35 feet north of the southwest corner of E. Randolph Street and N. Michigan Avenue, thence running in an easterly direction parallel to the south line of E. Randolph Street extended east, over the waters of Lake Michigan, a distance of one mile, thence at right angles running along a line in a southerly direction to the said south line of E. Randolph Street extended east, thence running in a westerly direction along the said south line of E. Randolph Street extended east, to the present shoreline or dock line of Lake Michigan, thence running in a northerly direction, but following the present dock lines of Lake Michigan, to the place of beginning. All of the aforesaid public waters and all public turning basins, canals and slips, submerged lands, artificially made or reclaimed lands, and other lands in said harbor district No. 2 are situated within the jurisdiction and corporate limits of the city, and are by this section declared to be necessary or appropriate for the uses and purposes enumerated in said act of the general assembly mentioned in Section 10-40-040. (Prior code § 38-5)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 10-40-070 Harbor district No. 3.

10-40-070 Harbor district No. 3. The public waters, the submerged lands, the artificially made or reclaimed lands, and other lands which shall constitute and shall be known as harbor district No. 3, are hereby defined and particularly described as follows: Beginning at a point which is on a line four hundred feet south of the east and west centerline, extended east, of section twenty-two, township thirty- nine north, range fourteen, east of the third principal meridian, and thirty-two hundred and seventy-three and thirty-seven one-hundredths feet east of the westerly right-of-way line of the Illinois Central Railroad, thence southeasterly to a point fifty feet north of the centerline of E. Cermak Road extended easterly and twenty-seven hundred and thirty-two feet east of said westerly right- of-way line, thence southeasterly to a point six hundred and ninety feet north of a point which is on the centerline of E. Twenty-seventh Street extended easterly and twenty-three hundred and seventy feet east of the said westerly right-of-way line, thence southeasterly to a point seven hundred feet north of a point which is on the centerline, extended east, of E. Thirty-first Street and twenty-two hundred and forty feet east of said westerly right-of-way line, thence southeasterly on a line towards a point eight hundred and ninety feet north of a point which is on the centerline extended east of E. Thirty-fifth Street and twenty-one hundred and eighty- five feet east of said westerly right-of-way line to the south line extended east of E. Thirty-first Street, thence due east for a distance of fifty-two hundred and eighty feet, thence due north to the line four hundred feet south of the east and west centerline extended easterly of section twenty-two, township thirty-nine north, range fourteen, east of the third principal meridian, thence west along the line four hundred feet south of the east and west centerline extended easterly of section twenty- two, township thirty-nine, range fourteen east, to the point of beginning. In the event that the city, pursuant to clause (c) of Section 6 of the ordinance passed July 21, 1919, under which harbor district No. 3 was created, shall elect to fill in and reclaim that part of the submerged lands lying between the eastern and western boundaries of the lands described in Schedule IV of said last-mentioned ordinance and between the north and south lines of said harbor district area, respectively extended west, and to declare the same to be a part of harbor district No. 3, the said harbor district area described in this section shall be then considered to extend westward over the land so reclaimed by the city, between the north and south lines of harbor district No. 3, respectively, extended west. All of the aforesaid public waters, submerged lands, artificially made or reclaimed lands, and other lands and public waters in said harbor district No. 3 are situated within the jurisdiction and corporate limits of the city and are by this section declared to be necessary and appropriate for the purposes enumerated in said act of the general assembly mentioned in Section 10-40-040. (Prior code § 38-6)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 10-40-080 Harbor district No. 4.

10-40-080 Harbor district No. 4. The public waters, the submerged lands, the artificially made or reclaimed lands, and other lands which shall constitute and shall be known as harbor district No. 4, are hereby defined and particularly described as follows: Harbor district No. 4 shall include all of the Calumet River lying within the city, all of Lake Calumet, including all the waters, submerged lands, and artificially made or reclaimed lands within or bordering upon said lake and river, the channel or connection between said Calumet River and Lake Calumet, and all public turning basins, canals and slips connected with or forming a part of said Calumet River and Lake Calumet. All of the aforesaid submerged lands, artificially made or reclaimed lands and other lands and public waters in said harbor district No. 4 are situated within the jurisdiction and corporate limits of the city, and are by this section declared to be necessary and appropriate for the uses and purposes enumerated in said act of the general assembly mentioned in Section 10-40-040. (Prior code § 38-7)

Source: City of Chicago, Municipal Code of Chicago (American Legal Publishing, codelibrary.amlegal.com)URL: https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/chicago/latest/chicago_il/0-0-0-2653447Fetched: 10/24/2026