Alley Pavement by Special Assessment

Property owners may submit a petition to the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) to have their alley paved at the property owners' expense. The petitions are available at the 47th Ward Public Service Office at 4237 North Lincoln Avenue. The petition should be signed by property owners fronting the proposed alley.

Submit the petition to:

Department of Transportation
Board of Local Improvements
Suite 200
30 North Lasalle Street
Chicago, IL 60602-2570

Upon receipt of the petition, the alley will be surveyed by field engineers, project
designed, and property owners will be called to a Public Hearing.

Prior to the Public Hearing, all taxpayers of record are notified by mail of the time
and place of Public Hearing, which is held in the Council Chamber at City Hall. At the
Public Hearing, the property owners are quoted an estimated rate per front foot. The
assessment is based upon the amount of frontage the property owners on the proposed improvement. Currently, the rate is $25.00 per foot times the size of the lot. As an example, a 25' lot would cost $625.00, payable over a five year period. The City of
Chicago will pay the difference in cost between what the property owner is assessed and the actual cost of the alley.

Approximately three months after the alley is paved, a bill is mailed to each taxpayer of
record from the Special Assessment Division of the Department of Revenue. The
assessment can be paid at once without interest or yearly over a five year period with
interest at the rate of 7% on the unpaid balance.

If there are any objections to the alley being paved, the objectors are given a legal
protest petition. They have thirty days from the date of the Public Hearing to
circulate the protest petition and return to the Board of Local Improvements.
Signatures of property owners representing 51% of the total frontage will delay action
for one year. At the end of the year, the Board will make a decision to proceed or
dismiss said improvement based on the size of the protest petition.

If the Project is approved at the Public Hearing by property owners, an ordinance is then submitted to the City Council for passage. At a later date, the matter will then be
called to a Hearing in the Circuit Court. At the time, the taxpayer of record is mailed
a notice of their individual assessment.

After this assessment is confirmed in Court, notice of Opening Bids are published in the
Chicago Newspaper. Bids are then submitted by private contractors and the contract is
awarded to the lowest bidder.

Currently, it takes approximately two years from the date the petition is received until
the alley is paved.