[emathias]

This is discussed a little in other Chicago forums, but this seems like the more natural place for it:

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/artic...ent-2162043290

Growth near transit means more people—and revenue—for city's neighborhoods

While Chicago's Loop and select neighborhoods are growing, most of the city, from Englewood to Lincoln Park, has lost population since 2000. Not coincidentally, for several decades our region has grown away from its transit system. Reversing these related trends is critically important: More people will mean more home sales, local purchases and revenue to support retail, city services and infrastructure—and more people living near transit is the most efficient way to accommodate that growth.

How can Chicago create incentives to harness some of the global demand for urban living near transit? Zoning, the city's rules for what and where developers can build, is an important part of the answer.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel has proposed strengthening the city's Transit-Oriented Development Ordinance, which was passed in 2013, by applying it to more land near transit and offering more incentives for developers.

The proposal would eliminate parking requirements if bike parking or sharing and car sharing are provided, and allow the development to house more people if it includes affordable units. A Metropolitan Planning Council analysis shows the changes could attract up to 70,000 new housing units and 100,000 new residents within a half-mile of transit stations, generating $450 million more each year in sales at neighborhood shops and restaurants and some $200 million in revenue to support essential public services.

From Crains