Bill
HB 2754
Gives mayors and municipal executives voting power on zoning decisions and lowers the vote from two-thirds to a simple majority for zoning changes, speeding approvals.
Status snapshot
- Introduced: February 2025 (bill listing shows Feb 6–12, 2025 filings)
- House action: Passed House (3rd Reading, April 7, 2025; vote recorded 68–37)
- Senate action: Arrived in Senate April 8, 2025; referred to Assignments (awaiting further committee referral/hearing)
- Primary sponsors / supporters listed: Rep. Nicolle Grasse (introducer), Rep. Amy Briel, Rep. Mary Beth Canty; Sen. Mark L. Walker listed as Senate sponsor on arrival.
Purpose and intent
- To amend Division 13 (zoning) of the Illinois Municipal Code to (a) give municipal executives (mayors, village presidents, chief executive officers) the explicit right to vote on council/board decisions affecting municipal zoning, and (b) lower certain voting thresholds from a two‑thirds supermajority to a simple majority for adopting or changing zoning ordinances and related zoning actions.
Key provisions
- Amends multiple code sections: 65 ILCS 5/11‑13‑1.1, 11‑13‑3.1, 11‑13‑10, 11‑13‑14, 11‑13‑14.1 and adds a new section 11‑13‑30.
- Voting by municipal executives: Provides that municipal executives (mayors, village presidents, chief executive officers) shall have the right to vote in all council or board decisions affecting zoning.
- Lowers supermajority requirement: Where current law requires a two‑thirds favorable vote of alderpersons, commissioners, or trustees (in several zoning amendment/variation/protest contexts), the bill replaces that requirement with a simple majority.
- This applies expressly in provisions concerning: special uses, timing limits on zoning changes following adoption of an official plan, adoption of zoning variations on ordinance, and passage of zoning amendments where a written protest by property owners exists (the “20% frontage” protest provision).
- Procedural items retained/clarified:
- Public‑hearing requirements remain (notice provisions under Sections 11‑13‑6 and 11‑13‑7).
- Hearing officer delegation provisions (Section 11‑13‑14.1) remain in place, allowing municipalities to delegate certain hearings to hearing officers and to require written recommendations to corporate authorities.
- Notice requirements continue to allow use of common street addresses/parcel identifiers rather than metes and bounds descriptions.
Who is affected
- Municipalities throughout Illinois (city, village governments), with several provisions specifically referencing municipalities with population under 500,000.
- Elected municipal executives (mayors, village presidents, chief executive officers) — newly explicit voting authority on zoning matters.
- Municipal councils/boards (alderpersons, trustees, commissioners) — lower voting thresholds alter internal decision dynamics.
- Property owners, developers, neighborhood groups, and planning/zoning boards — likely to experience faster or easier passage of zoning changes and special permits where council votes were previously blocked by supermajority rules or executive non‑voting status.
Potential effects and considerations
- Makes it procedurally easier for municipalities to adopt zoning changes, variations, and special-use approvals by reducing the vote threshold from two‑thirds to a simple majority.
- Granting municipal executives a vote may shift council outcomes in close cases and change internal power dynamics (particularly in municipalities where the executive previously did not vote on zoning matters).
- For property owners or organized protestors who relied on supermajority protections (e.g., 20% frontage protest), the change reduces the blocking power of protest filings.
- Administrative and public‑notice requirements remain largely intact; the bill focuses on voting mechanics and authority.
Next steps / timeline
- Currently (as of April 8, 2025) the bill is in the Illinois Senate and referred to Assignments. Key next procedural steps are committee referral and hearings in the Senate, followed by floor consideration. Watch for assignment to a Senate committee and any amendments or committee reports.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
Sign in to ask a question.
