In May 2025, the Chicago City Council adopted Ordinance O2025-0016754, an amendment to the Chicago Zoning Ordinance that prohibits self-storage uses in most Business, Commercial, and Downtown zoning districts.

The ordinance narrows where Residential Storage Warehouses may be located within the City by-right. Residential storage warehouse is defined as storage or warehousing services within a building for individuals to store personal effects and for businesses to store materials for the operation of an industrial or commercial enterprise elsewhere.

Under the amended zoning code, self-storage uses are now permitted only in Manufacturing (M), Downtown Service (DS), and certain Planned Developments and Planned Manufacturing Districts (PMDs). As a result, any existing self-storage uses in previously permitted districts will be reclassified as legal nonconforming uses, subject to limitations on expansion and alteration under the zoning code.

This zoning text amendment is a subtle but significant change that could dramatically curtail future self-storage development opportunities across Chicago.

For questions about the impact of the new ordinance, please contact Liz Butler or any member of the Taft Chicago land use group.