Zoning & Land Use

Ancel Glink’s representation in land use matters spans Illinois and beyond and involves the full range of residential, commercial, and industrial development and redevelopment.

Beyond providing daily zoning and land use services to our local government clients, the firm serves as special counsel for communities in complex annexation and development negotiations, updating or rewriting zoning, subdivision and other land use regulations, and establishing procedures for zoning petitions and hearings. In addition, our attorneys regularly represent developers, property owners, and businesses seeking zoning and development approval. We also conduct workshops and training sessions for planning and zoning staff and advisory boards.

Our zoning and land use practice group provides the following services, among others:

  • Comprehensive rewrite of numerous zoning, subdivision, UDO, and development codes.
  • Assisted with drafting of new zoning regulations to classify a large scale PUD with appropriate regulations and negotiated planned unit development agreement.
  • Negotiate and draft annexation, development agreements, and boundary agreements.
  • Collaborate on annexation strategies to accelerate revenue and geographic growth.
  • Assist communities in formulating regulatory strategies for the sharing economy. 
  • Represent a community in annexing and zoning property for agritourism, including negotiating future uses for the property.
  • Negotiated an annexation agreement with property owners for gravel mining and subsequent redevelopment of the property for residential and commercial uses.
  • Draft rules of procedure for zoning hearings.
  • Attend Plan Commission and ZBA hearings on behalf of municipal and developer clients.
  • Counsel a city in multi-phase disconnection and annexation process to bring large residential and commercial areas within city jurisdiction.
  • Successful application on behalf of a private client for the rezoning of 230 acres of property to an industrial use with 60 year land use plan.
  • Review development applications and analyze compliance with development codes.

Check out the following zoning handbooks in the Resource Center: Zoning Administration Handbook, Municipal Annexation Handbook, and Zoning Tools of the Trade.