Rezoning at 501 and 503 East Columbia Avenue

City of Champaign’s Planning Director has requested a zoning map amendment (commonly referred to as a rezoning) to rezone the subject property from SF1, Single-Family zoning district to MF1, Multifamily Low Density zoning district. The property was last rezoned in 1961 to “R-4, Multifamily” and then readjusted in a zoning ordinance overhaul in 1965 to R-2, Single-Family zoning district. The building was built under that multi-family zoning in 1963. The SF1, Single-Family zoning district became of the modern designation in the 1996 Zoning Ordinance. These two apartment buildings were purpose-built under multi-family zoning as 8-unit buildings for low-income seniors by the Housing Authority of Champaign County.

Today, the Housing Authority of Champaign County would like to repair the western building and make all units livable after a fire in 2024. The City of Champaign is proposing this rezoning to allow repairs to the multifamily buildings and is proposing the zoning district change is in accordance with future land use and all applicable criteria, as it was decided in 1961. The current zoning permits uses such as single-unit houses, accessory dwelling units, institutional uses, and parks. The proposed rezoning would allow all of those uses and additional uses such as apartments, townhomes, and senior housing.