Zoning Lawsuit Bill Passes Both Illinois Houses
Illinois House Bill 4711, if passed, proposes to amend the Zoning Enabling Acts for municipalities, counties, and townships to address lawsuits against these government entities. That bill recently passed both houses and has been sent to the Governor.
If passed, the zoning statutes will be amended to provide that the statute commonly referred to as the Adjoining Landowner Act does not authorize a lawsuit against the municipality, county, or township in which the property in question is located unless the government entity is the owner of that property. The Adjoining Landowner Act authorizes a municipality or property owners within 1200 feet of a property allegedly in violation of buildings or zoning codes to sue the property owner to enforce the building or zoning code.
The specific language that would be added to the municipal Adjoining Landowner Act is as follows:
Except in relation to municipality-owned property, this Section does not authorize any suit against a municipality or its officials for any act relating to the administration, enforcement, or implementation of this Division or any ordinance, resolution, or other regulation adopted pursuant to this Division.Similar language would be added to the township and county statutes.
The bill is consistent with numerous Illinois cases that have dismissed lawsuits filed against government entities under the Adjoining Landowner Act. Those cases clearly state that the Adjoining Landowner Act does not provide a cause of action against the government entity unless the entity is the owner of the property that is allegedly in violation of building or zoning codes.
Post Authored by Julie Tappendorf
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