I enjoyed reading your Nov. 4 Page 1 article “All in the family.” As a builder in Chicago and its suburbs for 20 years, I have been exposed to a number of zoning matters.
While pursuing a building permit in Chicago last spring, I had the opportunity to get to know many of the players mentioned in this article. Sadly, I found that the aldermen didn’t seem to have a grasp of Chicago’s complicated zoning ordinances. Nor did their willingness to understand the ordinances extend beyond advancing their own agendas.
Furthermore, it became obvious that the lawyers’ success was dependent strictly on their connections, not the merits of the case. But Paul Woznicki, the quintessential zoning administrator, understood the zoning laws and applied them fairly and objectively. He holds himself to much higher standards than the aldermen and lawyers.
I’m not surprised that Mr. Woznicki comes across as the only “hero” in your article. I wonder if Mayor Richard Daley will continue to foster a system that ignores such a man.
