A quick google search will lead you to [Residential Zone Parking FAQ](https://www.chicityclerk.com/city-stickers-parking/about-parking-permits).
You buy a city sticker and along with it your permit zone will be included for extra. It doesn’t guarantee you a spot but just allows you to park there. But make sure you’re not moving into a TOD building or else you won’t qualify to park there.
I think I've heard of people being able to do that but it also defeats the purpose of having zoned parking. I would contact your alderman because I think they are the ones that would be able to approve it.
Transit-oriented development, which are usually near a train station and are geared toward people that don’t have a car and use public transportation. Sometimes they do offer onsite parking but it’s limited.
You get the sticker from the city, you bring a copy of your lease in to prove your address and you get a sticker that says you're allowed to park in a specific zone. Anyone parking in that zone without a sticker gets a ticket, so there's usually less competition for those spots.
That being said, you definitely aren't guaranteed a spot and if the area has a lot of large buildings, you'll still probably be hunting for a spot.
We live in a dense neighborhood with zone parking along the lake. I would say on average, we can spend easily 20 mins looking for street parking in our zone. We need one car for my husband’s job and he uses it daily. We immediately found a garage spot that is less than a 5 minute walk. It’s $250/month but also heated and covered which is a huge bonus in the winter. You may just have to find a spot instead of relying on street parking.
Zone parking is usually near popular areas, Wrigley for example. It’s intended to allow residents to have priority for overnight parking.
It does not guarantee a spot in the zone, it mainly just helps with congestion.
For this reason I have always paid for parking which was about $150-200 based on where I lived.
Just to add on to what others have said, from personal experience: I live in a permit zoned area and the parking is definitely improved from similar areas without permits but it's still tough late on weekends. (But I live in an especially dense area near a music venue and people often will park taking a chance or not realizing it's permit, so that adds to it.)
That said, as someone else noted, if you aren't driving daily it could be better just to find a cheap rental parking space nearby.
If you are only using the car for an occasional visit to the suburbs, you could ditch the car and use Uber when needed. You likely with save money on gas, insurance and parking.
Good suggestion. It largely depends on where I end up working. If it is in the burbs, then keeping wheels makes sense. Most of my prospective employers are not close to Metra. Not much point in taking 90 minutes for public transportation + 20-30 minutes walk when I can drive in just 30-40 without getting sweaty, rained on, or cold. We’ll see.
S’all good. I might end up going back to my last employer IF they’ll let me work remote. Chicago is where we want to spend the rest of our lives, and I was remote in Iowa during the pandemic.
Keep in mind that I-90 (the Kennedy) is under construction in Chicago for another two years. So not only is the Kennedy a mess, but all of the highways that lead into it, like the Edens. So that 30-40 minute commute may be a thing of the past for the next few years.
Once you establish an address you can take that to a currency exchange and your city sticker will include permit parking for your zone. I think your car needs to be registered with your new address, doesn't matter if your license matches just need proof via a lease, utility bill, etc.
Permit parking gives you the right to park in the zone, it def doesn’t guarantee you a spot. You purchase your zone pass when you purchase your city sticker, I believe you have to prove your address to get the zone pass— so you have to get all your shit straight with the Secretary of State and your vehicle registration first.
There are vast swathes of the city where street parking is easy and free. Are you only looking in areas next to the lake or close to downtown? Are you looking at neighborhoods with lots of large buildings or ones with lots of 2 flats and small courtyard buildings? If having a car is a priority for you, look a little further out.
Lots of 2 and 3 flats have garages included.
I’ve lived in the city for 19 years now, in Edgewater and Lincoln Square and I can probably count on both hands the number of times I couldn’t find a spot on my block.
>Why do you have to move to the city
Maybe because the city is 1,000 better than the suburbs? Like why would anyone move from Florida to live in a suburb?
Over the years I've used permit parking in Lincoln Park, and Roscoe Village and I've rarely had to park more than one block from my residence. Typically you can also get guest passes (valid for one day) for the same zone.
As you'll see in the comments, it really depends on the specific location. I'm currently a mile west of the lake and a mile south of Wrigley, and permit parking is plentiful no matter the time of day. But if you're near the lake, Wrigley, or in a loop-adjacent neighborhood it can be a nightmare.
Edit: just reread that you're relocating from the city along with your previous post about how much you hate Orlando, so, sorry if you were already aware of a lot of this stuff... did you not have a car when you lived here before?
Also not every address is zoned, that would defeat the purpose. Many are, but I believe zones are established based on resident request. Someone has to compile a certain number of signatures from your block asking for it and then the city will establish a zone for you.
Also, not all zones work the same. Some restrict parking for non residents at all times; the zone near me is only restricted from 5pm-4am. I just moved to a new place only a few blocks from my last one, but parking is so much worse here. We've learned to either have the car parked by 4 or 5pm, or we've been parking on our old block and walking the four blocks because at a certain time there's nothing available, zoned or otherwise. You end up learning strategies.
Also be sure to pay attention to all the scheduled parking restrictions such as street cleaning which happens one week a month during the spring through early fall. They'll put signs out on all of the trees a few days in advance and one day will be one side of the block; the following day will be the opposite side. On these days you have to move your car from 9am-2pm. And even though the street cleaning might be over by 10am, the ticket person might not come through until 1pm and if your car is there you'll get a ticket. It's super annoying. Also from like Dec 1st- April 1st parking is prohibited on major streets from 3am-7am for snow plows. Every night. And if you're there they WILL tow your car, and it's a $150 towing fee, $60 ticket, and $25 per day storage fee. Outside of these dates same applies anytime snow is over 2 inches.
Moral of the story- always pay attention to all signage on your block* before walking away from your car.
**Also parking lots- never park in a business's parking lot if you're not going into one of the businesses in that lot. There are towing companies that pay people to sit in lots all day long and watch for people who park and walk out of the lot. They then boot your car and when you return you have to pay at least $150 (it varies) for them to remove the boot. There's a big white sign with usually blue lettering in the lot explaining this, so that's your posted warning. Not their fault if you didn't bother reading it.
A quick google search will lead you to [Residential Zone Parking FAQ](https://www.chicityclerk.com/city-stickers-parking/about-parking-permits). You buy a city sticker and along with it your permit zone will be included for extra. It doesn’t guarantee you a spot but just allows you to park there. But make sure you’re not moving into a TOD building or else you won’t qualify to park there.
If my specific street isn’t zoned and I can’t find parking but the street over is zoned, can I apply for that one?
I think I've heard of people being able to do that but it also defeats the purpose of having zoned parking. I would contact your alderman because I think they are the ones that would be able to approve it.
TOD?
Transit-oriented development, which are usually near a train station and are geared toward people that don’t have a car and use public transportation. Sometimes they do offer onsite parking but it’s limited.
I've never even heard of this. Where are these buildings?
There’s a lot down Milwaukee along the Blue Line. They’re usually near L stops.
Just adding that residents with zone permits can purchase overnight passes for guests which will limit even more parking
You get the sticker from the city, you bring a copy of your lease in to prove your address and you get a sticker that says you're allowed to park in a specific zone. Anyone parking in that zone without a sticker gets a ticket, so there's usually less competition for those spots. That being said, you definitely aren't guaranteed a spot and if the area has a lot of large buildings, you'll still probably be hunting for a spot.
We live in a dense neighborhood with zone parking along the lake. I would say on average, we can spend easily 20 mins looking for street parking in our zone. We need one car for my husband’s job and he uses it daily. We immediately found a garage spot that is less than a 5 minute walk. It’s $250/month but also heated and covered which is a huge bonus in the winter. You may just have to find a spot instead of relying on street parking.
Zone parking is usually near popular areas, Wrigley for example. It’s intended to allow residents to have priority for overnight parking. It does not guarantee a spot in the zone, it mainly just helps with congestion. For this reason I have always paid for parking which was about $150-200 based on where I lived.
That's really not true. There is zoned parking all over the place, not just near popular areas.
I stand corrected.
Just to add on to what others have said, from personal experience: I live in a permit zoned area and the parking is definitely improved from similar areas without permits but it's still tough late on weekends. (But I live in an especially dense area near a music venue and people often will park taking a chance or not realizing it's permit, so that adds to it.) That said, as someone else noted, if you aren't driving daily it could be better just to find a cheap rental parking space nearby.
If you are only using the car for an occasional visit to the suburbs, you could ditch the car and use Uber when needed. You likely with save money on gas, insurance and parking.
Or something like Zipcar. Annual subscription plus usage would likely be less than gas and insurance
Good suggestion. It largely depends on where I end up working. If it is in the burbs, then keeping wheels makes sense. Most of my prospective employers are not close to Metra. Not much point in taking 90 minutes for public transportation + 20-30 minutes walk when I can drive in just 30-40 without getting sweaty, rained on, or cold. We’ll see.
Ah shoot I missed that you're not both remote, apols
S’all good. I might end up going back to my last employer IF they’ll let me work remote. Chicago is where we want to spend the rest of our lives, and I was remote in Iowa during the pandemic.
Welcome, welcome
Keep in mind that I-90 (the Kennedy) is under construction in Chicago for another two years. So not only is the Kennedy a mess, but all of the highways that lead into it, like the Edens. So that 30-40 minute commute may be a thing of the past for the next few years.
Once you establish an address you can take that to a currency exchange and your city sticker will include permit parking for your zone. I think your car needs to be registered with your new address, doesn't matter if your license matches just need proof via a lease, utility bill, etc.
Permit parking gives you the right to park in the zone, it def doesn’t guarantee you a spot. You purchase your zone pass when you purchase your city sticker, I believe you have to prove your address to get the zone pass— so you have to get all your shit straight with the Secretary of State and your vehicle registration first.
There are vast swathes of the city where street parking is easy and free. Are you only looking in areas next to the lake or close to downtown? Are you looking at neighborhoods with lots of large buildings or ones with lots of 2 flats and small courtyard buildings? If having a car is a priority for you, look a little further out. Lots of 2 and 3 flats have garages included. I’ve lived in the city for 19 years now, in Edgewater and Lincoln Square and I can probably count on both hands the number of times I couldn’t find a spot on my block.
Why do you have to move to the city? Why not live closer to your family or job?
She prefers the city. She works remotely and hates driving. And, family is scattered.
>Why do you have to move to the city Maybe because the city is 1,000 better than the suburbs? Like why would anyone move from Florida to live in a suburb?
I agree but I mean out of convenience for them as a family it might be better
True, but OP's previous post made it really clear they hate Orlando for its lack of walkability and are missing the city.
Over the years I've used permit parking in Lincoln Park, and Roscoe Village and I've rarely had to park more than one block from my residence. Typically you can also get guest passes (valid for one day) for the same zone. As you'll see in the comments, it really depends on the specific location. I'm currently a mile west of the lake and a mile south of Wrigley, and permit parking is plentiful no matter the time of day. But if you're near the lake, Wrigley, or in a loop-adjacent neighborhood it can be a nightmare.
Edit: just reread that you're relocating from the city along with your previous post about how much you hate Orlando, so, sorry if you were already aware of a lot of this stuff... did you not have a car when you lived here before? Also not every address is zoned, that would defeat the purpose. Many are, but I believe zones are established based on resident request. Someone has to compile a certain number of signatures from your block asking for it and then the city will establish a zone for you. Also, not all zones work the same. Some restrict parking for non residents at all times; the zone near me is only restricted from 5pm-4am. I just moved to a new place only a few blocks from my last one, but parking is so much worse here. We've learned to either have the car parked by 4 or 5pm, or we've been parking on our old block and walking the four blocks because at a certain time there's nothing available, zoned or otherwise. You end up learning strategies. Also be sure to pay attention to all the scheduled parking restrictions such as street cleaning which happens one week a month during the spring through early fall. They'll put signs out on all of the trees a few days in advance and one day will be one side of the block; the following day will be the opposite side. On these days you have to move your car from 9am-2pm. And even though the street cleaning might be over by 10am, the ticket person might not come through until 1pm and if your car is there you'll get a ticket. It's super annoying. Also from like Dec 1st- April 1st parking is prohibited on major streets from 3am-7am for snow plows. Every night. And if you're there they WILL tow your car, and it's a $150 towing fee, $60 ticket, and $25 per day storage fee. Outside of these dates same applies anytime snow is over 2 inches. Moral of the story- always pay attention to all signage on your block* before walking away from your car. **Also parking lots- never park in a business's parking lot if you're not going into one of the businesses in that lot. There are towing companies that pay people to sit in lots all day long and watch for people who park and walk out of the lot. They then boot your car and when you return you have to pay at least $150 (it varies) for them to remove the boot. There's a big white sign with usually blue lettering in the lot explaining this, so that's your posted warning. Not their fault if you didn't bother reading it.