Except as provided by this Section, after having made a recommendation other than favorable on any new license application, the Chief of Police shall not reconsider an application for the same location by the same or substantially the same applicant for a period of at least 6 months, or during the period the applicant has an appeal relating to the license pending in court or in a state administrative agency, whichever is longer. However, the Chief of Police may reconsider an application in less than 6 months if no appeal relating to the license is pending in court or in a state administrative agency, and the Chief of Police reasonably determines that the circumstances which caused the Chief of Police to make a recommendation other than favorable have substantially changed.