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A Motion by Trustee Straw and Seconded by Trustee Leving-Jacobson Directing Staff to Prepare a Text Amendment Altering the Maximum Heights in the H District Zoning for the Area Comprising Rush Hospital to 60 feet on Maple, south of Monroe; 60 feet on Wenonah; and 80 feet on Maple north of Monroe
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Introduction
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Village Board motion to direct staff to amend the H - Hospital Zoning District regulations by reducing height allowances for the Rush Oak Park Hospital campus.
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Recommended Action
Consider the motion and provide direction.
Prior Board Action
The Board has taken the following prior action(s):
• On June 5, 2023, the Board considered an Application for Text Amendment to the H Zoning brought by residents who own property close to Rush Oak Park Hospital (“Rush Oak Park”). The applicants proposed lowering the maximum “by right” height on parts of the Rush Oak Park campus to 50 feet.
• On March 5, 2024, the Board approved a Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment regarding zoning text and map amendment initiation procedures, allowing only a person expressly authorized in writing by the property owner to submit a proposal for a zoning change.
Background
During the drafting phase of the Zoning Ordinance revision project, prior to its adoption in 2017, staff reached out to both Rush Oak Park Hospital and West Suburban Hospital representatives to inquire if they would have any objection to a stricter (lower) height regulation for a portion of their campus, specifically property adjacent to single-family residential properties. In fact, residents near West Suburban Hospital presented a proposal for change during the Zoning Ordinance revision project. In both cases, when staff approached the two hospitals, they indicated they would not object. The initial request for a reduction in their allowed height of 125 feet was to a maximum height limit of 50 feet in the specific geographical areas now identified in the Zoning Ordinance. West Suburban Hospital agreed to the reduction in height from 125 feet to 50 feet, as they recognized that single-family residential property abutting their property to the west was only separated from the hospital zoning by a 20-foot-wide public alley. They also did not object to an increase in principal building setback from 30 to 50 feet along their west property line, which abuts the 20-foot-wide public alley. Rush Oak Park Hospital agreed to a reduction in height from 125 feet to 80 feet on their southeasternmost parcel, as they too recognized that single-family residential zoning was across the 66-foot-wide public streets. There was no change in the existing principal building setback of 20 feet from property lines abutting the public street frontages.
For context, the Belmont Village Retirement Community’s building to the northeast of Rush Oak Park Hospital campus is at a height of 75 feet, and the Medical Office Building (MOB) on the south side of Rush Oak Park Hospital is 60 feet +/- tall. Belmont Village does not abut any residential zone property, but the MOB does. This MOB building, which was approved via a Special Use permit in 1999, is setback 75 feet from single-family zoned property directly to its south and 95 feet from the property line abutting Wisconsin Avenue to the east. The MOB is setback 35 feet from the west property line abutting Maple Avenue. Across the street from the MOB on the west side of Maple Avenue is now a surface parking lot owned and operated by Rush Oak Park Hospital for valet parking, but at the time the MOB was approved and constructed, it was zoned multiple-family residential, containing a variety of residential buildings.
The far-southeasternmost campus parcel is the parcel that was subject to a special use ordinance amendment process to allow for the construction of a multi-level parking structure. The hospital did not go forward with this development. This parcel is located west of Wenonah Avenue and north of Monroe Street, and south of Belmont Village retirement facility. The maximum height allowed in this area is 80 feet. This is the area mentioned previously where Rush Oak Park Hospital did not object to a height reduction from 125 feet to 80 feet. The motion that is being requested is to change the maximum height allowance from 80 feet to 60 feet. NOTE: Any future proposals on this parcel will require a public hearing, as the hospital will need to amend the previously approved special use ordinance via the same process as with the proposed parking structure.
The northwesternmost campus parcel abutting Harlem Avenue presently consists of a surface parking lot and utility building. This parcel is located north of Monroe Street and is between Harlem Avenue and Maple Avenue. The current maximum height allowed in this area is 125 feet. The motion is requesting that the maximum height restriction in this area be reduced to 80 feet. NOTE: This parcel is not abutting or near a residential neighborhood and is somewhat isolated from any residentially zoned areas. This parcel, as measured from the Monroe Street property line, is approximately 265 feet from the closest residentially zoned property to the south.
The southernmost portion of the campus parcel presently has a relatively new surface parking lot (NOTE: the aerials show 4 buildings in this area - these have been razed and now a parking lot exists as an accessory structure) and the Medical Office Building, which was approved in 1999. This parcel is located between Harlem Avenue and on either side of Maple Avenue, south of Monroe Street. The current height allowed in this area is 125 feet. The motion is requesting that the maximum height restriction in this area be reduced to 60 feet. NOTE: The property, which was redeveloped with a surface parking lot, was purchased by Rush Oak Park Hospital, then rezoned from the R-7 Multiple Family zoning district to the H-Hospital zoning district in February 2021. This area directly abuts an R-7 Multiple Family zoning to the south. The five-story Medical Office Building directly east was approved for development in 1999 and directly abuts an R3-50 Single Family zoning to the south.
NOTE: Maps of the current and proposed heights have been attached to this agenda item.
In 2021, Rush Oak Park Hospital filed a rezoning request for its property located at Maple Street and Monroe, abutting Harlem Avenue. The Village approved the rezoning in February. After the property was rezoned from multiple-family to Hospital zoning, they applied for a building permit to construct a surface parking lot, which met zoning ordinance regulations. Staff determined that the parking lot was accessory to the principal use and therefore would follow the accessory structure regulations found within the Zoning Ordinance.
In May 2023, Rush Oak Park neighbors associated with the Center West Oak Park Neighborhood Association (“CWOPNA”) proposed amending the Oak Park Zoning Ordinance to further reduce building height and increase building setbacks from property lines for the Rush Oak Park Hospital campus. They believed these changes would be more in line with West Suburban Hospital’s current height and setback regulations. Rush Oak Park Hospital personnel received a copy of the application, which stated that they were not in support of the request. Ultimately, the Plan Commission did not support the request, nor did the Village Board.
On June 5, 2023, the Village Board directed staff to prepare a comprehensive study session presentation related to public engagement pertaining to general development in Oak Park, with special attention to the H Hospital District. Several considerations were mentioned, such as public input for by-right development, special uses, and planned development processes.
In August 2023, staff met with representatives of Rush Oak Park Hospital to discuss the Village Board’s recommendations. At that meeting, they acknowledged that the Hospital feels that better community engagement is paramount. In fact, they engaged an architectural firm to assist in the development of a Master Plan for the existing Rush Oak Park campus. Included in that process, Rush Oak Park created a resident-based advisory committee to help shape the Master Plan and its governing document. They indicated that the public engagement committee would continue after the master planning process is complete. The hospital confirmed that no additional expansion of the campus will encroach on the abutting residential neighborhood.
On April 11, 2024, the Village Board held a study session to discuss options for public engagement and development entitlement processes.
In September 2024, Village Manager, Kevin Jackson met with Dr. Dino Rumoro, CEO of Rush Oak Park to seek input on the Village’s economic vitality planning process that was underway. In that meeting, Dr. Rumoro communicated that Rush was conducting a systemwide facility needs assessment that could take 18 to 24 months to complete and that no specific master planning at the Rush Oak Park location would take place until that analysis was complete and systemwide priorities were established.
In January 2025 Village Manager Jack and Jonathan Burch, Assistant Village Manager / Neighborhood Services Director, met with Dr. Rumoro, CEO to discuss community engagement and to introduce Jonathan. They acknowledged that the Neighborhood Services Department would be the point of contact for the Village for helping to facilitate engagement with the neighbors about any future development plans of the hospital. Dr. Rumoro reiterated at that time that there was no master planning underway at that time and that the Rush systemwide needs assessment was advancing first to help determine overall Rush facility needs and priorities.
Jonathan Burch, Assistant Village Manager / Neighborhood Services Director, met with Rush administration and residents several times in the past year. A summary is below.
In March 2025, Trustees Straw and Enyia made a motion to reduce the maximum height of buildings in the H Hospital Zoning District along parts of Maple Avenue, Monroe Street, and Wenonah Avenue. In conversations with Village staff about potential implications of the Village initiating a downzoning of Hospital-owned property, the concept of requiring a Master Campus Plan was discussed. Ultimately, the Trustees decided to withdraw their motion.
In March 2025, Jonathan facilitated a meeting with Rush and CWOPNA representatives. The meeting was contentious at times due to CWOPNA fears about the potential for development and trustworthiness of Rush. During the meeting, Rush indicated that campus planning was still ongoing. Following the meeting, Dr. Rumoro stated, "We will have plenty of public comment time and feedback when preliminary plans are in hand. The height and setback desires requested by the CWOPNA reps are well documented, and we will take their requests into consideration when the time is right."
In June 2025, Jonathan checked in with Dr. Rumoro on the status of the campus planning. He reported the following.
o System-wide facility planning for Rush’s portfolio will continue through the calendar year
o As expected, the consultants have shared that most buildings are too old to use for patient care, traffic flow is problematic, and parking is limited
o The Rush team reinforced that any future campus renovation plans should include setbacks from the residents, green space, trees, the largest buildings at North and Madison, and add a park if land space allows
o When the system-wide facility planning is complete, Rush needs to prioritize and approve projects across the system at ALL Rush sites, not just Oak Park, so we will not know what the Oak Park timeline is for some time
In November 2025, Jonathan checked in with Dr. Rumoro following a resident tip that Rush had a campus plan in place. He reported the following: “There has been quite a bit of work on campus planning. But nothing that would excite residents because we have no plans to share as of this time. I copied our VP of facilities and real estate, Brandon King. Brandon and I will strategize a way to possibly share high level process updates with the village. We are going to be very careful about not releasing draft versions of anything since people may take those types of plans as concrete proposals - which they are not. We are doing fit testing and trying to establish rough numbers on pricing and time frames. What I can tell you with certainty is that a campus redevelopment plan will be a 10-15-year project and done in phases. Having an endpoint plan would be ideal but we don’t have that yet.”
On March 3, 2026, residents from the CWOPNA appeared before the Village Board asking that the Village discuss Zoning modification to the Rush Oak Park Hospital campus.
Staff developed the Hospital Master Plan concept in reaction to the Village Board's direction to make changes to the Zoning Ordinance in support of the hospital neighbors. Staff believes this concept to be a compromise between all parties. Staff provided the concept to Rush Oak Park Hospital in June 2026, with a response of no support at this time, as further analysis is necessary. However, Rush Oak Park Hospital remains committed to continuing to work on this matter.
Timing Considerations
There are no specific timing considerations associated with this item.
Financial Impact
There is no budget impact associated with this item.
Operations Impact
If approved, staff would be required to prepare documentation to present to the Plan Commission at a public hearing and provide the Village Board with the Plan Commission’s recommendation. This process typically takes between 3 and 4 months, due to legal notice requirements and scheduling for the hearing process. Depending on the length of the public hearing process, staff could spend 5 - 10 hours on this item.
DEI Impact
There is no DEI impact associated with this item.
Community Input
There has been no community input given in relation to this item.
Staff Recommendation
Staff suggests the Village Board consider other options in addition to or in lieu of the motion.
Staff has prepared a plausible option for consideration relative to the requirement of a Hospital Master Plan (HMP) for any hospital located within an H-Hospital zoning district.
Advantages:
• The Zoning Ordinance can be amended to require hospitals to submit an HMP for Village Board consideration, which would be required before any development activity.
• The amendment would require neighborhood meetings(s) before submittal.
• The Village Board will review and discuss the proposed HMP at a public meeting.
• If acceptable, staff would amend the Zoning Ordinance to incorporate the HMP as an overlay for a specific hospital campus.
• The HMP would become the de facto by right-dimensional standards regulations. No public process would be needed for the hospital if developed under these regulations.
Disadvantages:
• Hospital administration may not be agreeable to this action.
• Village Board and Hospital may not agree on regulations.
• The public may not agree with the HMP.
Alternatives
Alternative 1:
The Village Board can consider incorporating a “stair-step” height concept when abutting residential properties with the Missing Middle Housing text amendment.
Advantages:
• This could reduce excessive building height directly adjacent to residential properties.
• This provision would be standard across all non-residential zoning districts.
• The provision would ensure adequate daylight is accessing the residential properties.
Disadvantages:
• This could impact density, unless adjusted accordingly.
• Heights adjacent to the front property lines may need to increase to offset density loss.
Alternative 2:
The Village Board can elect to deny the motion.
Advantages:
• This would allow other options to be considered.
• This would alleviate potential discord between the Hospital and the Village
Disadvantages:
• This would not support the neighbor’s concerns
• This could create possible tension between the neighbors and the Village
Anticipated Future Actions
If approved, staff will return with a recommendation from the Plan Commission for Village Board consideration.
Prepared By: Craig Failor, Development Services Director
Reviewed By: Jack Malec, Assistant to the Village Manager
Approved By: Kevin J. Jackson, Village Manager
Attachment(s):
1. Current Zoning Height Map
2. Proposed Zoning Height Map
3. Hospital Master Plan Zoning Ordinance Draft