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A Resolution Adopting the Biodiversity and Green Infrastructure Plan
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Introduction
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The Resolution adopts the Biodiversity and Green Infrastructure Plan, which includes findings and recommended strategies for increasing biodiversity, green infrastructure, and enhanced management practices in the Village.
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Recommended Action
Adopt the Resolution.
Prior Board Action
• Staff presented the Green Infrastructure Definition and Baseline Analysis Framework to the Village Board on February 13, 2026.
• The Village Board adopted a Resolution approving a professional services agreement with Greenprint Partners for the development of a Biodiversity and Green Infrastructure Plan in an amount not to exceed $120,035 on September 9, 2025 (RES 25-248).
Background
On August 1, 2022, the Village Board adopted Climate Ready Oak Park, a comprehensive and long-range plan developed in response to the global climate crisis. In the plan, the Village commits to establishing 30% of land as green infrastructure or enhanced park management by 2030 (“Green Infrastructure Goal”). Completing the Biodiversity and Green Infrastructure Plan was identified as a Village Board Goal for 2026-2027 (5.1.k).
The Office of Sustainability and Resilience issued an RFP on June 6, 2025 for development of a Biodiversity and Green Infrastructure Plan that would establish a baseline of green infrastructure existing in the Village and identify strategies to reach the 30% by 2030 goal set in Climate Ready Oak Park.
To develop a plan to meet the 30% commitment, Village staff first sought to understand what counted towards that goal, develop a methodology for measuring progress towards the goal, and develop an existing baseline. Under Phase 1 of the Biodiversity and Green Infrastructure Study and Plan, Greenprint Partners developed a Biodiversity and Green Infrastructure Definition and Measurement Framework to guide the baseline and opportunity analysis in Phase 2. The Framework was presented to Village Board in February 2026.
Village staff analyzed existing conditions and developed scenarios to identify opportunities for increasing biodiversity and green infrastructure on public and private properties. These findings framed discussions with Village departmental staff, inter-governmental partners, and community stakeholders in Phase 3 to identify and prioritize strategies for a final implementation roadmap.
Because biodiversity and green infrastructure are interconnected across spatial and programmatic scales, the plan refines the overarching 30x30 vision into four distinct, measurable subgoals:
1. Public Land: 30% of public land is established as green infrastructure and 100% of public assets are managed with enhanced management by 2030.
2. Tree Canopy: Maintain and care for the 36% existing tree canopy coverage across Oak Park in 2030, with a goal to achieve 38% tree canopy by 2043.
3. Resident Participation: 30% of Oak Park residents practice enhanced management or install green infrastructure on their property by 2030.
4. Connectivity: Connect 30% of core natural areas across the Village by 2030.
The plan outlines 18 action-oriented recommendations organized into four categories:
• Policies (Regulatory Levers): Annually report progress on a public dashboard; align GI with Vision Zero, Urban Forest Management Plan, and the Bike Plan; adopt bird-friendly design and dark-sky lighting policies; promote the parkway planting ordinance; and audit municipal code to remove regulatory barriers to GI.
• Programs (Incentives & Infrastructure): Redesign and fund the Climate Ready Rainscapes homeowner retrofit program and evaluate/establish other homeowner incentive programs; make the Climate Ready Canopy tree giveaway permanent; expand vegetated bump outs, permeable park lanes, and green alleys; naturalize Village medians/parkways; retrofit civic parking lots; establish GI maintenance standards; and co-develop a Green Schoolyards initiative with District 97.
• Education (Outreach & Capacity): Distribute GI educational materials; engage youth through high school campaigns and internships; foster block-level stewardship (e.g., "Greenest Block" contests and parkway guides); deliver internal sustainability trainings for Village staff; and host community BioBlitz citizen science events.
• Coordination (Partnerships): Convene an inter-agency 30x30 Steering Committee; collaborate with OPPL and PDOP on seed libraries and parkway workshops; partner with local faith-based and community groups and institutional property-owners; and engage in regional conservation frameworks (e.g., CMAP, C4, MWRD)
Timing Considerations
This presentation is the culmination of work that began in September 2025. While Village staff are currently managing some programs and policies identified in the Biodiversity and Green Infrastructure Plan, most recommendations from the plan will be implemented beginning in fiscal year 2027.
Financial Impact
The Biodiversity and Green Infrastructure Study and Plan is part of the work budgeted in 2025 and 2026 for the Office of Sustainability and Resilience (GL# 2310.41020.101.570859.0000)
The recommendations from the Biodiversity and Green Infrastructure Plan will be integrated into future Village budget requests starting in 2027, following the plan's implementation timeline. This will include funding requests for the continuation or expansion of successful existing programs and policies while allocating resources to launch new initiatives. Capital costs to move the needle on 30x30 vision subgoals will be evaluated across municipal budget cycles. Staff will continue to explore potential supplementary funding pathways such as a Green Infrastructure Fee, MWRD Green Infrastructure Partnership Program grants, and state/federal grant funds.
Operations Impact
This item impacts the daily operating functions across multiple Village departments, primarily the Office of Sustainability and Resilience, Public Works, and Neighborhood and Development Services. External consultants were utilized during the 10-month planning process. To date, Sustainability staff dedicated significant project management hours, with an estimated 120+ hours spent across interdepartmental staff reviewing materials, participating in workshops, engaging residents, and refining draft materials.
Implementation will shift staff responsibilities starting in 2027 to include ongoing asset management, installing public green infrastructure, executing policies, and administering expanded programs like Rainscapes and Climate Ready Canopy. No immediate addition of staff is required by this adoption item; future operating and capital workflow shifts will be phased through standard annual departmental budget processes.
DEI Impact
This plan directly incorporates equity as both a core outcome and a process. Drawing from CROP's Existing Conditions and Vulnerability Assessment, project implementation prioritizes areas with high social vulnerability, high land surface temperatures, and significant urban flood susceptibility (notably in the southern and eastern portions of the Village). The goal is to ensure that access to quality green space, urban canopy, and climate resilience benefits are distributed equitably across all demographics and geographic quadrants.
Impacted populations were engaged through inclusive outreach methods, including pop-up events at Winterfest and Earth Fest, open houses at Day in Our Village, focus groups with youth/students, and a community-wide survey. Environmental benefits include heat island reduction, localized flood mitigation, air quality improvement, and enhanced access to active, biodiverse open space for residents of all ages.
Community Input
Community engagement anchored every phase of the plan’s development. Input mechanisms included:
• Stakeholder Interviews & Focus Groups: Conducted with Village departments, sister agencies (Park District of Oak Park, Public Library, School Districts 97 & 200), youth/students, property owners, and conservation groups.
• Pop-Ups & Workshops: Interactive feedback at PlanItGreen, Winterfest, the "Planting in the Parkway" workshop, Earth Fest, and Day in Our Village.
• Community Survey: 250+ residents completed an online survey prioritizing public/private property strategies, education topics, and incentive resources.
• Commissions: Presentations of the Definition and Measurement Framework to the Environment and Energy Commission on February 4, 2026, and July 14, 2026.
Staff Recommendation
Staff recommends adoption of the Resolution adopting the Biodiversity and Green Infrastructure Plan.
Advantages:
• Establishes a clear, data-driven framework and actionable roadmap to achieve the Village's 30% by 2030 green infrastructure and enhanced management commitment set in Climate Ready Oak Park.
• Positions the Village to competitively secure external grant funding (e.g., MWRD GIPP, IEPA 319, Invest in Cook) and guides future budget integration and identification of dedicated revenue sources that support improvements in environmental equity, biodiversity, and climate resilience.
Disadvantages:
• There are no disadvantages to this recommended action.
Alternatives
The Board can reject the Resolution approving the Biodiversity and Green Infrastructure Plan
Advantages:
• No staff time or dedicated funding allocated towards implementing the Plan.
Disadvantages:
• Stalls progress toward the Village's adopted Climate Ready Oak Park 30x30 commitment.
• Reduces staff’s ability to measure progress towards the 30x30 commitment.
Anticipated Future Actions
1. Staff evaluation and Board discussion regarding potential funding mechanisms, including the potential design of a Green Infrastructure Fee framework.
2. Integration of priority recommendations into the 2027 municipal budget process and subsequent program implementation in 2027.
3. Annual reporting on 30x30 progress via a public dashboard.
Prepared By: Malcolm Mossman, Sustainability Coordinator
Reviewed By: Lindsey Roland Nieratka, Chief Sustainability Officer
Approved By: Kevin J. Jackson, Village Manager
Attachment(s):
1. Biodiversity and Green Infrastructure Plan Resolution
2. Village of Oak Park Biodiversity and Green Infrastructure Plan
3. Village of Oak Park Biodiversity and Green Infrastructure Plan Appendices
4. Biodiversity and Green Infrastructure Plan Presentation