Submitted By
Marcella Bondie Keenan, Chief Sustainability Officer
Reviewed By
Ahmad M. Zayyad, Deputy Village Manager / Interim Director of Development Customer Services
Agenda Item Title
Title
An Ordinance Amending Chapter 20 ("Public Health"), Article 14 ("Retail Single-Use Bag") of the Oak Park Village Code to Add a New Section 20-14-10 ("Exemption") to Provide for an Exemption from the Payment of the Village's Single-Use Plastic Bag Fee for Persons Participating in a Governmental Food Assistance Program
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Overview
Overview
The Ordinance amends the Village Code to provide for an exemption from the payment of the Village's single-use plastic bag fee for persons participating in a governmental food assistance program.
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Recommendation
Recommendation
Adopt the Ordinance.
Background
In 2018, the Village Board adopted an Ordinance to charge customers ten cents for each single-use paper or plastic bag provided at checkout. This is limited to retail stores which are 5,000 square feet or larger. Half of the fee is remitted to the Village and provides revenue to the Sustainability Fund. Half of the revenue is retained by retailers.1
In October 2022, the Village Board directed staff to develop an Ordinance to further reduce single-use plastics, with an emphasis on food ware and food packaging. From November 2022 through January 2023, staff facilitated three (3) workshops that led community members through a collaborative design-thinking process, including policy and case study literature review, data collection (local business owner and subject matter interviews and community surveys), identifying potential adverse and beneficial impacts, evaluating policy proposals, and conceptualizing supportive programming. The group was comprised of Office of Sustainability and Resilience and Environmental Services Division staff; representatives from the Environment and Energy Commission, Disability Access Commission and Business Advisory Council; local restau...
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