123 Madison Street

Oak Park, Illinois 60302

www.oak-park.us

Village of Oak Park

Meeting Minutes

President and Board of Trustees

Tuesday, March 10, 2026

6:30 PM

Village Hall

I. Roll Call

Call to Order

Village President Scaman called the Meeting to order at 6:34 P.M.

Village Trustee Wesley arrived at 6:48P.M.

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Present:

Village President Scaman, Village Trustee Eder, Village Trustee Enyia, Village

Trustee Leving Jacobson, Village Trustee Straw, Village Trustee Taglia, and Village

Trustee Wesley

Absent:

II. Agenda Approval

It was moved by Village Trustee Eder, seconded by Village Trustee Straw to

approve the agenda. A voice vote was taken and the motion was approved.

III. Minutes

MOT 26-133

A Motion to Approve Minutes from the March 3, 2026 Regular Meeting of

the Village Board

It was moved by Village Trustee Leving Jacobson, seconded by Village Trustee

Straw to approve the Minutes. A voice vote was taken and the motion was

approved.

IV. Non-Agenda Public Comment

Resident Kris H. asked the Village to remove the new “Right Turn Only”

sign, which has forced residents toward congested school and library

areas. She reported that drivers still used Cuyler Avenue and were now

diverting into alleys, increasing safety risks. She urged replacing the sign

with a curb barrier that would block cut through traffic without restricting

residents.

V. Proclamation

MOT 26-132

A Motion to Approve a Proclamation Honoring Faith Julian and the Julian

Family Legacy in Oak Park, IL

Village President Scaman asked Village Trustee Taglia to read the

Proclamation aloud.

Village Trustee Enyia expressed deep gratitude and admiration for Faith

and her family, noting their resilience in the face of hatred and injustice and

their long-standing commitment to justice in Oak Park. He highlighted

Faith’s continued civic engagement, including recent efforts to ensure she

could vote. He thanked the community for supporting the family’s legacy

and emphasized how honored the Village was to recognize them.

Honoree Faith J. thanked the Board for the proclamation and expressed

how proud her parents would have been. She shared her hope that better

things would come for the community and for the home tied to her family’s

legacy.

It was moved by Village Trustee Enyia, seconded by Village Trustee Eder, that

this Motion be approved. A voice vote was taken and the motion was approved.

MOT 26-131

A Motion to Approve a Proclamation Recognizing Sandra & David Sokol

as the 2026 Recipients of the Historical Society of Oak Park and River

Forest’s “Heart of Our Villages” Award March 12, 2026

Village President Scaman read the Proclamation aloud.

Resident Ray H. praised David for his strong service as a young Village

Trustee, noting his willingness to voice his opinions and act as a role

model. He also highlighted Sandra’s major contributions to community

relations and civil rights work, saying the recognition for both of them was

long overdue.

Honoree Sandra S. expressed her gratitude for the recognition, reflected

on her years of service in Village government, and thanked the Board, staff,

and Historical Society for the honor. She also shared her family’s

appreciation, noting their long ties to Oak Park and how much the

community has meant to them.

Honoree David S. recalled serving on the Village Board in the early years

of the building. He expressed gratitude for the honor and reflected on

raising his family in Oak Park, which became a home beyond what they

ever expected.

It was moved by Village Trustee Leving Jacobson, seconded by Village Trustee

Straw, that this Motion be approved. A voice vote was taken and the motion was

approved.

VI. Village Manager Reports

None; no action was taken regarding this item.

VII. Village Board Committees

VIII. Citizen Commission Vacancies

ID 26-237

Board and Commission Vacancy Report for March 10, 2026

This report lists the expected number of members, current number of

members seated and number of active vacancies for the Village’s 18

citizen boards and commissions. There are currently 23 vacancies.

IX. Citizen Commission Appointments, Reappointments and Chair Appointments

None; no action was taken regarding this item.

X. Public Hearing

XI. First Reading

XII. Second Reading

XIII. Consent Agenda

Approval of the Consent Agenda

It was moved by Village Trustee Ederand seconded by Village Trustee Wesley to

approve the items under the Consent Agenda. The motion was approved. The

roll call on the vote was as follows:

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AYES:

Village President Scaman, Village Trustee Eder, Village Trustee Enyia, Village

Trustee Leving Jacobson, Village Trustee Straw, Village Trustee Taglia, and Village

Trustee Wesley

NAYS:

ABSENT:

RES 26-152

A Resolution Approving an Amendment to the Renewal of an Independent

Contractor Agreement with Cerniglia, Co. for 2026 Emergency Water and

Sewer Repair Work to Increase the Not to Exceed Amount from $40,000 to

$75,000 and Authorizing its Execution

This Resolution was adopted.

ORD 26-114

*Concur with the Zoning Board of Appeals and Adopt an Ordinance

Granting a Special Use Permit to Operate a Warehouse/Distribution

Facility at 6209 North Avenue

This Ordinance was adopted.

XIV. Regular Agenda

ID 26-213

A Presentation on the Status of the Shape Oak Park - Missing Middle

Housing Zoning Ordinance Update Project

Development Services Director Craig Failor reviewed the Village’s 2020

Strategic Vision for Housing Plan, outlining its major goals, including

expanded multifamily housing, missing middle zoning reforms, and holistic

parking and housing updates. He explained that the Shape Oak Park

project is an early phase of implementing these strategies, with consultants

presenting a progress update and seeking Board feedback ahead of a

final presentation expected in May or June.

Opticos Design Principal Jennifer Settle explained that Oak Park’s

shrinking household sizes and aging population mean the village is housing

fewer people in the same number of units, posing long term challenges for

the tax base, schools, and infrastructure. She acknowledged concerns

about teardowns and land value pressures but noted that large scale

redevelopment is currently unlikely, while emphasizing the need to study

these risks and include tools to limit harmful demolitions, prevent lot

consolidation, and incentivize smaller, more attainable homes. She also

highlighted that middlehousing types can maintain neighborhood scale,

reduce lot coverage compared to large single family rebuilds, and better

align with sustainability and open space goals, all while expanding housing

choices and addressing barriers created by the existing zoning code.

AllTogether Principal Marisa Schultz explained that the quality of the zoning

recommendations depends on strong community engagement and shared

that more than 600 residents have participated through surveys, focus

groups, workshops, pop ups, and online tools. She described efforts to

humanize zoning discussions by using character based storytelling to help

residents consider different perspectives and overcome concerns about

parking, taxes, and neighborhood change. She emphasized that this

approach has broadened participation and set the stage for continued

education and communication as the project moves toward regulatory

recommendations.

Sightline Founding Principal Jake Seid explained that several zoning

barriers-such as districts allowing only single family homes, lot assembly

requirements, and complex design standards-limit Oak Park’s ability to

provide missing middle housing. He noted that current rules favor large

single family development, add cost and uncertainty, and restrict accessory

dwelling units. He concluded by showing potential options for simplifying

and consolidating zoning districts to better support diverse housing types.

Village Trustee Straw requested deeper survey breakdowns, particularly

renter versus homeowner responses, since renters were underrepresented

in the formal data. He emphasized that missing middle housing can expand

affordable ownership opportunities by offering alternatives to the teardown

to luxury home trend, where first time buyers cannot compete with cash

purchasing developers. He clarified that the approach aims to create new

attainable ownership pathways rather than diminish them.

Village Trustee Wesley pressed for a clear guiding goal for the zoning

initiative, arguing that without explicit objectives-such as increasing total

housing units, boosting affordability, or correcting racial inequities-the

reforms risk having little real impact. He criticized the use of terms like

“character” and “context” as historically exclusionary and emphasized that

true equity requires distributing new housing across single family areas

rather than concentrating density on busy corridors. He also argued for

legalizing existing nonconforming buildings, enabling more height and

more units, and designing zoning updates that expand supply, integrate

affordability, and reflect the Village’s long term demographic and social

goals.

Village Trustee Leving Jacobson thanked the team for their extensive work

and expressed strong support for loosening zoning restrictions to allow

more multi unit middle housing options. She emphasized that achieving

equity and affordability is ultimately the Board’s responsibility, and that

zoning reform must be paired with intentional policies such as incentives,

updated inclusionary housing rules, and other tools to ensure meaningful

affordability outcomes. She also raised concerns about who participated in

engagement efforts, asking whether cost burdened residents or those at

risk of displacement were included, and urged continued, intentional

outreach to underrepresented voices so their experiences shape the final

recommendations.

Village Trustee Eder thanked the consultants for their extensive work and

acknowledged the difficulty of tackling zoning reform in the community

where they themselves live. He expressed strong support for the direction

of the project, framing zoning updates as one component of a broader

strategy that cities like Minneapolis paired with funding, incentives, and

inclusionary housing reforms. Drawing on personal examples he

emphasized the need to make it easier for residents to create flexible, multi

unit housing within existing footprints. He also highlighted the environmental

benefits of added density, warned of the risks of doing nothing, and asked

for clarity on real world data from cities that have eliminated single family

zoning to understand expected rates of change.

Village Trustee Enyia thanked the consultants and acknowledged the

difficulty of engaging residents given busy schedules and current national

challenges. He emphasized that equitable outreach must continue,

particularly through schools, senior networks, and other trusted community

channels. Reflecting on his own family’s housing experience in Oak Park,

he stressed that zoning reform is just one part of a multi layered effort

required to create long term, equitable housing opportunities. He urged

residents to participate now and affirmed strong support for the direction of

the project while encouraging creative solutions to remove participation

barriers.

Village Trustee Taglia thanked the outreach team but reiterated concerns

that many residents remain unaware of the zoning initiative despite strong

efforts, noting that only a small fraction of the community has engaged so

far. He confirmed with staff that a formal public hearing will occur and

stressed that zoning changes could have major implications for population,

services, infrastructure, and parking. He also expressed worry that

developers might outbid first time buyers for teardown opportunities,

threatening the stock of entry level homes and long term pathways to

homeownership. He emphasized the need to balance new housing types

with protecting starter home affordability, preventing displacement, and

preserving opportunities for families to build equity in Oak Park.

Village President Scaman acknowledged that zoning updates will not

immediately produce major population change, but emphasized that the

reforms are a crucial foundation for long term goals centered on density,

equity, and affordability. She underscored the need for robust and inclusive

public engagement, respect for Oak Park’s architectural heritage, and a

realistic understanding of how zoning interacts with incentives and market

forces. She said the Board may ultimately choose more ambitious reforms,

but Opticos’ analysis will help them assess impacts and trade offs while

protecting naturally affordable housing and historic character across the

Village.

ID 26-202

A Presentation on the History of Historic Preservation and its Influence on

the Village of Oak Park

Urban Planner Brenton Boitse presented his analysis of the economic

impact of historic preservation using direct, indirect, and induced effects,

noting that heritage tourism alone generates an estimated $1.89 billion in

total economic impact for Oak Park. He emphasized, however, that an

even larger, often overlooked economic engine comes from local

preservation related industries- architects, craftspeople, woodworkers,

glass specialists, and skilled trades- demonstrating that Oak Park has an

unusually high concentration of these jobs, giving it a clear competitive

advantage. He warned that weakening preservation policies could harm

these sectors, leading to layoffs and ripple effects across restaurants,

services, and other local businesses, and offered to conduct deeper

analysis in the future.

Landmarks Illinois Advocacy Manager Kendra Parzen explained that

preservation today is not about freezing places in time but about managing

change in ways that respect history while supporting inclusivity, housing

needs, and environmental goals. She emphasized that modern

preservation focuses on everyday stories, marginalized histories,

embodied carbon savings, and opportunities for adaptive reuse that can

create new housing and economic development. She highlighted examples

from across Illinois to show how historic buildings can support affordable

housing, sustainability, small business growth, and community identity.

Kendra later clarified that preservation is not infallible nor meant to be

immune from change, but that it offers significant benefits beyond

aesthetics. She stressed that preservation is not an impediment to other

village goals and urged the Board to treat it as an equal consideration

alongside housing, zoning, and equity objectives.

Historical Society of Oak Park and River Forest Executive Director Frank

Lipo described Oak Park’s long, community driven history of historic

preservation and its deep connection to the Village’s identity, equity efforts,

and architectural heritage. He traced how preservation emerged from

1960s civil rights era organizing and evolved through public private

partnerships, volunteer leadership, and major survey work that documented

the Village’s rich architectural legacy. Frank explained how historic

districts, landmark protections, and organizations like the Frank Lloyd

Wright Trust and Pleasant Home Foundation grew from this movement,

strengthening tourism, economic development, and community pride. He

emphasized that preservation has always been about serving people not

just buildings, and added Oak Park’s ordinance is widely regarded as a

model balancing individual rights with collective stewardship. He concluded

by highlighting how decades of local investment, advocacy, and education

have built one of the most robust preservation programs in the country.

David Sokol described arriving in Oak Park in the early 1970s, overcoming

mortgage discrimination and quickly becoming involved in community

issues and local advocacy. His interest in architecture and preservation led

to work with the Frank Lloyd Wright community, the development of

architectural tourism, and eventually a role on the village board. For over 50

years, he contributed to major preservation initiatives, served on multiple

commissions, and helped establish Oak Park as a certified local

government committed to historic standards. His continued involvement at

both local and state levels reflected a lifelong commitment to preservation

and a deep appreciation for Oak Park’s architectural heritage.

Historic Preservation Commission Chair Asha Andriana explained that the

HPC’s role is often misunderstood-the commission does not impose

arbitrary aesthetic opinions but evaluates exterior changes using the

Secretary of the Interior’s standards, with most demolition and alteration

requests approved administratively. She emphasized the commission’s

collaborative approach, the availability of economic hardship hearings, and

Oak Park’s unique mix of single family and multifamily housing, particularly

within the Ridgeland Historic District. Asha highlighted the importance of

adaptive reuse, the sustainability benefits of retaining older buildings, and

the need to protect smaller “starter homes” from footprint expansions that

erode affordability and limit opportunities for younger or first time home

buyers.

Village Trustee Eder asked for clarity about the purpose of the

conversation and how it relates to broader zoning discussions occurring

the same night. He noted tensions between historic preservation

requirements and housing flexibility documented in the Shape Oak Park

memo, and asked whether Opticos was proposing any changes to historic

districts. He said the history and benefits of preservation were illuminating

but felt the presentation leaned heavily toward defending the current

system; he requested more balanced data, including costs, regulatory

burdens, and the real impact of preservation on project timelines. He

emphasized wanting a fuller picture- both the advantages and

disadvantages- so the Board can make well informed decisions.

Village Trustee Taglia thanked presenters and questioned why the Village

is pursuing construction of a new council chamber rather than reinvesting in

the historic building currently being used. He asked for clarity on the legal

distinction between HPC decisions and recommendations from other

commissions.

Village Trustee Enyia expressed strong appreciation for the presentation,

saying it deepened his understanding of preservation’s impact, both

culturally and economically. He said Oak Park’s historic identity is a major

draw for residents and visitors and emphasized the need for clarity for

homeowners who purchase in historic districts. He highlighted the

emotional and community value of preservation and encouraged ongoing

collaboration between the Board and HPC to balance density, economic

development, sustainability, and heritage. He emphasized trust in the

expertise of the HPC and thanked commissioners for their dedication.

Village Trustee Straw said the presentation was a valuable foundation for

ongoing preservation discussions, appreciating the framing of preservation

as “a conversation with our past about our future.” He noted the need to

understand how historic districts intersect with the missing-middle housing

initiative, especially regarding contributing structures. He raised questions

about the time and process costs for homeowners navigating HPC review

and expressed interest in exploring modest revisions to rules for

contributing buildings while still preserving the architectural character that

benefits Oak Park. He stressed the goal of balancing resident flexibility

with preservation of community identity.

Village Trustee Wesley thanked presenters but expressed strong criticism

of Oak Park’s preservation system, arguing that while he values historic

buildings, the Ridgeland Historic District was rooted in policies designed

to manage-and limit-Black migration in the 1970s and 1980s. He cited

census data and historic policy tools to argue that the district acted as a

racial barrier rather than a purely architectural designation. He emphasized

that preservation nationally grew out of inequitable systems, and Oak Park

must acknowledge that history rather than claim preservation has “always

been inclusive.” He distinguished between valuing historic buildings and

opposing a system built on past racial exclusion.

Village Trustee Leving Jacobson thanked presenters and reflected on how

much information was shared, saying she would need to rewatch the

presentation. She recalled that the only HPC appeal she has voted on

involved building height and said that specific issues-like height and

affordability-should be discussed directly rather than getting lost in broader

policy debates. She appreciated the history and expertise shared and

encouraged continued conversations that examine both shared values and

points of tension.

Village President Scaman explained that this educational session was

initiated years earlier due to repeated preservation related appeals and the

Board’s responsibility to understand preservation’s purpose, history, and

value. She stressed that while the HPC’s perspective is critical, trustees

must sometimes balance preservation with broader policy goals such as

housing and zoning reforms. Scaman encouraged trustees to communicate

openly with constituents and the HPC, watch commission meetings before

appeal votes, and articulate their reasoning when the Board diverges from

the commission. She emphasized the need for continued dialogue, use of

the Landmark Illinois Relevancy Guidebook, and thoughtful decision

making that respects both historic assets and modern policy challenges.

Village President Scaman summarized key themes from the Board:

interest in understanding the costs of maintaining historic homes, the

meaning of “contributing structures,” district boundaries, and where

preservation intersects with zoning and equity goals. Scaman reaffirmed

the Board’s role as the final appeal body and stressed the importance of

trustees educating themselves on HPC discussions before voting on

appeals, acknowledging that difficult decisions are part of maintaining Oak

Park’s density, diversity, heritage, and long term goals.

RES 26-143

Resolutions Approving the Grant Agreements in Lieu of Using CDBG

Funds and Authorizing their Execution

Neighborhood Services Director/ Asst. Village Manager Jonathan Burch

explained that three of the nine organizations awarded FY25 CDBG

public-service grants declined the funds upon seeing the grant agreement

requirements, which they hadn’t anticipated during application. This

created a downstream gap in service delivery. To keep services whole for

the current year, staff requested a one-time allocation of ~$70,000 from the

existing CDBG fund balance, and noted they’ll delay the application

release until April to ensure grantees are fully informed of any changing

requirements before applying.

Village President Scaman encouraged residents and trustees to read the

CDAC (Community Development Advisory Committee) reports, which

detail the community benefits provided by partner agencies. She

highlighted the Infant Welfare Society as an example, noting it offers free or

sliding-scale medical, dental, mental health care, and vaccinations for

children under 18-regardless of citizenship status-and shared a recent

example of the organization providing free physicals for high school

athletes.

Village Trustee Straw criticized federal restrictions that effectively pressure

local service providers to limit support for immigrant/migrant neighbors. He

urged the Village to use CDBG funds creatively and then reallocate general

fund dollars to service organizations so critical, sometimes lifesaving

services aren’t constrained by federal conditions.

It was moved by Village Trustee Wesley, seconded by Village Trustee Leving

Jacobson, that this Resolution be adopted. The motion was approved. The roll

call on the vote was as follows:

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AYES:

Village President Scaman, Village Trustee Eder, Village Trustee Enyia, Village

Trustee Leving Jacobson, Village Trustee Straw, Village Trustee Taglia, and Village

Trustee Wesley

NAYS:

ABSENT:

XV. Call to Board and Clerk

XVI. Adjourn

It was moved by Village Trustee Wesley, seconded by Village Trustee

Straw to adjourn. Meeting adjourned at 11:25 P.M.