123 Madison Street

Oak Park, Illinois 60302

www.oak-park.us

Village of Oak Park

Meeting Minutes

President and Board of Trustees

Tuesday, July 23, 2024

6:30 PM

Village Hall

I. Call to Order

Village President Vicki Scaman called the Regular Meeting to order at

6:32 P.M.

II. Roll Call

6 -

Present:

Absent:

Village President Scaman, Village Trustee Buchanan, Village Trustee Enyia, Village

Trustee Parakkat, Village Trustee Robinson, and Village Trustee Wesley

1 - Village Trustee Straw

III. Consideration of Motion to Adjourn to Executive Session to Discuss Collective

Bargaining

It was moved by Trustee Robinson, seconded by Trustee Wesley, to adjourn into

Executive Session. The motion was approved. The roll call on the vote was as

follows:

6 -

AYES:

Village President Scaman, Village Trustee Buchanan, Village Trustee Enyia, Village

Trustee Parakkat, Village Trustee Robinson, and Village Trustee Wesley

NAYS:

1 - Village Trustee Straw

ABSENT:

V. Reconvene to Regular Meeting in Council Chambers and Call to Order

The Regular Meeting reconvened at 7:00 P.M.

VI. Roll Call

Trustee Straw joined the Meeting at 6:37 P.M.

7 -

Present:

Village President Scaman, Village Trustee Buchanan, Village Trustee Enyia, Village

Trustee Parakkat, Village Trustee Robinson, Village Trustee Straw, and Village

Trustee Wesley

Absent:

VII. Agenda Approval

President Scaman moved Item F from the Consent Agenda to the Regular

Agenda.

It was moved by Trustee Robinson, seconded by Trustee Straw, to approve the

Agenda as amended. A voice vote was taken and the motion was approved.

VIII. Minutes

MOT 24-206

A Motion to Approve Minutes from the July 16, 2024 Regular Meeting of

the Village Board

It was moved by Trustee Wesley, seconded by Trustee Straw, to approve the

Minutes. A voice vote was taken and the motion was approved.

IX. Non-Agenda Public Comment

Clifford Osborn: Resident, attended a Chamber of Commerce street art

event last Thursday and his car was stolen. The Oak Park Police

Department is down 42 officers. Something needs to change in the

leadership.

Paul Rubio: Shared his experience attending the 10th National Eucharistic

Congress in Indianapolis. God is truly alive and present among us.

X. Proclamation

MOT 24-204

A Motion to Approve a Proclamation Recognizing Americans with

Disabilities Act Awareness Day

President Scaman read the Proclamation into the Record.

It was moved by Trustee Straw, seconded by Trustee Wesley, that this Motion be

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

XII. Village Board Committees & Trustee Liaison Commission Reports

There were no comments.

XIII. Citizen Commission Vacancies

ID 24-381

Board & Commission Vacancy Report for July 23, 2024

There were no comments.

XV. Consent Agenda

Approval of the Consent Agenda

It was moved by Trustee Wesley, seconded by Trustee Straw to approve the

items under the Consent Agenda. The motion was approved. The roll call on the

vote was as follows:

7 -

AYES:

Village President Scaman, Village Trustee Buchanan, Village Trustee Enyia, Village

Trustee Parakkat, Village Trustee Robinson, Village Trustee Straw, and Village

Trustee Wesley

NAYS:

ABSENT:

ORD 24-137

An Ordinance Amending the Fiscal Year 2024 Annual Budget

This Ordinance was approved.

RES 24-250

A Resolution Approving an Amendment to the Renewal of the

Independent Contractor Agreement with South West Industries, Inc. d/b/a

Anderson Elevator Co. to Provide Elevator Maintenance and Repair

Services to Increase the Not to Exceed Amount for Fiscal Year 2024 from

$47,000.00 to $56,000.00 and Authorizing Its Execution

This Resolution was adopted.

RES 24-254

RES 24-256

RES 24-264

A Resolution Approving a Collective Bargaining Agreement Between the

Village of Oak Park and the Illinois FOP Labor Council LODGE #8 for Patrol

Officers for the Period of January 1, 2024 to December 31, 2026 and

Authorizing Its Execution

This Resolution was adopted.

A Resolution Approving a Collective Bargaining Agreement and

Memorandum of Understanding Between the Village of Oak Park and the

Illinois FOP Labor Council for Community Service Officers for the Period of

January 1, 2024 to December 31, 2026

This Resolution was adopted.

A Resolution Approving a Task Order with Edwin Hancock Engineering Co.

for Construction Engineering Services for Project 24-2, Resurfacing of

Various Streets, in an Amount Not to Exceed $198,892 and Authorizing its

Execution

This Resolution was adopted.

RES 24-265

RES 24-266

A Resolution Approving a Contract with R.W. Dunteman Company for

Project 24-2, Resurfacing of Various Streets, in an Amount Not to Exceed

$2,678,775 and Authorizing its Execution

This Resolution was adopted.

A Resolution Approving a Task Order for Professional Engineering Services

with Edwin Hancock Engineering Co. for Design Engineering Services for

the 2025 Alley Improvement Project in an Amount Not to Exceed $245,605

and Authorizing its Execution

This Resolution was adopted.

RES 24-269

A Resolution Authorizing the Submission of a Uniform Application for State

Grant Assistance with the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic

Opportunity (DCEO) for the Madison Street Streetscape Project

This Resolution was adopted.

XVI. Regular Agenda

RES 24-252

A Resolution Approving the Final Program Year 2024 Action Plan for

Federal Community Development Block Grant Funds and Submittal of the

Plan to the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development

Trustee Wesley recused himself from voting on this Item because he is on

the Board of Directors of one of the grant recipients.

It was moved by Trustee Enyia, seconded by Trustee Buchanan, that this

Resolution be adopted. A voice vote was taken and the motion was approved.

RES 24-227

A Resolution Approving a Professional Services Agreement with Camoin

Associates, Inc. to Complete a Comprehensive Economic Vitality Strategic

Plan in an Amount Not to Exceed $125,000.00 and Authorizing Its

Execution

Deputy Development Services Director Brandon Crawford presented the

Item. Senior VP Dan Gundersen and Senior Project Manager Lindsay

Johnson attended remotely on behalf of Camoin Associates, Inc. and

provided additional information.

Trustee Enyia said it is promising to see this firm's consideration and he

hopes we can narrow down to specifics what fits our community best. He

asked if there is a similar comparison to small and dense villages like ours.

VP Gundersen gave the example of the city of Powell outside of Columbus,

Ohio.

Trustee Robinson requested the distinction between the playbook and the

strategic plan. Manager Johnson said the implementation book is like an

action map and plan. It is a matrix that can be nested into a larger strategic

plan. VP Gundersen said it can be modified as things progress.

Trustee Enyia asked if there has to be an overhaul within policies to make

things happen. VP Gundersen said we will look at how the Village carries

out its activities and assess if improvements can be made. We anticipate a

change will happen. Manager Jackson said it is important to have an

ecosystem of policies that support the strategies we come up with and

agree on to make the process of pursuing opportunities more efficient.

Trustee Wesley inquired about the racial make-up of the team that will be

assigned. VP Gundersen said they have done more than 2,000 projects

and respect the diversity within the community and work with all segments

to ensure their voices are heard. Trustee Wesley noted the Camoin team is

still all white. He requested to see strategic plans and their concrete

outcomes. VP Gundersen said they can provide those reports. Director

Crawford said the intent is to look at everything holistically and have a

framework to be able to make strategic investments on a few key projects

that then spur more development.

Trustee Parakkat said he likes what he hears and can't wait to get it going.

He asked if the policy framework and options are part of the project.

Manager Jackson said it is part of the project in understanding what is

needed, though only the Village Board can formulate policy and staff can

provide support. A lot of that will likely be identified in the strategic planning

process. Trustee Parakkat asked if anything can be done to accelerate the

whole process. Manager Jackson said this is our opportunity to move this

forward. We are talking about a vision, policy and program development,

and doing economic development now.

Trustee Parakkat inquired about cost. Director Crawford said it is

important to get alignment on our goals and to prioritize projects which will

greatly influence cost. Redevelopment is more expensive and we are trying

to maximize our tax revenue in a way that is inclusive. Manager Jackson

noted we are in a redevelopment situation which makes it more difficult and

expensive.

Trustee Parakkat asked Camoin what we can do to ensure this is

successful. Project Manager Johnson suggested hosting a visioning

workshop with the project team and stakeholders.

It was moved by Trustee Robinson, seconded by Trustee Enyia, that this

Resolution be adopted. The motion was approved. The roll call on the vote was

as follows:

7 -

AYES:

Village President Scaman, Village Trustee Buchanan, Village Trustee Enyia, Village

Trustee Parakkat, Village Trustee Robinson, Village Trustee Straw, and Village

Trustee Wesley

NAYS:

ABSENT:

ID 24-298

A Presentation and Discussion on Residential Single Family Zoning and

Missing Middle Housing

Development Services Director Emily Egan presented the Item. Village

Planner Craig Failor provided additional information on the options.

Trustee Wesley asked how many accessory dwelling units (ADUs) have

been approved and built under the current legislation. Planner Failor said

the Village has seen 14 ADUs built.

Trustee Buchanan requested the reasoning for reducing the zoning

districts. Planner Failor said there would be fewer zones to reference in the

code which would be faster. Director Egan added it would be more

predictable, transparent, and consistent. Planner Failor noted Option 1

would be less disruptive from a public perspective because no boundaries

would change.

Trustee Buchanan inquired about the segregation aspect in Option 4.

Planner Failor said Option 4 takes away the segregation of zoning districts

in terms of land use so any type of building can be intermixed anywhere

within the community. Trustee Buchanan inquired about the difference

between Options 1 and 3 in terms of the outcome of the housing. Planner

Failor said the underlying development of missing middle housing would be

consistent throughout the Village regardless of what the zoning is. Trustee

Buchanan said she is open to Options 1 and 3.

Trustee Robinson asked if Opticos Design, Inc. is working on a customized

program for our community and if there are plans to discuss potential

impacts in more detail, which Director Egan confirmed. Trustee Robinson

said she favors the option to eliminate single-family nomenclature and add

more housing choices to former single-family residential districts. She

suggested adding revisions to the inclusionary zoning ordinance and

broadening those maps to create a bigger footprint of those in the village.

She said it's helpful to think about the decisions where the Village Board

overturned the Historic Preservation Commission in this context which

enable the build-out of homes and make them less affordable. Director

Egan said the inclusionary housing ordinance is one of the other strategies

within the plan and staff is discussing it and intends to bring it forward in the

coming months.

Trustee Parakkat said he is comfortable with Option 1. He said he would

like to know the impact of decisions we make on creating affordability while

protecting home values, livability within the community, and historic

preservation. He said he would like information about the ideal mix and our

maximum capacity to build density.

Trustee Wesley asked what we are trying to accomplish. Director Egan

said we want to accomplish more affordability, options, diversity in housing

stock, and racial and economic integration. Trustee Wesley noted that is

the first time he has heard race in this conversation. It does not appear

anywhere in the agenda item and that is a very big disappointment for him.

He asked why we didn't make changes to the bulk regulations issue.

Planner Failor said we need to study and better understand the impact of

the different housing types on current land use and lot structure. Trustee

Wesley said he finds it hard to believe we are going to be able to change

and remove exclusionary zoning without making an impact to someone. He

questioned whose comfort we are prioritizing and noted there was no one

in the room. He said he doesn't think any of these options achieve what he

wants them to achieve right now. Planner Failor agreed all of those things

need to be discussed and said missing middle is to create more

affordable housing within the current construct. He said we need to look at

incentives to encourage that. Trustee Wesley said he thinks we can be

more aggressive. He said he would love to see an Option 5 to throw all

zoning away.

Manager Jackson said this is the public policymaking process and a

feasibility analysis will address a lot of the questions being raised. He said

Option 4 allows you to building anything anywhere in the village. Trustee

Wesley said it is within a certain building envelope. Manager Jackson said

to address the supply question, it's both about missing middle and where

we can get density in a built-out community. Trustee Wesley said it is

frustrating because we have a community that says this is what this is about

but we're not bringing the goods.

Trustee Parakkat referenced the Auckland, New Zealand and Austin,

Texas case studies where they have had success and longitudinal metrics.

Trustee Straw said he directionally agrees with Trustee Wesley and would

be interested in a hybrid of Options 3 and 4. There will be some push back

to the largest possible multi-family uses coming to what are currently

primarily single-family lots. He recommended two residential zones-the R5

areas and everything else. He said he thinks we need to talk about parking

minimums and include questions around historic preservation in this

discussion and how much of Oak Park we are protecting in the historic

districts. It is important to consider how to incentivize increased density,

particularly near transit.

Trustee Enyia said he agrees fundamentally with Trustee Wesley. We all

want to see an opportunity where affordable housing becomes a reality.

There needs to be more dialogue with community members. The

Metropolitan Mayors Caucus (MMC) study allows for opportunities to see

how other communities are addressing it.

President Scaman said she thinks there is growing trust in the community

that the diverse opinions of this Board are going to do the work and put the

level of thought into the decisions we make with an intentional spirit

towards our goals of inclusion, diversity, and affordability and in doing that

we are breaking down systems of oppression. She said she is hearing

unanimous direction of working toward getting rid of single-family zoning.

She said she fully supports working with MMC and Opticos to do our

research on zoning.

Manager Jackson said this study session is purposeful because staff are

going to do some deep feasibility analysis and create a work product to

bring back to the Board to review. He is hearing a desire for an analysis of

Options, 1, 3 and 4, and to know if there is an Option 5.

Trustee Parakkat said before deciding on the options it would be good to

understand the impact on historic preservation, affordability, property

values, and livability and determine what is the outcome we want.

Trustee Robinson said she isn't sure the request for impact is a realistic

ask given that this is in the context of larger nationwide housing crisis and

interest rates we do not control.

Trustee Straw suggested having a Board retreat to discuss the policy

conversations that build up to the three options. Manager Jackson

acknowledged that we are making progress tonight and choosing to go

with the direction of Opticos.

Trustee Wesley asked if we looked at the current built environment when

we formulated these options. There are mixed blocks with single-family and

multi-family units already so we're not talking about making a whole lot of

change.

XVII. Call to Board and Clerk

Clerk Waters said residents can register to vote at Village Hall Monday

through Friday, 9 am to 5 pm. Early voting starts in October.

Trustee Straw said this is an exciting time and Board to be a part of which

has accomplished and is working on a great deal of aggressive and

progressive policy initiatives. Dealing with some of the scarcity in housing

with meaningful change today is absolutely vital to who we will be tomorrow.

President Scaman acknowledged the passing of Julia Samuels on July

19th. She was an early champion of sustainability in our community. She

expressed her sincerest condolences to the family.

XVIII. Adjourn

It was moved by Trustee Robinson, seconded by Trustee Straw, to Adjourn. A

voice vote was taken and the motion was approved. Meeting adjourned at 9:58

P.M., Tuesday, July 23, 2024.

Respectfully submitted,

Deputy Clerk Hansen