Voters in Oak Park will not have the chance to weigh in on potential zoning changes in the village when they take to the polls in the Nov. 3 election after Village Board members voted 5-1 to not place an advisory referendum about the issue on the ballot.
The move came at a tense board meeting July 21 when about two dozen community members spoke during public comments, mostly voicing support for placing the referendum before voters.
The referendum would quantify voters’ views on a recommendation to alter the village zoning code made by Opticos Design, an architecture group partnering with the village in an effort to increase Oak Park’s “missing middle housing,” which includes duplexes, townhomes and small multi-unit buildings, “to improve affordability, sustainability, equity and inclusion,” according to the village website.
Among the recommendations is a change that would change the village’s current “Single-Family Residential” zoning districts to “Neighborhood Residential” districts, potentially opening them up to multi-unit housing.
Trustee James Taglia, the only board member voting in favor of placing the advisory referendum, said the people of Oak Park should have a voice in the changes being made, despite it currently being unclear how the proposed zoning changes would affect the village.
“None of us on this board can accurately predict what Oak Park will look like in 20, 30, or 50 years from now. … What we do know is that a zoning change of this magnitude has the potential to change Oak Park fundamentally,” he said. “That is precisely why the people who will live with those consequences should have a direct voice in the outcome.
“A referendum is not an obstacle to progress, a referendum is democracy. If this proposal is truly the right path forward for Oak Park, then its supporters should welcome the opportunity to make that case directly to the voters. And if the voters approve it, the result will carry a level of legitimacy that no majority vote of the board can ever provide.”
Oak Park trustee Cory Wesley was vocal about his opposition to the referendum, saying though several advisory issues have made it to ballots over the last decade, they don’t tend to sway board opinions.
“You want a vote that won’t be respected by the board,” Wesley said. “You want an advisory referendum in a village that has never respected advisory referendums. If you want change, then you should engage with the system.”
One resident who was generally in favor of having a referendum vote on the issue said now might not be the best time for it.
“A referendum held during a non-presidential election is also unlikely to capture the full diversity of voices affected by these decisions,” said Lynda Schueler. “Off-cycle elections typically have lower voter turnout with participation often skewing towards established homeowners.”
The zoning change has been a topic in discussions during Village Board meetings for at least two years, and community members have been absent from the meetings, he said.
While many community members voiced support for the referendum being on ballots, many also had concerns about the proposed zoning changes, with some saying they wanted more clarity on the potential impact.
But Wesley took issue with that.
“When I listen to you all call for a referendum to vote on something that’s morally reprehensible, it really saddens me,” Wesley said.
He said there’s a history in the area of racism fueling designations of single family zoned housing and it was a concept that leads to a lack of diversity in those neighborhoods.
“What you’re arguing for is a system that keeps people like me from living next to people like you,” he said. “I’m not saying any of you are racists. I’m not saying any of you created the system. I’m not saying that any of you are to blame for not having destroyed it already, I’m not even saying that you’re to blame for not having known about it, but you do know about it now. So what you do next, that one’s on you.”
Some residents opposing the zoning changes said that acting on the recommendations should be delayed until more information is presented and there are more opportunities to weigh in on the topic.
“This is a consequential, village-wide decision with potential near and long-term effects on housing production, affordability, density, infrastructure, parking, schools, property taxes and neighborhood characteristics,” said Oak Park resident Michael Gift. “Oak Park residents can be and are open to change, but openness to change should not require accepting a predetermined approach without fully understanding the full impact.”
The Village Board was to consider accepting the recommendation from Opticos at its July 28 meeting, though officials said the changes themselves would not be voted upon. If the recommendation is accepted, there will be at least four public meetings that will take place throughout the village and online so officials can collect input from residents, said Kevin Jackson, Oak Park’s village manager.
The village’s Planning Commission will host public hearings on the zoning changes for community members to learn more and give their thoughts. A final vote will be made by the village board after recommendations come back to them from the planning commissions.
A final Village Board vote on the prospective zoning changes is expected to be in October.
chardy@chicagotribune.com
