Oak Park has taken a new step in promoting native gardening in the village.
On March 18, the village board approved a new ordinance to the village code allowing homeowners to plant gardens in the parkways in front of their homes. Previously, Oak Parkers needed approval from the village forester before they planted anything in a parkway — the stretch of turf grass between the sidewalk and the curb that is technically village property.
“This is just simplifying that process,” said Lindsey Roland Nieratka, Oak Park’s chief sustainability officer.
The ordinance is tied to a new village public information campaign promoting native landscaping in Oak Park, Roland Nieratka said. One of the key objectives in the village’s “Climate Ready Oak Park” plan is to convert 30% of Oak Park’s land into “green infrastructure,” which are projects that use natural elements to build climate resiliency.
Native landscaping builds biodiversity by supporting pollinators and other forms of native wildlife and can help improve soil health and water retention, according to the village’s sustainability office.
Plants intended for parkway gardens do need to follow a few safety restrictions. They cannot obstruct fire hydrants or the roadway and cannot grow over 36 inches so as not to interfere with sightlines from the road, Roland Nieratka said.
“People driving need to be able to see anyone that’s on the sidewalk,” she said.
The public information campaign associated with the new ordinance has taken shape in the form of a collaboration with West Cook Wild Ones, a local non-profit dedicated to promoting native gardening techniques in Chicago’s western suburbs. In collaboration with the village and the Oak Park Public Library, West Cook Wild Ones hosted an information session on native gardening for Oak Park residents earlier this month, which brought in more than 200 virtual and in-person attendees.
Oak Parkers will also be able to take advantage of a discount at West Cook Wild Ones’ native plant sale this spring, as village residents can take $20 off any order of plants more than $20. The discount is funded by the village and applies to any purchase from the plant sale, although the non-profit is encouraging Oak Parkers to buy plant kits specially designed to support the Monarch butterfly or absorb rainwater.
Plants will be available for purchase through the sale until May 11 via West Cook Wild Ones website. Oak Parkers can access their discount using the code “OPPLANTS.”
