Tensions rose in Oak Park’s village hall council chambers as questions and comments were called out by attendees in the audience mainly towards Trustee Cory Wesley at the July 21 meeting. Ultimately, the village board voted 5-1 against an advisory referendum on proposed changes to single-family zoning.
Trustee James Taglia, seconded by Wesley, motioned to discuss the option of an advisory referendum on recommendations from Opticos, a consulting company, on how to help increase “missing middle housing” and possibly eliminate single-family zones.
Village President Vicki Scaman was absent from the meeting due to a family obligation.
Over 20 community members spoke during public comment on this subject, largely in favor of a referendum and overall expressing concern about what impact this change could bring.
“Without broad civic buy-in, even well-intentioned policy risks lacking the democratic legitimacy required for long-term success by the public,” said Oak Park resident Noah Sullivan at the meeting. “To ensure that any progress made on housing diversity is sustainable and permanently woven into our community, it is your duty to anchor this process in broad public trust.”
Taglia was the one vote in favor of a referendum arguing that the zoning changes are “monumental” enough to warrant public input.
“Let’s be the board that trusts and listens to the people of Oak Park,” said Taglia. “Let’s be the board that recognizes the difference between ordinary policy decisions and foundational ones.”
Wesley said he seconded this motion because he believes in democracy and allowing the community to be heard, but he does not believe in holding a referendum. He said previous village boards have always voted on zoning issues without such measures, and when advisory referendums have been held, they have not always been followed.
“The law in Illinois is clear. The village board votes for zoning. That’s just how it works,” said Wesley.
Trustees Brian Straw, Derek Eder and Jenna Leving Jacobson shared similar opinions that the topic is too nuanced to effectively ask a yes or no question on a ballot.
“I don’t think that an advisory referendum provides the same level of meaningful engagement as a real open hearing town hall forum strategy does provide for, and that’s why I am not in support of this advisory referendum,” said Straw.
Eder and Leving Jacobson also acknowledged community concerns about how to ensure affordable housing is created with the zoning changes, and does not pave the way for more housing inequities.
“Limiting the single-family zoning alone will not guarantee meaningful improvements in affordable housing stock, and that is why I also am committed to doing this with any zoning changes alongside an inclusionary housing ordinance,” said Leving Jacobson.
Trustees Cory Wesley, Chibuike Enyia, Jenna Leving Jacobson and Derek Eder speak with community members after they voted against an advisory referendum for single-family zoning changes at Oak Park’s village board meeting on July 21, 2026. Credit: Sydney Lovan 
An attendee of Oak Park’s village board meeting on July 21, 2026, speaks from the audience during a tense discussion on single-family zoning changes. Credit: Sydney Lovan
What is single-family zoning and what are the changes being proposed?
Opticos partnered with the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus and 18 Chicago-area municipalities to study how zoning reform can help shape “attainable housing solutions.” The toolkit created from their findings was released in 2025.
Oak Park partnered with Opticos to create a recommendation on how to update the zoning code to address affordability issues. The recommendation includes changes to language such as “family” to “unit” and neighborhood district designations. These new designations would allow for middle housing options, such as apartments, to be built in neighborhoods that are currently only zoned for stand-alone buildings that are meant for one household.
Those zoning designations can be traced back to a zoning ordinance adopted by Oak Park in 1921. The code outlined specific areas in the village where only multi-family or single-family buildings were allowed.
Some community members and Wesley spotlighted the long-standing conversation of how historical use of single-family zoning enables racial and socio-economic exclusion, prompting a bigger discussion on the origins of current Oak Park codes and reasons to change them beyond affordability.
“What you’re arguing for is a system that keeps people like me from living next to people like you,” said Wesley during the meeting. “The reason the zoning change is important is because housing types dictate race.”
Henry Fulkerson, former president of the Housing Forward, spoke during public comment and pushed back against those who shared concerns over their neighborhoods changing.
“It is supremely arrogant for ‘MIMBYs’ to state that perhaps they will allow some affordable housing as long as it does not change the character of their neighborhoods,” said Fulkerson. “This racist dog whistle, ‘don’t change the character of our neighborhood,’ is a public insult to our black neighbors and people of color.”
Other community members said they are asking necessary questions, and do not feel it is fair to be labeled as racist.
“I’m not saying any of you are racist. 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 know about it now. So what do you do next?” said Wesley.
What comes next?
During the unprecedented dialogue back and forth between the board and the attendees, many expressed confusion on what these votes actually mean and what the next steps will be.
The village board will vote on July 28 to accept, but not approve, the Opticos recommendation. If the board votes in favor, the recommendation will be given to the village’s Plan Commission.
Although the referendum was denied, there will still be many opportunities for the community to share their opinions on this topic.
Village Manager Kevin Jackson said there will be at least four meetings around the village and online for public engagement before the plan commission will begin hosting its own public hearings.
Only after those steps are completed will the plan commission then vote on it recommendation back to the village board for the trustees to then vote on whether it goes into action.
An official decision on this recommendation is not expected until October.