As it continues its community engagement process related to overhauling Oak Park’s single-family zoning policies, the village board on Sept. 1 approved a plan to host a panel of experts to discuss the history of zoning in the village.
Trustees voted unanimously in support of a motion brought by Chibuike Enyia and Derek Eder to have the Community Relations Commission and the village government’s DEI department plan the event.
“There is a lot of information and misinformation out there” related to the proposed zoning changes, said Eder. He said the new session will “bring historical context to the issue.”
Village President Vicki Scaman said the presentation will “educate us” on the board and that “it is very important to learn from history.”
Trustee Cory Wesley has spoken plainly on his views of the origins of single-family zoning, both in Oak Park and across the nation, as an exclusionary policy targeting Black and Brown people. He said, “People are not going to like what they find out,” in the history lesson. Zoning history, he said, “is downright icky in a lot of places.”
Village Manager Kevin Jackson said the comments from trustees were “spot on. I appreciate this motion.” Jackson said the panel will likely include the director of the Oak Park River Forest Museum and academics. A date for the panel has not been set.
Wesley said he hopes the event will be “talking to people who are silent, but who are listening. We do not want to let ignorance prevail.”
Scaman closed the conversation and said, “Oak Parkers are willing to engage in a genuine way. We have great pride (in our history) but there is still a truth to be told.”
