Magicians use sleight of hand to focus an audience on one thing while something else happens out of view. In Oak Park, our policy process can sometimes feel remarkably similar.
Consider the current zoning debate. The village selected “key groups,” consultants and staff to help shape a proposal before most residents had a meaningful opportunity to weigh in. Trustees then offered public discussions and three-minute comments after the framework was largely established. That may satisfy the technical definition of public engagement, but meaningful engagement should help shape the choices — not simply react to choices already made.
We saw a similar pattern with the $30 million Bike Plan: approve the policy, then market its benefits. More than a year later, residents should be asking how the plan itself is being evaluated against its costs, alternatives and measurable outcomes.
The zoning debate should not be reduced to a choice between single-family and multifamily zoning. Residents should ask a more fundamental question: “What housing does Oak Park need, affordable to whom, where should it be located, and which policies will actually produce it?” Those answers must also consider infrastructure, environmental impacts, neighborhood character, property taxes and the interests of current and future residents.
The financial stakes extend beyond zoning. Trustees have already approved substantial new borrowing, while other adopted initiatives could create significant future obligations. Residents deserve to understand the cumulative impact.
Oak Park is not simply a community of wealthy homeowners with unlimited resources. For many families, much of their wealth is tied up in their homes, not sitting in a bank account. These decisions affect taxes, housing costs and everyday household finances.
Public engagement should begin before the answer is drafted.
Residents should pay attention, ask harder questions and hold elected officials accountable.
Learn more about residents’ rights and Right of Recall at https://rightofrecall.org.
Kurtis Todd
Oak Park