I grew up on the 500 block of North Humphrey, which has a mix of housing types. It consists of mostly single-family homes of different sizes, several frame 2- and 3-flats, and a larger brick multi-unit building at the north end. This mix of building types was not a detriment to the block, and it was a great place to be a kid. However, these buildings were built before the current zoning regulations were in place, and a similar range could not be built in most places in the village now.
I strongly believe that allowing a mix of building types would not destroy the character of many of our blocks, and that if a few more blocks ended up looking like the block where I grew up, that would be a good thing. A mix of housing types allows for more people to enjoy the benefits that make Oak Park a great place to live.
I attended the community meeting at the Community Recreation Center on Sept. 14 and talked with a number of my fellow Oak Parkers afterward. What I heard from many of my fellow residents in conversation about the proposed zoning plan can be boiled down to several main concerns:
- I think the village has enough people and is just fine the way it is, and I don’t want to increase the number of people living here.
- I want my block to continue to look nice, and new multi-unit buildings will destroy it.
- I’m afraid that the new zoning plan will reduce my property value.
If the new zoning plan resulted in an increased population in the village, I believe it would be a good thing. If we try to lock the village into the present and keep it just the way it is, this will lead to decline over time in many areas. For example, this past spring, District 97 was wrestling with a need for staff cuts due in part to declining enrollment. We have around 10,000 fewer residents than we had at the village’s peak population, so it is not unreasonable to believe that the village has capacity for more people.
Many of the concerns related to increasing the village’s population can be addressed by other means. For example, a number of my neighbors asserted that more people in the village would mean my kids are less safe because of increased traffic. I would argue that driver behavior can be shaped by factors like street design and stricter enforcement of traffic laws, which are certainly worth addressing. But dangerous driver behavior is separate from the number of people in the village or the mix of buildings on your block. Increased population leads to more vibrant business districts and more opportunity in lots of different ways.
I agree with many of my neighbors’ preferences in terms of the appearance of a block. I love old houses, and their architectural details. I think in most cases it’s a bad idea to replace original wood windows, for example. But I recognize that there is a difference between what I think you should do with your house, and what the government should enforce as law. Enforcing my preferences is not a primary value that should drive our government, especially when there are other more important values that should be in play. “I don’t want a 4-unit building next to me,” or “I think new buildings are ugly,” are not included in our village board’s vision statement. Increasing the number of housing units in the village and increasing the range of housing options are included.
I don’t believe that the proposed zoning plan will reduce the value of your single-family home if you currently own one. However, I am the owner-occupant of a 2-flat building in Oak Park, and my property value may go down. If there are a number of new, small multi-unit buildings, it may make my old one less attractive in comparison, but I think we should allow new buildings to be built anyway. I’m not going to try to hold the village captive to my personal financial interest, and I don’t believe that you should either.
I thank you for considering my views, and in any case I hope that we can disagree about important issues and continue to live together as good neighbors.
Jeremy West is an Oak Park resident.