I ran through Thatcher Woods one morning, and on the way home along our tree-lined streets I was reminded why my family moved to Oak Park three years ago: access to green space and the old trees that line nearly every block. Those trees took generations to grow.
I oppose the proposed elimination of single-family zoning in its current form. Not because I oppose expanding housing options, but because the proposal lacks quantified targets and a quantified strategy for meeting them. No professional organization would advance a plan of this scale without clear baselines, measurable objectives, and a way to know whether it’s working. The village should hold itself to the same standard.
That gap matters for our environment. Before a final vote, residents deserve answers to these questions:
What is Oak Park’s current tree canopy coverage, and how is it projected to change under the new zones? How many mature trees could be lost to redevelopment?
How will lot coverage, setbacks and open-space requirements change, and how much new impervious surface should we expect?
Has the village modeled the effect on stormwater runoff and flooding during heavy rain?
What happens to the birds, pollinators and other wildlife that depend on backyard and parkway habitat connected to the Des Plaines River corridor?
Will new construction face tree preservation or replacement requirements, and who enforces them?
And what measurable housing and affordability outcomes is this proposal meant to achieve, on what timeline, and what would trigger a reassessment if they aren’t met?
Oak Park’s green character is a shared asset. Once it’s lost, it can’t be rebuilt on any reasonable timeline. I urge the board to publish a quantified environmental impact assessment, alongside measurable housing targets, before voting on a final ordinance.
Ross Polk
Oak Park