I live in North Oak Park and spent some of Labor Day debating the “Shape Oak Park” zoning proposals among friends and neighbors. We are all active in community service, love our community, and are concerned.
Politics aside, the discussion quickly focused on infrastructure, facilities and schools. Take, for example, sewage. Oak Park’s water treatment grid is independent of Chicago. My block is prone to backups already during heavy rain. Let’s assume each block eventually adds an extra 10 households by building 3- to 6-unit structures where three bedroom houses formally stood. How many more sinks, showers, washing machines, toilets does that translate to? What does it do to our delicate aging sewer network?
As a longtime homeowner in Oak Park, nothing is worse than sewage in your basement. The next worst thing is probably rats which brings me to my next point: garbage. It’s no secret we have a rat problem in Oak Park and most residential blocks being proposed re-zoned do not yet have dumpsters overflowing with garbage in the alley. So again, how will the village react to the significant increase in garbage that will spill into alleys and attract rats?
Last point, schools. If you’ve experienced the inner ring of OPRF which sometimes feels like a hunger games scene, to say it’s chaotic is an understatement. Cars blowing stop signs, e-bikes zipping by, at any moment you feel you are going to witness an accident trying to cross a major thoroughfare. Oak Park has spent tens of millions of dollars to keep OPRF High School relevant and to keep up with the massive population approaching 4,000 students.
So again, what is the plan to handle the additional influx of public school students as it relates directly to Shape Oak Park? How does the village address the already at-capacity park district facility space issue for these kids to play rec sports or performing arts events? Before the village moves forward, filling the void of missing middle housing, I hope they have done the due diligence needed to define exactly how, from an infrastructure, facilities and utilities standpoint, this is possible as it relates directly to the Shape Oak Park proposal.
How can the village board ensure residents our streets remain safe, how does the school board promise our schools remain great, and how does public works ensure our basements and alleys remain sanitary?
Peter Wessel
Oak Park