The Village of Oak Park | 123 Madison St. Oak Park, IL 60302 | village@oak-park.us
Oak Park offers a variety of services that can be accessed online from a computer, tablet or smart phone. Some of the services are managed directly by the Village, while others are third-party vendors authorized by the Village to conduct transactions.
The Village of Oak Park provides a wide range of services, from public safety programs like fire and police protection to support for housing, historic preservation and neighborhood relations. Don't see what you are looking for? Use the search feature at the top of the page.
Oak Park operates under the village manager form of government. A part-time, elected legislative body of a president and six trustees hires a professional manager to oversee the day-to-day administration of government programs and services.
Oak Park boasts excellent schools, world class architecture, shopping, dining and an extensive public transportation network. But Oak Park is more than a place – it also is a way of life. Use the links in this menu to learn more about our community and the many services available to residents and visitors alike.
Oak Park offers a variety of services that can be accessed online from a computer, tablet or smart phone. Some of the services are managed directly by the Village, while others are third-party vendors authorized by the Village to conduct transactions.
The Village of Oak Park provides a wide range of services, from public safety programs like fire and police protection to support for housing, historic preservation and neighborhood relations. Don't see what you are looking for? Use the search feature at the top of the page.
Oak Park operates under the village manager form of government. A part-time, elected legislative body of a president and six trustees hires a professional manager to oversee the day-to-day administration of government programs and services.
Oak Park boasts excellent schools, world class architecture, shopping, dining and an extensive public transportation network. But Oak Park is more than a place – it also is a way of life. Use the links in this menu to learn more about our community and the many services available to residents and visitors alike.
Here are links to some of the most popular items on the Village web site.
Here are links to some of the most popular items on the Village web site.
(Last updated Nov. 19, 2024)
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Questions
What is the Village's revenue trajectory from 2019 to 2023 (broken down by, but not limited to: real estate levy, sales tax, transfer tax, interest income on investments)?
What is the Village's expense trajectory from 2019 to 2023 (broken down by, but not limited to: department and external support)?
Staff is currently working on recording the 2023 actuals per the audited financials into BS&A. It is anticipated that the process will be completed by Fri., Oct. 4.
What is the Village's staff trajectory from 2019 to 2023 (broken down by, but not limited to: department, managerial/leadership staff and rest of staff)?
Will is be less expensive to issue one (1) bond instead of two (2)?
Per Speer Financial, yes it will be cheaper. The savings could be up to $100,000. The higher bond will also attract better investors. There is a caution; if there is one bond issuance you must make sure that the amount bonded is what is needed. If you under bonded, not enough to cover the projects, a second bond will be needed or pay the difference from the fund balance. However if you bonded too much, the Village will paying interest on monies not used.
Can the a $25 million project be paid with the fund balance and replace the $25 million to fund balance from the bond proceeds?
Per Speer Financial, yes you can pay the $25 million project from fund balance and have the amount reimbursed by the bond. The reimbursement must be board approved and the approval must be included within the bond document.
Is it possible to receive a lower interest rate on the bond with a higher dollar amount in the fund balance?
Per Speer Financial, yes it is possible to receive a lower interest rate. One of the factor's when looking at the interest rate is the amount in the fund balance versus the fund balance policy. If the fund is lower than the policy the Village will have to explain the why it is lower.
When will the first bond payment be due? Will a financial debt schedule be prepared outlining any future bond issuance?
Per Speer Financial, the first payment will be due depending on when the bond is issued. If the bond is issued anytime before June 2025, the first interest payment will be due in November 2025 and the first principal payment will be due in 2027. If the bond is issued after June the first interest payment will be due in 2026.
Is there an opportunity to receive short-term financing until a bond is issued?
Staff is continuing to investigate this option.
Policy Review
Board Discussion
ARPA
Please see the revised ARPA Spending & Obligation Summary linked below. ARPA funds must be obligated by December 31, 2024, and are required to be expended by December 31, 2026. According to US Department of Treasury guidance, calendar year 2023 is the final year allowed to capture lost revenue. The final year lost revenue calculation for calendar year 2023 is $8,113,664 (GF $6,472,751; Parking $1,640,913).
ARPA Spending Obligation Summary (as of Oct. 2, 2024)
Staff is recommending that the Village capture the remaining unobligated/unspent ARPA funds in the amount of $7,911,165 as lost revenue. Almost all spending restrictions will be lifted except that the funds may not be used towards paying down debt or pension obligations or for legal settlements.
Development Services
What is the difference between the Economic Vitality Plan, the Comprehensive Plan Refresh, and the Roosevelt Road Corridor Plan Update? What is in the Economic Vitality Plan that is not in the Roosevelt Road Plan? What is the timeline for each?
Although the Plans described above compliment, support, and strengthen each other, there are specific data points, goals, and tasks contained within each one that are not expected in others. The information below outlines the tasks and goals specific for each Plan that would not be duplicated in other Plans.
The Economic Vitality Plan intends to set economic vitality goals as well implementation plans to achieve those goals. It is focused on business clusters, sales leakage, real estate development, opportunities and more. The goal for completing this Plan is March of 2025.
The Comprehensive Plan Refresh is a proposal by staff to capture the public engagement performed in adopted Plans since the Comprehensive Plan was adopted in 2014. The current Envision Oak Park Plan has fifteen chapters covering a range of topics including: Land Use and the Built Environment, Arts and Culture, Neighborhoods Housing and Diversity, Transportation, Parks Open Space and Environmental Features, and more. The proposed “refresh” would include public engagement and would incorporating current Board goals relative to the various chapters mentioned above, while harmonizing the more recently adopted into the “refreshed” Plan. It is common for communities to “refresh” long established plans instead of a complete-re-write. This Plan is the primary guiding document for public investment and infrastructure which guides private investment. It is also used by the Plan Commission and other commissions and as a guide to provide recommendations to the Village board. This is proposed for Q3 and Q4 of 2025. If the Board chose to postpone this expense, staff would recommend it be postponed no more than 2026 in order to ensure that public engagement and strategies from other Plans does not become out of date. An information only memo is being drafted to provide more complete information about this important guiding document.
Click here to view Agenda Item Attachment D One-Time FY25 Comprehensive Plan Refresh
The Roosevelt Road Corridor Plan Update. The Village has a history of developing business corridor plans to guide development decisions. In 2024, It has been postponed for several factors, but in 2024 staff has engaged surrounding communities, Cicero, Berwyn, and the Austin neighborhood of Chicago about their engagement and involvement in this potential Plan update. Staff is optimistic that some communities will partner with Oak Park on this and a complete status update memo is forthcoming. The intent of this Plan is to update the existing Plan which was completed in 2001 and adopted in 2005. Staff expects this would focus on zoning, transportation, Roosevelt Road specific streetscaping, land use goals including site-specific projects and opportunities. This Plan would also include a review of the unique form-based zoning, transportation, and streetscaping.
Staff recommends prioritizing the Roosevelt Road Corridor Plan Update and accomplishing this budgeted item in 2025 and postponing the Comprehensive Plan one year if the Board chooses to postpone one item within this Division of Development Services.
How would the proposed changes within the Parking and Mobility Services Division regarding facilities management and parking enforcement impact the customer and community?
The primary goal related to the proposed changes is to continue to provide superior customer service and the efficient delivery of services. The efficiencies created by utilizing our subject matter experts in the Public Works Department to improve the management of parking facilities and capital planning is core to the future success of the Parking Enterprise Fund. The Parking Enterprise Fund will continue to pay for the operational expenses and for 10% of the ten (10) equipment operators in Public Works that will be working on the facilities.
The Development Services Department’s mission is to enhance the quality of life in the Village of Oak Park by providing efficient, equitable, consistent, cost-effective, courteous, and prompt customer services designed to encourage investment in our community. By transitioning parking enforcement functions to the Parking & Mobility Services Division of the Development Services Department, the following will be accomplished:
1.) Approach parking enforcement through a customer service and economic vitality lens.
While there will always be a need to issue parking citations, staff recommends that our parking enforcement staff be re-branded to promote a philosophy of community partnership, public safety, and advocacy. Specifically, Parking Enforcement Officer position titles may be retitled to something like “Parking Enforcement Aide” or “Parking Enforcement Advocate.” Improved customer service can also be achieved through improved communication and synergy with the Parking & Mobility Services management staff, which is responsible for the allocation and regulation of the limited, shared resource that is parking in Oak Park. Through a cohesive Division structure, communication of applicable parking restrictions and programs by frontline parking enforcement staff to the public will undoubtedly improve. Parking systems are designed to support and improve economic vitality in business district areas. The synergy that will be achieved by housing the Village’s parking enforcement in Development Services will optimize economic vitality.
2.) Harness existing technology to maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of Parking Enforcement staff with a data-driven approach.
Development Services comprehensive knowledge of the Passport Enforcement software and associated hardware will allow us to fully harness its abilities to effectively and efficiently enforce parking restrictions and promote compliance. Specifically, the Parking Enforcement Supervisors will be held accountable in their leadership roles to utilize reporting and insights to monitor Parking Enforcement Officers daily activities and performance. Staff intends to fully operationalize the Village’s Immobilization program which was successfully implemented into the Passport Enterprise system in 2024. Additionally, Development Services staff will maximize staff’s utilization of existing license plate recognition (LPR) technology by utilizing it more consistently to support program goals.
3.) Analyze and reassess parking restrictions though an equitable lens.
The text amendments for unhoused parking programs recently adopted by the Village Board illustrate the connection between parking and equity. With the expansion of enforcement in the Parking and Mobility Services Division, staff can reevaluate the different parking restrictions and propose more equitable changes that have a lasting effect to residents. Currently, Parking and Mobility staff are aware of certain exceptions to parking restrictions and this knowledge can be more seamlessly and quickly communicated to enforcement staff by having them in the same Division.
What is the timeline for the Regional Housing Center work and the Racial Equity Assessment?
The Neighborhood Services Department is continuing to work with the Regional Housing Center. Staff has met with them and had conversations about completing a new third-party audit in an effort to move forward. The timeline is unclear at this time.
The DEI Officer is currently working on Phase 2 of the racial equity assessment. The finance Committee meeting on November 4, 2024 outlined a goal of completing it by Q1 of 2025.
What is the impact of a zoning map and text update?
The proposed zoning map and text amendment updates would update the enabling ordinances that shape and regulate housing development. It would transform what is possible to build by right for housing in the community and provide clarity on the how the residential uses may be applied. It would align the parking requirements, grant programs, and goals from the Strategic Vision for Housing Plan with the Village Code.
Click here to view agenda item attachment C One-Time FY25 Housing and Zoning Implantation
How do we use Comprehensive Plan in regular decision-making process? How does it relate to other Plans? Why do we need a Comprehensive Plan?
Village staff and Commissions use the Compressive Plan regularly in performance of their work. In particular, when staff meets with potential developers or homeowners who wish to propose land use changes. Additionally, the Comprehensive Plan is used by staff when proposals are presented before boards and commissions. For example, all Planned Development projects are reviewed by how the project relates to the Comprehensive Plan. The Plan’s goals and objectives are considered during Commissioner deliberation at Plan Commission meetings as well as other appointed Commission, Board and Committee meetings. These considerations are provided to the Village Board via the Findings of Fact materials provided in agenda materials.
An Information-Only memo is being drafted to provide more complete information about this important guiding document for the Village.
Visit Oak Park, Partner Agency Question:
Has the staff’s funding amount recommendation changed since October of 2023?
Yes. Since Interim Development Services Director, Ahmad Zayyad presented the Visit Oak Park budget in October of 2023, staff has worked closely with Visit Oak Park team and has seen the value derived from their services. Staff sees the ROI on the investment and acknowledges the progress the organization has made in 2024 securing funding from other communities. In 2023 Visit Oak Park did not have any funding from communities or organizations outside of Oak Park. In 2024, 13 communities and two destination organizations have committed to providing $59,500 in funding to the Visit Oak Park except for the State of Illinois. Staff expects this trend to continue and grow. Lastly, staff supports the request by Visit Oak Park in order to not leave money on the table from the state. Staff supports the request to ensure every available dollar of state tourism funding goes to our community and the region.
Questions for Visit Oak Park:
Obtain an updated request for 2025 that includes detailed plans to market Oak Park, similar to the commitments for 2024.
Visit Oak Park Response
I (Annie Coakley, Executive Director) apologize for my miscommunication. The 2025 goals I stated are new and additional goals to the 2024 Goals. The 2024 goals of marketing and promotion remain the same in 2025.
Which include:
Develop a graduated plan to reduce funding commensurate with increased dollars from other communities.
Visit Oak Park created an Advocacy and Outreach committee, and created an investment program (seen in the link below). Each community was asked to invest $5,000. The goal in 2025 is to have each investing community invest with us again and to capture investment from the 4 communities that didn’t invest this year. 20 total.
The Advocacy and Outreach committee is in the process of creating a funding formula for each community and a formula for attractions.
The following communities have made an initial investment:
We thank the village of Oak Park and its board of trustees for supporting Visit Oak Park in its efforts to share the beauty, culture, and values of the Oak Park area with others.
Below is a topline explanation of Visit Oak Park’s local and state funding, which involves overlapping fiscal years, year-to-year changes in funding levels, and recent and potential adjustments to local match funding requirements:
In other words, Visit Oak Park’s budget includes moving parts at all levels that quickly make its fiscal picture complicated. With that in mind, I’m happy to provide the following background.
Visit Oak Park began its FY25 on July 1, 2024, as it follows the state's fiscal calendar. As you know, the fiscal year for the Village of Oak Park is January-December. For the Village’s FY24 budget, Visit Oak Park requested $209,042. For the Village’s FY 25 budget, Visit Oak Park’s funding request is $209,042.
Visit Oak Park received $523,594 in LTCB funding from the State of Illinois for our current FY25 budget, an amount that is calculated based on a formula that factors in hotel tax, sales tax and population. As you know as the Village’s representative on the Visit Oak Park board and a member of its Advocacy Committee, Visit Oak Park will not know the amount of the FY26 LTCB grant until June 2025 or later, which complicates our budgeting process.
In addition to FY26 LTCB uncertainty, the General Assembly approved increasing the local funding match to 40% in FY26, an increase from the current 25% local funding match level that was set during COVID. Please see page 34 of HB4959 (attached).
Given that history and current situation, Visit Oak Park is projecting a modest 10% increase in FY26 LTCB grant funding, as the grant funding levels have been trending up year over year. Our reasonable assumption of a 10% increase would deliver an LTCB grant amount of $550,000, which would require a $220,000 local funding match.
In addition to those budget fundamentals, the Village in 2023 asked Visit Oak Park to work with communities in our service area to invest in Visit Oak Park, a goal we share. With the creation of Visit Park Advocacy Committee, this year we introduced to our partner communities a program that has secured funding from 11 communities at $5,000 each, 1 community asset at $2,00 each for a total of $57,000.
We sincerely hope that the Village of Oak Park sees the value that Visit Oak Park has provided to small businesses community partners, and tourism assets. We believe the ROI is there. For example, just two of our programs have produced over $2 million in ROI:
Click here to view Agenda item Attachment E Visit Oak Park FY 2025.
DS Presentation and Links to Attachments from 10/29/24 Finance Committee Meeting
