The Village hosted its second of two community forums discussing unhoused persons living in the community on Monday at the Oak Park Public Library. The forum focused on the roles that landlords and agencies can play to identify solutions around affordable housing. The forum panelists included Kristin Faust from the Illinois Housing Development Authority, David Pope from the Oak Park Residence Corporation, Village Neighborhood Services Manager Jeff Prior, Patricia Stokes from Housing Forward and Perry Vietti from Interfaith Housing Development Corporation. More than 80 community members attended the event to learn about the systems in place on a State of Illinois, regional and local level while engaging in constructive dialogue around these important topics. Recordings of both community forums and their respective presentation slides are available along with more information about the work the Village and community partners are doing to address the needs of unhoused residents at www.oak-park.us/unhoused.  

The Vision Zero team sat down with representatives from the Oak Park Police Department and the Public Works Department to discuss ways that Village staff can work together to achieve the goal of zero fatal or severe traffic crashes. The team also held a focus group meeting with about 25 students from Oak Park and River Forest High School, where students voiced their safety concerns about walking, biking and driving to school. Mark your calendars for the first Vision Zero open house event, which will take place from 2 to 4 p.m. on Sat., Feb. 3 at the Oak Park Conservatory. Community members can also provide input via the project’s online survey, which will remain active until Jan. 2 at www.engageoakpark.com/visionzero.

This week the Village issued a new business license to Comedy Plex, a new comedy club located in the lower level at 1128 Lake St. New signage on Lake Street directs patrons to the side door that leads to the new club owned and operated by local entrepreneurs. The club has a liquor license and can seat between 150-200 people. In the heart of the Downtown Oak Park business district, the club will be a vibrant and intimate venue, showcasing comedic talent. The Village has issued more than 100 new business licenses so far this year and more than 300 since 2021. For more information about Comedy Plex and its upcoming shows, visit www.comedyplex.com.

Effective Jan. 1, 2024, food establishments in Oak Park may not sell or distribute a disposable food service container composed in part or in whole of polystyrene foam packaging. A “disposable food service container” is defined as, but not limited to, serviceware for take-out foods, bakery products and leftovers from partially-consumed meals. More information about the polystyrene ordinance and the single-use plastic foodware ordinance that went into effect earlier this year is available at www.engageoakpark.com/single-use-plastics. Village staff is also working with the Smart Energy Design Assistance Center (SEDAC) to share a disposable foodware purchasing guide with local restaurants as part of the Oak Park Green Business Program. The purchasing guide is available online at www.sustainoakpark.com/disposablepurchasingguide.

Village Hall closed at noon on Fri., Dec. 22 and will remain closed all day Mon., Dec. 25 in observance of the Christmas holiday. Village Hall also will be closed all day on Monday, Jan. 1. More information about Village Hall hours is posted on the Village website. The holidays also will delay refuse collections by one day the next two weeks. The next weekly Village Manager's report will be issued Jan. 5.

Oak Park residents can recycle holiday lights by dropping them off in a bin located in the lobby of the Public Works Center, 201 South Blvd. The bin will be available during regular business hours Monday through Friday through Jan. 31. For more information about holiday light recycling, contact publicworks@oak-park.us or 708.358.5700.

Holiday trees will be collected the weeks of Jan. 1 and Jan. 8 from residential properties of five or fewer units served by the Village refuse hauling contractor. Be sure to remove all decorations and stands, and place the tree in the regular collection area before your regular collection day during these two weeks. If your regular collection point is in an alley, be sure to place the tree in the alley and not in the parkway in front of your residence. Since the trees are mulched at a licensed composting facility and used for soil enrichment, please do not leave them in plastic disposal bags or they will not be collected. Trees set out after the collection program ends will require a pink bulk refuse sticker to be attached. Stickers are available for $3.25 each at most local grocery and hardware stores, as well as at Village Hall. Wreaths and garlands cannot be collected for recycling because they contain wire — place them in the trash container. For more information, call 708.358.5700 or email publicworks@oak-park.us.  

With many holiday gatherings on the horizon, the Oak Park Public Health Department is offering a reminder that infants, older adults, pregnant people and those with compromised immune systems are at increased risk for severe diseases caused by respiratory illness. COVID cases are on the rise along with RSV, flu, strep throat and the common cold, and public health officials urge anyone who is sick to stay home to protect loved ones this season. What may be minor illness for some could mean hospitalizations for vulnerable populations. Find information about the most recent COVID variant JN.1 and its symptoms on the CDC website – click here to view.

The Oak Park Police Department is participating in a national enforcement campaign to crack down on impaired and unbuckled drivers through Jan. 2. The holiday enforcement effort is made possible by federal traffic safety funds administered by the Illinois Department of Transportation. More information is posted on the Village website.

The Development Customer Services Department welcomed Jeremy Tucker as the newest Property Maintenance Community Development Inspector in the Neighborhood Services Division. Jeremy has three years of experience in the home-inspection field. He is also an IEMA licensed radon measurement professional and an FAA licensed SUAS drone operator. He has completed more than 25 InterNACHI specialty certification courses related to home inspections.  

This week Village economic vitality staff and elected officials joined Oak Park River Forest Chamber of Commerce representatives and area housing advocates in welcoming Self-Help Credit Union to the community during a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new business at 6011 W. North Ave. Self-Help Federal Credit Union has 38 branches across five states, including nine Illinois locations. Find more information about the Self-Help Federal Credit at www.self-helpfcu.org.     

More than 125 tickets were sold for the Oak Park Arts District’s inaugural Art & Wine Walk that took place Dec. 16. Small bites were served, wine was sampled and participants were able to revel in the holiday spirit and artistic creativity found within the Oak Park Arts District. Thirteen businesses in the Arts District participated, and the business association is working on plans to make this an annual event.

Street resurfacing update – Crews are finishing up the application of MMA two-component traffic paint used in high-traffic areas. All other roadway striping, symbols and speed humps have been placed at the various locations where street resurfacing took place this fall.

Focus Development update – The granite curb and gutter along Pleasant Street adjacent to the new Focus Development will be complete by Wed, Dec. 27. The blue stone pavers along the north elevation will be poured at the end of next week. After the new year, the contractor will pour the concrete curbs and set the granite curb planters.

Sewer televising update – This week the contractor focused on sewer televising along Harrison Street between Wesley Avenue and Clarence Avenue. Once complete, the contractor will return after the new year and move toward the north part of Oak Park.