Limited Time Offer. Become a Founder Member Now!

Oak Park board denies special use for temporary EV chargers at 6104 Roosevelt Road

October 21, 2025 | Oak Park, Cook County, Illinois


This article was created by AI summarizing key points discussed. AI makes mistakes, so for full details and context, please refer to the video of the full meeting. Please report any errors so we can fix them. Report an error »

Oak Park board denies special use for temporary EV chargers at 6104 Roosevelt Road
The Oak Park Village Board on Oct. 21 voted to deny a zoning recommendation and refuse a special-use permit that would have allowed a temporary electric-vehicle (EV) charging station at 6104 Roosevelt Road.

Trustees said the proposed installation was temporary and would likely be demolished when a planned long-term affordable housing development proceeds on the site, making the short-term investment economically and environmentally imprudent. The board also cited the village’s prior commitment to transfer the site to developers focused on affordable housing and comments from the Cook County Land Bank indicating it wants the entitlement process completed before further disposition discussions.

The zoning application had come to the board after a unanimous but narrowly framed approval from the Zoning Board of Appeals. Development Services Director Craig Faylor told the board staff supported most commissions’ recommendations generally, but that in this case staff saw the proposed EV use as a temporary improvement that was not “the highest and best use of resources.” Faylor said the prospective affordable housing developer was open to installing EV chargers in the longer-term project but that site work for the housing would likely require scraping the lot and rebuilding foundations, which would mean removing any interim chargers.

Resident and longtime neighborhood advocate John (last name not specified in the record) submitted records through public comment and a Freedom of Information request arguing the site had been underdeveloped for years and questioning whether granting the temporary permit enabled the current owner to recoup a speculative gain rather than deliver the affordable housing previously approved with village assistance. Glenn Brewer, chair of the Zoning Board of Appeals, confirmed the ZBA’s decision was limited to the narrow zoning criteria before that body, and did not necessarily address the broader community housing priority.

Several trustees emphasized that the village previously approved a $700,000 affordable housing grant for Community Builders tied to the site, and that transferring the property to an affordable housing developer remains a board priority. Trustees also said the candidate developer who bought the lot in 2022 had not completed the deeded obligations within the expected timeframe and that allowing a temporary EV installation now would likely produce short-lived concrete and electrical work that would be removed when the housing project is built — an outcome some trustees described as wasteful.

After debate the board approved a friendly amendment to withdraw the earlier motion to concur with the ZBA and instead adopted a motion to reject the ZBA recommendation and deny the special-use permit. The roll call was: Trustee Straw — Yes; Trustee Eder — Yes; Trustee Enya — Yes; Trustee Levin Jacobson — Yes; Trustee Taglia — No; Trustee Wesley — Yes; President Vicki Skamman — Yes. The motion carried.

The denial does not automatically determine the site’s long-term disposition; trustees and staff said the Cook County Land Bank remains a stakeholder and that the land-bank disposition process will be a factor in how the property is ultimately used. Staff said they would follow up with the land bank on next steps.

Speakers and other participants at the board meeting urged the Village Board to prioritize affordable housing for the parcel and raised concerns about speculative land practices that delay community benefit. The board asked staff to continue communication with the Cook County Land Bank and affirmed its preference for long-term affordable housing over a temporary EV lot.

The board’s action was strictly a zoning/land-use decision and did not authorize or order any demolition or redevelopment by municipal staff.

Notes: the property address appeared in meeting materials and testimony as both “6104” and “66104” Roosevelt Road; staff and multiple presenters consistently referred to the site as 6104 Roosevelt Road during the public hearing and staff report. The Village Board’s denial was limited to the special-use permit; other processes related to the lot’s disposition remain active and are handled outside tonight’s vote.

View full meeting

This article is based on a recent meeting—watch the full video and explore the complete transcript for deeper insights into the discussion.

View full meeting

Sponsors

Proudly supported by sponsors who keep Illinois articles free in 2025

Scribe from Workplace AI
Scribe from Workplace AI