Oak Park council approves first reading of broad zoning ordinance text amendments

The Oak Park City Council approved first reading of comprehensive text amendments to the city’s zoning ordinance that make numerous technical corrections and include several substantive changes, city staff said.

Kim Maroney, the city’s economic development director, told the council the package updates Articles 1–6 and includes housekeeping edits and new provisions that respond to state law or recurring questions. Notable changes cited by Maroney included raising the minimum age for hookah service to 21 to match recent state law changes; adding a building permit requirement for swimming pools at the request of the building official; and adding clearer definitions for tattoo parlors and related services such as microblading.

Maroney said the ordinance language also allows the city planner — not solely the Planning Commission — to approve up to a 50% reduction in required parking spaces on administrative review for certain change‑of‑use or smaller projects. "We added the language of city planner so that on administrative reviews that does not require Planning Commission approval, they can make that judgment call," Maroney said. Council members said the city will return with a separate, more detailed proposal if they later pursue larger parking‑standard eliminations.

Council discussed redevelopment‑ready community requirements and the municipal preference to maintain expedited review for developers while ensuring the council receives adequate information on larger projects. The first reading passed on council vote; the ordinance will return for subsequent readings and final adoption at a later meeting.

The council also noted the city has reviewed the draft ordinances with its attorney.