Northbrook board approves two public electric vehicle charging stations

The Northbrook Village Board voted unanimously to approve contracts to purchase and install two dual-port Level 2 electric vehicle charging stations in the rear parking lot of Village Hall.

Trustee Ross introduced the proposal and staff described the procurement process, saying the village secured sourcewell pricing, issued an RFP in September, held a pre-bid meeting attended by five electrical contractors and received two installation bids. Staff recommended the bid from Title Electric based on cost and responsiveness.

“Some of the key functions of this project…are, it’ll be providing access to free or to no fee public charging in proximity to public transit, Downtown Northbrook businesses, village hall, [and] public library,” a staff presenter said. Staff said the chargers are Level 2 units, typically providing about 10 to 20 percent of battery range per hour of charging.

Board members discussed logistics including signage and whether the back-of-building location was appropriate; staff said the siting reflected proximity to the electrical service and an effort to avoid impeding sidewalks. Trustee Ross asked about time limits; staff said any parking duration restrictions would be drafted by staff and returned to the board for adoption to allow police enforcement.

The board approved the contracts by roll call. The clerk recorded affirmative votes and the motion passed. The chargers will be available on a first-come, first-served basis for actively charging vehicles; if time limits are imposed they will be set by future board action.

The meeting concluded with routine business and a motion to enter closed session.