Plan Commission Public Hearing (Shape Oak Park)

The Plan Commission has adopted Rules of Procedure. Due to the comprehensive scope of the proposed amendments and the significant public interest in them, supplemental rules have been prepared for the Shape Oak Park hearing. The Plan Commission will adopt the supplemental rules before the hearing starts. The supplemental rules will be included with the agenda materials in advance of the meeting at which the public hearing will start. The supplement rules are intended to ensure a fair, open, and comprehensive process for all interested parties.

The answers below are based on the Rules of Procedure and draft supplemental rules(PDF, 736KB).

The meeting will take place in the Oak Park River Forest High School Auditorium to accommodate the large number of people expected to attend. The High School has requested that the meetings end no later than 9:30 p.m. If all portions of the public hearing have not been completed by 9:30 p.m., the hearing will be continued to another date. Therefore, the hearing will likely proceed over the course of several meeting dates until all portions of the public hearing and Commission deliberations are complete.

It is important to note that portions of the hearing that take place on the first date will not be repeated on subsequent dates. For example, if the Public Comment portion of the hearing is closed on the second meeting date, there will be no further public comment on the third or subsequent meeting dates.

The public hearing will take place in the order below.

1. Presentation of materials and information by the Applicant (Village).
2. Commissioners’ Questions for the Applicant
3. Public Comment
4. Village Response - including presentation of rebuttal information and provision of written answers to questions raised during Public Comment
5. Potential Cross-Examination, if required
6. Commission Deliberation and Vote

Members of the general public can participate in the Public Comment portions of the meeting. 

No; due to the location of the hearing, there will be no option to watch live as it transpires. However, the hearing will be recorded and made available on the Village website within 24 hours.

Click here to view video from Oct. 8^th

Public comments can only be made during the Public Comment part of the hearing. Each person who wants to speak will be asked to sign up at the meeting and will be given three (3) minutes to speak. Each person will only get one (1) chance to speak - if the hearing continues on another day, you cannot speak again if you have already spoken. To participate in live, oral public comment, you must attend the hearing in person. If you cannot come to the hearing, you may send your comments or questions in writing before the hearing ends. Written comments will be given to the Plan Commission and kept as part of the official record.

Questions asked during public comment might not be answered immediately, but the Village will keep track of all questions asked and either respond to them in person or in writing during the Applicant Response portion of the hearing.

Cross-examination is a special portion of the hearing during which people with special interests in the proposed amendments may cross-examine witnesses providing testimony during the Village’s presentation. Similar to cross-examination during a court trial, cross-examination involves asking follow-up questions of a witness to identify inconsistencies and clarify facts. Note that Plan Commissioners are not witnesses and are, therefore, not subject to cross-examination. 

The Plan Commission Chair may limit cross-examination to questions related to disputed issues of fact, questions related to elements of the factors to be considered in approving or denying the application, and questions that have been raised but not already answered by the Applicant.

Please note that cross-examination should not be used as a substitute for public comment.  The Commission will ensure that everybody who has something to say about the proposal, for or against, has an opportunity to state their views, on the record, at the public hearing so that the Commission will have the benefit of all of that information and all of those views.

Cross-Examination will take place only after the Public Comment and Applicant Response portions of the hearing. You must sign up to participate in cross-examination in advance (see below). Each person that files an appearance will be allotted 15 minutes to conduct their cross-examination.

To participate in cross-examination, you must submit an appearance form by 5:00 p.m. the day before the meeting at which the cross-examination portion of the hearing will take place. The date of that meeting will be publicized. The appearance form and instructions for submitting the form can be found here: www.oak-park.us/cross or in person during regular business hours at Village Hall – 123 Madison St. 

Cross-Examination Form