Oak Park Looking Into Overnight Parking Ban

The spate of holidays just around the corner was on Village President Anan Abu-Taleb's mind this week, as visitors to Oak Park will have to figure out how to park, where to park, who to inform and how to avoid starting their day seeing that bright orange surprise on their windshield. 

Village trustees discussed the overnight parking ban Tuesday night, and, moving forward, are hoping to get more historical information about why it's in place in Oak Park, and whether it's still needed.


Abu-Taleb said he raised the issue because it's an issue that matters to the "majority" of the community.

"Holidays are coming up, and I think I just want my colleagues to start thinking about parking and what we can do about it and if we can make some incremental changes to make it more convenient to the community as a whole... People are confused about parking... Many people are having a problem with the overnight ban," he said. 

Johnson said there are some elements of history that are important to look at. "We talked about providing people parking passes... like the City of Chicago... We've talked about these things... But, we haven't resolved the issue. We haven't moved some new ideas forward."

Not having a real place to park is a hassle, he said. "All of this has to come together—and it has budget implications."

Trustee Adam Salzman said he was approached "overwhelmingly" about the overnight parking ban at a recent farmers market. 

"I think it's probably incumbent upon us to address it."

Trustee Peter Barber said he'd like to know why the ban was put in place, and how many people it seems to impact in the village. 

Acting Village Attorney Simone Boutet told board members they have the right to amend parking regulations in whatever reasonable method they see fit.

According to a village staff memo, the village's parking fund employs 17.5 full time employees. Parking services generated approximately $5.8 million in revenues in 2012, with about $3.7 million expenditures, according to the memo. Parking citation fines are not part of the Parking Fund revenues. 

According to the memo, the village has the following responsibilities related to parking:

• Manage the annual sale of approximately 27,500 vehicle stickers to residents of Oak Park who own or lease a vehicle. 
  
• Manage approximately 3,600 permits for 24-hour parking, daytime parking and overnight parking that are sold each quarter. 
• Manage approximately 1,800 permits for 16 parking zones that are sold each quarter and allow zone residents to park on-street, overnight. 
• Manage more than 2,300 parking garage spaces. Oversee daily utilization of these parking areas and associated maintenance and revenue collection activities. 
• Manage more than 1,700 parking pay-by-space/metered spaces that provide daytime parking in business districts throughout the Village. 
• Oversee the daily utilization of these parking spaces and associated maintenance and revenue collection activities. 
• Manage other temporary parking needs for residents related to a variety of activities such as construction, home-health care, etc. 
• Manage issuance of approximately 72,000 individual on-street overnight, daytime and extended parking passes that are issued each year for residents and their visitors. 
• Manage approximately 2,000 permits for residents (and their visitors) to park on street, in front of their residences and override the daytime parking restrictions that apply to all other non-permitted vehicles that are sold annually. 
• Work with the citizen transportation commission to review on-street parking restrictions.

Have you had an issue with the village's overnight parking ban? (I have) Tell us about it in the comments below.

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