Park Ridge City Council Committee of the Whole Meeting – October 5, 2026

The Park Ridge City Council held a Committee of the Whole meeting on Monday, October 5, 2026, at 8:00 p.m. in City Hall Council Chambers. The council approved a fire vehicle upfitting purchase order and a budget amendment for holiday lights, received updates on the train station and budget workshop schedule, and held a lengthy discussion on affordable housing incentives. A date was set for a future discussion on mandatory inclusionary zoning for rental properties.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No members of the public spoke during the non‑agenda citizen comment period or during public comment on agenda items.

Discussion Items

• Fire Department – Purchase Order for Battalion Chief’s Vehicle: Executive Officer Lizowski presented a request to approve a $29,199.17 purchase order with Red Line Works, LLC of Prospect Heights, IL, for emergency lighting, siren installation, and custom cabinetry for the new Battalion Chief’s vehicle (FD 100), an SUV housed at Station 36 serving as a mobile command center. The work involved three separate quotes; one vendor was the lowest on cabinetry and second‑lowest on lighting/sirens. Staff recommended awarding both portions to that vendor to expedite the project and avoid delays common in the industry. The council approved the motion 7–0.
• Finance – Budget Amendment for Holiday Light Installation: A motion was made to amend the FY2026 General Fund budget by $23,070 (noted as $23,700 in the transcript, creating a discrepancy with the agenda) to fund holiday light installation. Alderperson Rapissant voiced opposition, calling the expenditure wasteful and irresponsible given resident struggles. The motion passed 6–1, with Rapissant voting no. The city’s Finance Director noted that savings in other areas helped offset the overage.
• Department Head Report – Finance: Director Austin reported that a vendor for the train station space had withdrawn, but a new proposal is under review. The budget workshop schedule was outlined: the first workshop on October 16 (regular council night), a second lighter meeting on December 1, first reading on December 7, and final reading on December 21. Council members encouraged colleagues to submit budget ideas early. A proposed start time of 6 p.m. for workshop meetings was endorsed.
• Administrative Services – Compensation Study: The director announced that the compensation study is underway and results are expected by year‑end, which will influence salary adjustment pools in the FY2027 budget.
• Procedures & Regulations – Affordable Housing PUD Public Benefit List: Director Austin presented the Planning & Zoning Commission’s (PZC) recommendation to make no changes to the existing 13‑item public benefit list in the Planned Unit Development (PUD) ordinance. The recommendation was based on research showing Park Ridge’s list is comparable to other suburbs and already includes affordable housing. Alderperson Moran proposed creating a weighted scoring system or tiered structure to prioritize benefits like affordable housing. Alderpersons Lawrence and Muno expressed caution about losing discretion through formulas. Alderperson Steinfels suggested simply reorganizing the list into tiers to visually highlight priorities. The mayor noted that affordable housing has never been used as a PUD benefit in Park Ridge. Alderperson Rapissant advocated for moving directly to mandatory inclusionary zoning for rental developments, as the current voluntary approach has produced no affordable units. The council agreed to leave the PUD benefit list unchanged and to schedule a dedicated discussion on mandatory inclusionary zoning for rentals on November 4, 2026.
• Department Head Report – Procedures & Regulations: Director Austin announced the city had won three grants: an EV readiness program through the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus (no cash match), an IDNR historic preservation grant for surveys north of the tracks, and a NITA (Northern Illinois Transportation Authority) grant for parking studies related to the People Over Parking Act near the Des Plaines Metra station. These grants require no financial match, only in‑kind staff time.
• New Business – Zoning Ordinance Review: Alderperson Leftler raised the possibility of reviewing zoning ordinances, including building height restrictions, arguing the current code may be outdated for modern architecture. Alderperson Moran and Steinfels opposed a blanket height increase, noting that the PUD process already allows for exceptions. Director Austin suggested that such topics could be considered during the comprehensive plan update.

Key Outcomes

• Approved (7–0): Purchase order with Red Line Works, LLC for $29,199.17 for emergency lighting, siren installation, and cabinetry for the Battalion Chief’s vehicle.
• Approved (6–1): FY2026 General Fund budget amendment of $23,070 (agenda amount; transcript says $23,700) for holiday light installation. Alderperson Rapissant dissented.
• No Change: The council accepted the PZC’s recommendation to make no changes to the PUD public benefit list. However, the council directed staff to bring back a discussion on mandatory inclusionary zoning for rental properties at the November 4, 2026 meeting.
• Future Action: The first budget workshop will occur on October 16, 2026, and the second on December 1, 2026, with budget readings on December 7 and 21.