Oak Park's Building Codes Advisory Commission is working on a custom energy code for new construction that could layer additional requirements on top of the village's existing all-electric building mandate.
The commission's posted agenda for a special meeting July 20 at the Maze Branch Library, 845 Gunderson Ave., shows the next concrete step: planning a formal consultation with energy organization Slipstream about the Illinois Stretch Energy Code, tentatively set for August or September 2026. The agenda also listed two new business items: a Community Engagement Playbook for public outreach and a memo on the Stretch Code's cost-effectiveness.
Tim Kelly is listed as commission chair. The nine-member body includes commissioners Pari Agarwal, Mike Nickels, Kenneth Floody, Mark Nussbaum, Macey Majkrzak, Aaron Vanderbilt, and John Michelotti, with one seat vacant.
The policy trail
The effort traces back to a September 17, 2025, memo from Development Services Director Craig Failor to Village Manager Kevin J. Jackson. In that memo, Failor recommended against adopting the state's Stretch Energy Code outright, arguing Oak Park's existing electrification ordinance already goes further.
"The current electrification code exceeds the requirements of the Stretch Code," Failor wrote.
Instead, Failor outlined the commission's 2026 work plan: draft an alternative code drawing on components of both the Stretch Code and the state Energy Code, customized for Oak Park. That tailored code would return to the Village Board for a vote, though no target date was specified.
What Oak Park already requires
Oak Park became the first Midwest municipality to pass an electrification ordinance in June 2023, effective January 1, 2024, according to the Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance. The ordinance requires all new construction to use all-electric systems, including cold-climate heat pumps for heating and cooling, electric heat-pump dryers, ENERGY STAR-certified appliances, and energy recovery ventilation.
The Illinois Stretch Energy Code, which took effect January 1, 2025, adds requirements for EV-readiness, solar-readiness, and demand-response measures that Oak Park's code does not address. But Oak Park's full electrification mandate exceeds the Stretch Code's mixed-fuel provisions, according to Failor's memo.
Failor's memo also flagged a financial concern: layering additional code requirements could increase design and construction costs, potentially making housing less affordable and discouraging redevelopment. No specific dollar estimates were included.
What comes next
The commission's next regular meetings are scheduled for Thursday, August 20; Thursday, September 17; Thursday, October 15; and Thursday, November 19, 2026. No December meeting is planned. The Slipstream consultation has not been assigned a confirmed date.
Residents can submit public comment by email to [email protected] no later than 30 minutes before any meeting, or drop written comments at the Oak Park Payment Drop Box across from Village Hall, 123 Madison St., by the day prior.
