Call for hearing(s) on amending Chicago restoration and landscaping practices in creation of sustainable parkways

Votes › Transportation and Public Way › 40th Ward: Andre Vasquez Jr.

• Record number: SR2025-0016566
• Type: Resolution; category: Committee/Public Hearings
• Status: Final
• Sponsor: Andre Vasquez Jr. (40th Ward)
• Co-sponsors (9): Angela Clay (46th Ward), William Conway (34th Ward), Ruth Cruz (30th Ward), Jessica L. Fuentes (26th Ward), Maria E. Hadden (49th Ward), Brian Hopkins (2nd Ward), Timothy R. Knudsen (43rd Ward), Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth (48th Ward), Matthew J. Martin (47th Ward)
• Committee: Committee on Transportation and Public Way
• Introduction Date: Apr 16, 2025
• Final Action Date: Jul 15, 2026
• Official record: Office of the City Clerk

Roll call: Adopted Jul 15, 2026

49 yea, 0 nay. On motion of Alderperson Mitchell, and unsuccessful motion to reconsider by Alderperson Mitchell, the resolution was Adopted. Voted at the City Council meeting of Jul 15, 2026.

Yea (49): Daniel La Spata (1), Brian Hopkins (2), Pat Dowell (3), Lamont J. Robinson (4), Desmon C. Yancy (5), William E. Hall (6), Gregory I. Mitchell (7), Michelle A. Harris (8), Anthony Beale (9), Peter Chico (10), Nicole T. Lee (11), Julia M. Ramirez (12), Marty Quinn (13), Jeylú B. Gutiérrez (14), Raymond A. Lopez (15), Stephanie D. Coleman (16), David H. Moore (17), Derrick G. Curtis (18), Matthew J. O'Shea (19), Jeanette B. Taylor (20), Ronnie L. Mosley (21), Michael D. Rodriguez (22), Silvana Tabares (23), Monique L. Scott (24), Byron Sigcho-López (25), Jessica L. Fuentes (26), Walter R. Burnett (27), Jason C. Ervin (28), Chris Taliaferro (29), Ruth Cruz (30), Felix Cardona Jr. (31), Scott Waguespack (32), Rossana Rodríguez Sánchez (33), William Conway (34), Anthony J. Quezada (35), Gilbert Villegas (36), Nicholas Sposato (38), Samantha Nugent (39), Andre Vasquez Jr. (40), Anthony V. Napolitano (41), Brendan Reilly (42), Timothy R. Knudsen (43), Bennett R. Lawson (44), James M. Gardiner (45), Angela Clay (46), Matthew J. Martin (47), Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth (48), Maria E. Hadden (49), Debra L. Silverstein (50)

Not voting (1): Emma Mitts (37)

Plain-language summary

Written by AI (claude-opus-5-5) from the ordinance text only: R- Sustainable Parkways.docx.pdf. AI can make mistakes; the official document always wins.

This resolution asks the City Council to hold a hearing on making native and stormwater-resilient plants the default for city parkways instead of turfgrass. Experts, advocacy groups, and community members would be invited to share ideas on pilot studies, plant choices, care, code changes, and funding. The Council may later consider a task force or a cost-benefit study by city departments.

• Calls for a subject matter hearing on using native and stormwater-resilient plants on city parkways instead of turfgrass.
• The hearing would look at pilot studies, plant species mixes, planting methods, maintenance, code changes, and funding.
• States that Chicago parkways cover at least 7,195 acres, about the same as Chicago Park District green space.
• Cites an average of 27,171 flooding- and sewer-related 311 complaints per year from 2019 to 2024.
• A follow-up could include a task force or a cost-benefit study by the Departments of Transportation, Water Management, Streets and Sanitation, and Environment.

Who: Chicago homeowners and tenants responsible for parkway care, along with city departments that install and restore parkways, would be affected.

Where: Citywide parkways in the City of Chicago

Timeline

• Apr 16, 2025: Referred, City Council. The matter was Referred to Committee.
• Jul 8, 2026: Recommended to Pass, Committee on Transportation and Public Way. The matter was recommended to Pass by controlling legislative body.
• Jul 8, 2026: Substituted, Committee on Transportation and Public Way. The matter was substituted in Committee.
• Jul 15, 2026: Adopted, City Council (49 yea, 0 nay), at the City Council meeting. On motion of Alderperson Mitchell, and unsuccessful motion to reconsider by Alderperson Mitchell, the resolution was Adopted.

Documents

• R- Sustainable Parkways.docx.pdf (Legislation)
• SR2025-0016566.pdf (Committee Letter)

Related legislation

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• Amendment of Municipal Code Chapter 2-165 by modifying requirements for businesses to enter into Debt Transaction with City of Chicago (O2026-0029465, introduced Oct 14, 2026, Referred)
• Amendment of Annual Appropriation Ordinance to transfer of funds within Committee on Immigrant and Refugee Rights for Year 2026 (O2026-0029445, introduced Oct 14, 2026, Referred)
• Submission of public question by referendum to 40th ward voters at February 23, 2027 election on whether Chicago should support moratorium… (R2026-0029440, introduced Oct 14, 2026, Referred)

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