Hey everybody,

I’ve been reflecting lately now that it’s been a bit over a year since I took office. One thing I’ve learned in this role is that very little in local government moves in a straight line. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes there are easy problems with clear solutions that can get taken care of quickly. But more often, the work involves asking a question, waiting for an answer, following up, talking to the next person, and trying to make sure things don’t quietly fall off the radar.

That’s frustrating (for me and you), especially when folks are dealing with a real problem and there’s no simple or satisfying answer. It’s also made me realize how much of this job is less about big decisions and more about staying on top of dozens of small, unfinished things at once.

You’ll see some of that in this newsletter. A few items are moving forward, some are still being worked through, and others raise bigger questions that will take a while to figure out. Regardless of its status, I just hope to be straightforward and honest about all of it, including what I know, what I don’t know yet, and where things actually stand.

In any case, with all of the navel-gazing out of the way, let’s get into what you really came here for!

My next ward meeting will be on Wednesday, July 29th at 7pm at the Senior Center (3320 Grove Ave), and I hope you can make it!

These meetings are a chance to talk through many of the same topics I share in these newsletters, but in a more direct and conversational way. It’s a good opportunity to ask questions, share feedback, bring up concerns, or hear a little more about what’s happening around the ward and the city.

I’ll also be kicking off the First Ward participatory budgeting process at this meeting. That means I’ll be asking residents to suggest project ideas that could be funded through my aldermanic expense budget. If there’s something you’d like to see improved, added, repaired, supported, or tried out in the ward, this is a great chance to pitch that idea and help shape what gets funded. Hope to see you there!

I’ve been getting questions about what is being built on the long-vacant former Burger King property at 35th and Harlem. As you may have gleaned from the start of the newsletter, the answer is: yes, a gas station is being built there.

Unfortunately, this is not a project I have the authority to approve or reject. The property was sold by one private owner to another, and under the site’s current zoning, a gas station is allowed “by right.” That means the owner doesn’t need special approval from the City Council in order to build one, as long as the project meets the necessary zoning and building requirements.

Personally, I’m opposed to the project. It does not make sense to me to build a gas station at this location when there’s already one a block to the north and another just two blocks south that recently closed. I also think there are real concerns about how a new gas station could affect traffic patterns near that location.

This situation makes me think the City should reevaluate whether gas stations should continue to be allowed by right in commercial areas. Gas stations can have a long-lasting impact on a property because of the underground fuel tanks and the environmental remediation that may be required before the land can later be used for something else. Once a property becomes a gas station, it’s more likely to remain a gas station or sit vacant if the business closes. Given the long-term effects, I don’t think it’s unreasonable to have an approval process that allows the City to consider the location, traffic, and future impact of a project before it moves forward.

So far, I haven’t been able to obtain additional details from the Building Department about the design of the project, the company involved, or what the final development will look like. I’ll keep asking questions and share more info as it becomes available.

Construction is now well underway, and crews have been making steady progress east. Work has reached Grove Avenue and will be moving toward Oak Park Avenue soon. A lot of the current work is happening underground, including the new water main, storm sewer improvements, catch basins, and utility connections. It may not be the most visible part of the project, but it needs to be far enough along before the street, sidewalk, crossing, and rain garden improvements can really begin. You can follow the project and find more info on the project website here.

I know this construction is disruptive, especially for folks living along 34th Street and nearby side streets. The dust, detours, rough roads, and general inconvenience are frustrating, even when the work is necessary. I expect the work near Oak Park Avenue to be especially disruptive, so I appreciate everyone’s patience as the project continues.

As a general PSA, if you run into an issue related to the 34th Street Project, you can contact Brad Bahn, the lead construction engineer, directly at 224-275-0030 by call or text. I really appreciate that he’s made himself so accessible to residents for such a major project.

You may recall that, as part of last year’s participatory budgeting process, we were able to purchase five in-road pedestrian crossing signs for the First Ward and I would like your input on where they should be placed. I’ve identified a few locations that I think should be priorities, but I want to see whether those line up with what others are seeing in the neighborhood and what other locations should be prioritized.

They’re most useful in areas with regular foot traffic where drivers may need an extra reminder to yield, such as near schools, parks, churches, business districts, or transit stops. Final locations will still need to be reviewed by City engineering staff to make sure they are safe and appropriate.

I share these surveys only with newsletter subscribers so I can be sure I’m hearing from First Ward residents. This button would normally take you to the survey, but you can use it now to sign up and participate in future questions.

Additionally, I wanted to remind you all that my Traffic Safety Concern Form is always open. If there is an intersection, crosswalk, speeding issue, visibility problem, or other traffic concern you think needs attention in the First Ward, you can submit it through the form so I can track the issue and follow up.

The June 30th deadline to purchase and display your vehicle sticker has passed, but if you have not gotten yours yet, you can still buy one. There is simply a $50 late fee added to the cost. I know nobody wants to pay an extra fee, but it is still well worth taking care of it now rather than risking a more expensive ticket later and then still having to purchase the sticker with the late fee applied.

You can purchase your sticker online through the City of Berwyn’s website or in person at the Collector’s Office on the first floor of City Hall. So, if this is still sitting on your to-do list, just do it. Get the sticker, avoid the ticket, and cross one more thing off your list.

It has been extremely hot lately, and it looks like we have more very hot days ahead. During the last stretch of extreme heat, the City opened the Berwyn Senior Center at 3320 Grove Ave as a 24-hour cooling center. The Berwyn Public Library was also available during its regular hours. The Senior Center is not open as a cooling center at all times, but I expect the City will make it available again when temperatures become dangerous enough.

I recently got a firsthand reminder of why these spaces matter. A tree branch knocked out power to my home overnight, and it stayed out for most of the next day while temperatures climbed into the high 90s. I was honestly thankful knowing the Senior Center was available and considered going there if the outage lasted much longer. So if you ever need relief from the heat, whether that’s due to a power outage, broken air conditioning, or some other lack of access, dont hesitate to access local cooling centers.

Summer is block party season, and if you haven’t started thinking about one for your block yet, now is a good time to get the process started. Here is the link to the block party application if you’re interested. To get a block party on the books, fill out the application and get the included petition signed by at least 50% of the homes on your block. Then submit that to the City Clerk’s office and the request will be placed on an upcoming City Council agenda for approval.

Side note: The instructions say to submit the application at least eight weeks in advance to allow enough time for review and approval. However, my experience is that that is not a firm cutoff, so do not let the timeline discourage you from applying if your event is coming up sooner.

I’ve mentioned this before, but it is worth repeating that you can request a free tree to be planted in the parkway in front of your property. The next round of planting is expected toward the end of fall, so now is a good time to get your name on the list. Submitting requests early also helps City staff plan ahead and determine how many trees will need to be purchased.

Berwyn has lost a significant amount of its tree canopy over the years, and rebuilding it will take all of us. Trees provide shade, help absorb stormwater, improve air quality, and make our neighborhoods more beautiful. If you have open space in your parkway, please seriously consider requesting one.

You can submit a request through the City’s online Parkway Tree Program application. The tree and planting are provided at no cost.

I’ve been doing a lot of work around biking lately, including introducing an update to Berwyn’s bicycle ordinance, passing a National Bike Month proclamation, and working with the Township on a Bike Rodeo that will be announced publicly soon.

To my knowledge, Berwyn’s current bicycle ordinances have never been updated, and parts of it simply don’t make sense with how people get around today. The proposed update would remove outdated requirements, bring the ordinance more closely in line with state law, and add clearer rules for e-bikes, scooters, and other small mobility devices. Some of the changes include removing the old bicycle registration requirement, eliminating the requirement that every bike have a bell, clarifying sidewalk-riding rules, updating safety requirements, and creating a clearer process for dealing with abandoned bikes.

At the June 9th City Council meeting, I referred the ordinance changes to the Engineering Department and Legal Department for review and set the item to appear on the July 14th Committee of the Whole agenda. However, at the June 23rd City Council meeting, Mayor Lovero vetoed that motion. A new motion was then approved that sent the ordinance through the same review process but removed the requirement that it appear at the July 14th meeting.

I’ll be honest, this makes me nervous. Sometimes proposals get sent through extra layers of review and then simply sit there. Whether that is intentional or not, the result can be the same. Without a clear timeline for discussion, this could lose momentum, never make it onto an agenda, and effectively die without ever receiving a real vote. I’m going to keep following up and pushing to make sure that doesn’t happen. These are practical, overdue changes, and I want to see this work lead to an actual update to the ordinance rather than become another proposal that gets left sitting on a shelf.

At the May 28th meeting, the Building and Zoning Committee reviewed my proposed updates to Berwyn’s weeds ordinance (you can click here to see the full discussion). The goal is to modernize the rules so residents can maintain native gardens, pollinator gardens, rain gardens, and other intentional landscaping without being cited simply because some plants grow taller than a traditional lawn.

Several residents attended the meeting and spoke about the environmental benefits of native plants, including stormwater absorption, habitat for birds and pollinators, reduced chemical use, and better resilience during extreme weather.

The committee supported moving the proposal forward, with a few changes. Those include creating a clearer definition of what qualifies as a “nuisance condition” and developing some type of registration or identification process for intentional native gardens. The proposal has now been sent to the Legal Department to incorporate those changes and prepare an updated draft.

This is not final yet, but it was a productive meeting and a meaningful step forward. I’ll continue following up so the revised ordinance can return for approval so it doesn’t suffer the same feared fate of getting stuck in the drafting phase.

The Pool Committee recently approved a Request For Proposal for the next phase of planning for a possible replacement of the pool facility at the Recreation Center. If you’re not familiar, an RFP is the document the City uses to invite qualified firms to submit proposals for the work.

The selected firm would explore possible replacement or expansion options, develop early concepts, estimate construction and operating costs, and outline a realistic timeline for the work. I think this kind of expertise is needed in order to feel confident moving forward and in order to bring this project to fruition. The next step is for the City Council to review the RFP in the coming weeks. If approved, the City can then begin accepting proposals and keep the process moving forward. If you want to get a concise summary of everything, you can click here to see my presentation of the work of the committee and the RFP at the latest Committee of the Whole meeting.

If you have ideas for rules or policies Berwyn should add, remove, or update, feel free to send them my way. I’m always open to suggestions.

Below are a few of the legislative and policy ideas I’m hoping to work on in the months ahead. Some are still in the early stages, but they all focus on areas where clearer rules or updated policies could make a real difference:

Summer is in full swing, and there is a lot happening across Berwyn. I’ll highlight a few events and activities below, but there is far more going on than I can reasonably fit into one newsletter. The calendars linked below are still the best place to see what is coming up, so it is worth checking back regularly as new events, programs, meetings, and community activities continue to be added.

Calendars:
Berwyn Community Calendar (city events)
WeLoveBerwyn.org (community events)

I know there was a lot packed in here, but I hope it helped give you a clearer sense of what’s happening and what’s still in progress. I’ll see some of you at the next ward meeting, and hopefully plenty of you around the neighborhood before then!

Best,
Micah