Winnetka meeting summaries, agendas, and minutes

Winnetka agendas: zoning district, Post Office plan and turbine contract — but no decisions yet on record

Winnetka's boards and commissions posted agendas for eight meetings in the past two weeks, but minutes have not been published for any of them. No votes, approvals, contract awards or dollar amounts are on the record yet from these sessions. What follows is what each agenda listed for discussion, not what was decided.

Zoning district and steering committee before Village Council

The Village Council's Oct. 20 agenda listed Ordinance MC-05-2026, which would create an Open Space Institutional Zoning District, and Ordinance MC-06-2026, which would update the official zoning map for that district. The same agenda listed Resolution R-79-2026, establishing an Ad Hoc Zoning Ordinance Rewrite Steering Committee, and a separate item on appointments of 8 representatives to the "Zoning Review Ad-Hoc Steering Committee" — the agenda uses both names. Also listed: Resolution R-77-2026, a contract with Progress Group, Inc. for a Turbine #7 overhaul. No contract amount appears in the summary.

Post Office Site concept plan

At its Oct. 13 meeting the Village Council was scheduled to hear a presentation and discussion of the Post Office Site Visioning Preferred Concept Plan. The agenda described the remainder of the meeting as public comment and a closed session. No concept details or cost figures were included in the summary.

Water and Electric Plant retaining wall, 735 Tower Road

Case No. 26-30-V2 appeared on two agendas. The Zoning Board of Appeals on Oct. 12 was to consider a variation allowing a retaining wall and fence at 735 Tower Road to exceed maximum height limits; the summary notes the Village Council holds final jurisdiction on the request. The Design Review Board on Oct. 15 listed the same case as a continued application.

Design Review Board: sign, storefront, patio

The Oct. 15 Design Review Board agenda also listed Case No. 26-20-DR, a back-lit illuminated wall sign at 515 Lincoln Avenue; Case No. 26-21-DR, exterior building alterations at 894-96 Green Bay Road; and Case No. 26-22-DR, patio replacement at 800 Oak Street.

Environment and pensions

The Environmental, Forestry, & Sustainability Commission on Oct. 14 was to hear a SWANCC Project User Agreement presentation, an Open Spaces ordinance update, a Climate Action Plan discussion and an item on monthly or bi-monthly sustainability communications. The Police Pension Board on Oct. 22 listed establishing 2027 repeat withdrawals from IPOPIF, review and approval of a fiduciary liability insurance renewal, a municipal compliance report, trustee training registration fees and reimbursable expenses, and establishment of 2027 board meeting dates.

Cancelled meetings

The Board of Fire and Police Commissioners' regular meeting of Oct. 15 was cancelled. The Planned Development Commission cancelled its regular monthly meeting of Oct. 21, which had been set for 7:00 PM at Winnetka Village Hall Council Chambers, 510 Green Bay Road; the posted agenda contained only the cancellation notice and general public-comment and accessibility information, with no substantive items scheduled.

Coming up

• **Oct. 28 — Plan Commission:** Case No. 26-23-TX, Open Space Institutional District text and map amendments, for findings and recommendations.
• **Oct. 29 — Village Council budget review:** the 2026 budget and Capital Improvement Plan overview, the 2023 tax levy discussion, and department presentations including police (pages 69-96), fire (pages 97-126) and the Water and Electric Fund (pages 204-308). The agenda describes this as a working session, not a final vote, with public comment scheduled near the end.
• **Nov. 2 — Historic Preservation Commission:** the regular monthly meeting has been cancelled.

Winnetka agendas: Willow Road funding pact, Post Office site plan and zoning rewrite on deck

No votes or outcomes are recorded in the Winnetka meeting materials available for the past two weeks. Each summary below comes from a published agenda; minutes for these meetings have not been posted. What follows is what village bodies scheduled, not what they decided.

Willow Road funding agreement heads Council agenda

The Village Council's Oct. 6 agenda listed Resolution No. R-76-2026, a local public agency agreement with the State of Illinois for funding of the Willow Road Reconstruction Project (Job No: C-91-873-09). The same agenda carried three consent-agenda contract resolutions that waive competitive bidding: Resolution No. R-71-26 with ABB, Inc. for ten 15kV circuit breakers; Resolution No. R-73-2026 with Microsystems, Inc. for digitization services for Community Development; and Resolution No. R-74-2026 with RPG Energy Group, Inc. for a renewable energy credit assignment and incentive payment agreement. Also listed were Ordinance No. M-14-2026, a zoning variation to allow a swimming pool in the R-4 Single Family Residential District at 286 Ridge Avenue, and a police presentation on the Automated License Plate Readers policy, Policy #433. No contract dollar amounts or vote tallies appear in the agenda materials.

Post Office Site concept plan

The Council's Oct. 13 agenda consisted of a presentation and discussion of the Post Office Site Visioning Preferred Concept Plan, along with public comment and a closed session. The agenda does not describe the preferred concept or indicate whether any action was taken.

Preservation and zoning reviews

Historic Preservation Commission, Oct. 5: review of a local landmark nomination for the single-family residence at 682 Lincoln Avenue (Case No. 26-16-HPC) and advisory review of proposed alterations to 1140 Willow Road, a locally designated landmark (Case No. 26-17-HPC). Also listed: approval of the Aug. 3, 2026 minutes, a quorum check for the Nov. 2 meeting, a preservation award plaque update and monthly communications content.

Zoning Board of Appeals, Oct. 12: Case No. 26-30-V2, a variation to allow a retaining wall and fence to exceed maximum height limits at 735 Tower Road (Water and Electric Plant). The Village Council holds final jurisdiction on the request.

Design Review Board, Oct. 15: the same retaining wall case (26-30-V2), a back-lit illuminated wall sign at 515 Lincoln Avenue (26-20-DR), exterior building alterations at 894-96 Green Bay Road (26-21-DR) and patio replacement at 800 Oak Street (26-22-DR).

Environmental, Forestry, & Sustainability Commission, Oct. 14: a SWANCC Project User Agreement presentation, an Open Spaces ordinance update, a Climate Action Plan discussion and sustainability communications.

Cancellation

The Board of Fire and Police Commissioners regular meeting scheduled for Oct. 15, 2026 was cancelled. The notice gives no reason.

Coming up

Village Council, Oct. 20: Ordinance MC-05-2026 creating an Open Space Institutional Zoning District and Ordinance MC-06-2026 updating the zoning map for that district; Resolution R-79-2026 establishing an Ad Hoc Zoning Ordinance Rewrite Steering Committee; Resolution R-77-2026, a contract with Progress Group, Inc. for the Turbine #7 overhaul; and appointment of eight representatives to the Zoning Review Ad-Hoc Steering Committee.

Planned Development Commission, Oct. 21: cancelled. The notice states the meeting was scheduled for 7:00 PM at Winnetka Village Hall Council Chambers, 510 Green Bay Road, and that written comments may be sent to planning@winnetka.org or to Community Development, Village of Winnetka, 510 Green Bay Road, Winnetka, IL 60093. Agenda materials are posted at www.villageofwinnetka.org/agendacenter.

Winnetka Council agenda includes Willow Road funding agreement; Tower Court plan continues at Design Review Board

Winnetka's Village Council was scheduled on Oct. 6 to take up a local public agency agreement with the State of Illinois for funding the Willow Road Reconstruction Project (Job No: C-91-873-09), according to the posted agenda. That item, Resolution No. R-76-2026, is the most far-reaching matter in the past two weeks of village meeting agendas reviewed here. No minutes have been published for any of the recent meetings below, so the record does not show whether any item was adopted, amended, or rejected, and no vote tallies are available.

Council agenda: Willow Road, contracts, pool variation

The Oct. 6 Village Council agenda at Village Hall, 510 Green Bay Road, listed a police presentation on the Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs) Policy #433, plus a consent agenda with three contract resolutions waiving competitive bidding:

• Resolution No. R-71-26: contract with ABB, Inc. for ten 15kV circuit breakers
• Resolution No. R-73-2026: contract with Microsystems, Inc. for digitization services for Community Development
• Resolution No. R-74-2026: renewable energy credit assignment and incentive payment agreement with RPG Energy Group, Inc.

Also listed was Ordinance No. M-14-2026, a zoning variation to allow a swimming pool in the R-4 Single Family Residential District at 286 Ridge Avenue.

Tower Court plan returns to Design Review Board

The Design Review Board/Sign Board of Appeals met Sept. 29 on Case No. 25-19-PD, an amended Certificate of Appropriateness application for a four-story mixed-use building at 901-05, 907-09, 911-13 Green Bay Road and 1007-11 Tower Court, part of the Tower Court Condominiums preliminary planned development. The agenda states the Village Council holds final jurisdiction on the request. The item was continued from the May 21, June 18, July 16, August 27, and Sept. 24, 2026 Design Review Board meetings.

Landmark nomination, Willow Road alterations

The Historic Preservation Commission met Oct. 5 to review a local landmark nomination for the single-family residence at 682 Lincoln Avenue (Case No. 26-16-HPC) and to give advisory review of proposed alterations to 1140 Willow Road, a locally designated landmark (Case No. 26-17-HPC). The agenda also listed approval of Aug. 3, 2026 minutes, a quorum check for Nov. 2, 2026, a preservation award plaque update, and a discussion of monthly communications content.

Retaining wall variation

The Zoning Board of Appeals met Oct. 12 on Case No. 26-30-V2, a request to allow a retaining wall and fence to exceed maximum height limits at 735 Tower Road (Water and Electric Plant). The Village Council holds final jurisdiction on the request.

Cancelled

The Planned Development Commission cancelled its regular monthly meeting scheduled for Oct. 21, 2026 at 7:00 PM at Winnetka Village Hall Council Chambers, 510 Green Bay Road. The posted agenda contains only the cancellation notice and general public-comment and accessibility information; no substantive items were scheduled.

Coming up

• Oct. 13 — Village Council: presentation and discussion of the Post Office Site Visioning Preferred Concept Plan.
• Oct. 14 — Environmental, Forestry, & Sustainability Commission: SWANCC Project User Agreement presentation, Open Spaces ordinance update, Climate Action Plan discussion, and sustainability communications.
• Oct. 15 — Design Review Board: retaining wall at 735 Tower Road (Case No. 26-30-V2); back-lit illuminated wall sign at 515 Lincoln Avenue (Case No. 26-20-DR); exterior building alterations at 894-96 Green Bay Road (Case No. 26-21-DR); patio replacement at 800 Oak Street (Case No. 26-22-DR).

Written comments may be sent to planning@winnetka.org or to Community Development, Village of Winnetka, 510 Green Bay Road, Winnetka, IL 60093. Agenda materials are posted at www.villageofwinnetka.org/agendacenter.

Winnetka boards weigh post office site, zoning, and pensions; no decisions published yet

No decisions have been published from Winnetka's recent government meetings, as minutes are not yet available. The Village Council is scheduled to vote on a consultant for the former U.S. Post Office site, and several other boards have upcoming agenda items.

Recent meetings (agenda only)

Village Council (Aug. 18) — The council considered three resolutions: hiring SB Friedman Development Advisors LLC for professional services on the former U.S. Post Office site (R-60-2026), a technology contract with CDW Government LLC (R-62-2026), and an extension of engineering services with W.F. Baird & Associates for the Tower Road Pier structural assessment (R-61-2026). The council also discussed a draft 2027 IMEA Sustainability Plan and approved a warrant list dated July 31 – August 13, 2026. No votes have been published.

Zoning Board of Appeals (Aug. 10) — The board reviewed a continued case for a swimming pool setback at 286 Ridge Avenue (Case No. 26-07-V2) and a new application for a detached garage setback at 925 Elm Street (Case No. 26-22-V). No decisions are published.

Firefighters Pension Board (Aug. 18) — The board considered approving a regular retirement for Erik Thornton, reviewing the actuarial valuation and tax levy request, and reviewing BMO and Northern Trust account statements. No decisions are published.

Environmental, Forestry, & Sustainability Commission (Aug. 12) — The commission received presentations on safe biking routes (with guest John Lankford), solar power (by Tim Ring), buckthorn eradication (by Liz Kunkle), a leaf blower study (by King Poor), and composting. A presentation by Louisa Hernandez was also on the agenda.

Cancelled meetings — The Planned Development Commission meeting scheduled for Aug. 19 and the Design Review Board meeting scheduled for Aug. 20 were both cancelled.

Coming up

Zoning Administrator (Aug. 25) — A public meeting will consider a zoning variation for 1050 Starr Road to allow an addition with a reduced side yard setback (Case No. ZBA-26-26-ZA). The Zoning Administrator has final authority on this request.

Plan Commission (Aug. 26) — The commission will receive updates on the zoning ordinance rewrite and the open space zoning district, and will discuss the Affordable Housing Plan and next steps. No final decisions are listed.

Design Review Board (Aug. 27) — A special meeting will review several applications, including a continued case for a four-story mixed-use building at 901-05, 907-09, 911-13 Green Bay Road and 1007-11 Tower Court (Case 25-19-PD), playground improvements at Tower Road Beach (Case 26-27-V), a facade material change at 564 Green Bay Road (Case 26-14-DR), a sign permit for Solidcore at 736 Elm Street (Case 26-15-DR), and awning modifications at 525 Lincoln Avenue (Case 26-16-DR). The Village Council will ultimately decide the mixed-use building case.

All meetings are open to the public. Agendas and minutes are available on the village's website.

Winnetka boards set short-term rental ban, Climate Action Plan for votes; Plan Commission meeting cancelled

Winnetka's Village Council was scheduled to take up two of the summer's most consequential items at its July 21 meeting: an ordinance prohibiting short-term rentals village-wide and a resolution adopting the Climate Action Plan. Minutes from that meeting have not yet been published, so the outcomes of those votes are not yet confirmed in the public record.

Village Council — July 21

The agenda listed Ordinance No. MC-03-2026, which would prohibit short-term rentals in Winnetka. Also on the agenda was Resolution R-54-2026, adopting the Village of Winnetka Climate Action Plan.

Other scheduled items included:

• Resolution R-55-2026, waiving bidding to purchase indoor range equipment from Inveris Training Solutions, Inc.
• Resolution R-57-2026, approving purchase of a public works vehicle from Transchicago Truck Group.
• Council discussion of the zoning ordinance rewrite and an open space zoning text amendment.

Because only the agenda is available and minutes have not been published, it is not yet possible to report how the council voted on any of these items.

Foreign Fire Insurance Board — July 20

The board was set to meet at the Winnetka Fire Department to review minutes from its October, April, and May meetings and accept a treasurer's report. Discussion items included EMS equipment and Carhartt cold-weather jackets, a review of the Station MedVault and inventory tracking software, and "Identifire" name tags. Minutes are not yet published.

Plan Commission — July 22

The regular monthly meeting of the Plan Commission, scheduled for July 22, was cancelled. No other business was listed.

Police Pension Board — July 23

The Police Pension Fund Board was scheduled to act on a regular retirement benefit for Karl Larson and process a separation of service for Marek Strzelec. The agenda also included review and approval of the annual actuarial valuation and tax levy request, election of board officers (President, Vice President, Secretary, Assistant Secretary), and review of the cash management policy. Minutes are not yet published.

Coming up

• **Aug. 3 — Historic Preservation Commission.** The commission will review a demolition permit application for 1020 Cherry Street (Case No. 26-14-HPC) and a building size bonus application plus landmark nomination for 115 DeWindt Road (Case No. 26-15-HPC). A preservation award plaque update and monthly communications are also listed.
• **Aug. 4 — Village Council.** The council is scheduled to consider Ordinance No. M-12-2026, a zoning variation and Certificate of Appropriateness for a Gaga Ball Pit at Greeley Elementary School, 275 Fairview Avenue. Also on the agenda: Resolution No. R-59-2026 awarding a contract to Wesco Distribution, Inc. for 600 Volt underground cable, a discussion on village parking review, and an update on village-owned street ends.

Note: All recent meetings above are listed as agenda-only; minutes have not been published. Residents seeking confirmed outcomes should watch for the official minutes on the Village of Winnetka website.