Conservation Commission

Village of Brookfield Agenda Conservation Commission Meeting Tuesday, August 26, 2025 @ 6:00 PM Edward Barcal Hall 8820 Brookfield Avenue Brookfield, IL 60513 I. Call to Order II. Roll Call III. Approval of Minutes 1. Conservation Commission Meeting Minutes - July 22, 2025 IV. Reports 1. Chair 2. Staff Update 3. Trustee Liaison V. Old Business 1. Creekside Trail Workshop Debrief and Next Steps 2. Meet the Creek: Finalizing vendors and Details 3. Bike Rack Siting Next Steps 4. 2025 Budget Review VI. New Business 1. Workday Planning 2. Work on 2026 Budget Request VII. Public Comment VIII. Adjournment Page 1 of 4  Village of Brookfield Minutes Conservation Commission Meeting Tuesday, July 22, 2025 @ 6:00 P.M. Edward Barcal Hall 8820 Brookfield Avenue, Brookfield, IL 60513 I.​ Call to Order at 6:06 P.M. II.​ Roll Call Conservation Commissioners Present: Bridget Jakubiak (Chair), Jennifer Dowd, Megha Patel, Kevin Leodinh, Logan St. John, Iris Overstreet Strupp Conservation Commissioner(s) Absent: Wyatt Widmer Conservation Trustee Present: Jennifer Hendricks Conservation Trustee Absent: Katie Kaluzny Staff Liaison: Robert Uphues Guest: NA III.​ Approval of Minutes - Approved IV.​ Reports 1.​ Chair: The BCC email received an inquiry on Backyard Beekeeping. Village Board has a process for raising chickens. Riverside considered chicken and beekeeping as part of an ordinance. BCC decided to continue with gap analysis and encourage the inquirer to take lead on the issue, or allow a volunteer to take lead. Eagle Scouts may take on a project for one of the natural areas, like North Kiwanis, this year. 2.​ Staff: Cook County has not progressed on Recycle Coach and is non responsive to village staff. When Cook County’s app goes live, so then can Brookfield. Ms. Kunkel confirmed with staff this sequence but Dowd’s conversations with Cook County state Cook County does not have to precede Brookfield. 3.​ Trustee Water main construction has torn up tree roots and therefore weakening the Liaison: tree canopy. Trustee Hendricks is meeting with forester and civil engineer to strategize mitigations. Overstreet-Strupp believes Morton Arboretum and the Chicago Region Tree Initiative (Trinity Pierce) has relevant resources. Trustee Hendricks shared the Economic Incentive Policy for environmental enhancements. BCC approves the language. Hendricks confirms environmental enchantment must be tied to facade improvements. Individuals with a disability requiring a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in any meeting should contact the Village of Brookfield at 708-485-7344 prior to the meeting. Wheelchair access may be gained through the police department (East) entrance of the Village Hall. Page 2 of 4  V.​ Old Business 1.​ Creekside Commissioner Patel shares South Kiwanis Park Field Practicum on July 25th, Woods 2025. This will be the last time Barrett (NPS) will work on this project. Next Steps Overstreet Strupp recommends protection from poison ivy. 2.​ Meet the All vendors agreed to date. Dip nets still need to be set on the creek. Katie will Creek check on Zero Waste accommodation. 3.​ Bike Rack EVCS grant already decided siting at Village Hall and Ehlert Park. No need for and EV feedback. Community Center decision may impact implementation. Next steps Charging are to determine street furniture of public improvement. Trustee Hendricks Station explains that street furniture is included in streetscaping contracts (landscaping Siting contracts) and changes in design would be decided at Village Board. Next step is to ask Libby and Stevie for update on Friday. VI.​ New Business VII.​ 1.​ Native Ordinance for Permitted Encroachments in Parkway of Residentially Plant Zoned Districts Ordinance A resident was cited on SeeClickFixt. Community Inspector is under Community Development, Jordan. Trustee Hendricks suggests signage. Trustee Hendricks and Uphues recommend meeting with Libby (Director of CD) and Michelle (Building Division Manager). Jakubiak suggests Downers Grove Public Works, who helps build rain gardens. Overstreet-Strupp explains there is no one-size-fits-all training and suggests researching Oak Park’s municipal training. Hendricks believes we can get support from the Director of CD and staff, then parkway native plantings will have support from the Village Board. Educating inspector would be next, suggested by Uphues. 2.​ 2026 2025 Budget -​ BCC Budget: $7,657 spent out of out $12,200 Planning -​ $5,000 Bike racks or signage -​ $2,000 Meet the Creek -​ $500 compost pile for public planting (possibly with pumpkin smash) -​ Showy, functional plants for Brookfield Blvd Bridge, canoe landing/Kiwanis bioswale, bioswale at Monroe, Kiwanis rain garden -​ Rain barrels for resident -​ Existing Grants -​ EVCS 2026 -​ BCC Budget Ideas Individuals with a disability requiring a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in any meeting should contact the Village of Brookfield at 708-485-7344 prior to the meeting. Wheelchair access may be gained through the police department (East) entrance of the Village Hall. Page 3 of 4  -​ Share Food Share Love Plastic Bailer (sorting machine) depends on cost and has legal risk being on private property -​ Unsure if food pantry is willing to cover -​ Community Design Project -​ Beautification Commission likely will cover budget, per Elaine. -​ $1,000 for compost -​ Consulting for rain harvesting across municipal properties - Logan will gather estimate -​ $2,000 for signage of green infrastructure -​ Basis: Ehlert Park signage with steel mountings -​ Candidate locations: Rain Garden at Kiwanis, Forest Avenue detention area, Creekside Woods -​ Possible carryover from 2025 budget -​ Bike racks or signage budget -​ EV charging station -​ Grant Proposals to Find -​ Install renewable energy systems -​ Creekside Woods -​ Already covered elsewhere in Village Budget -​ Two intersection improvements for active transportation -​ Not needed for pay -​ Logan proposed a natural areas inventory. Wyatt is designing a specific one that he will pass onto the village, the commission, etc, being created for the village Salt Creek Greenway Management Plan. 3.​ Meet with Jen will meet. Public Works 4.​ Work Day Planning VIII.​ Public Comment - N/A IX.​ Adjournment at 7:37 P.M. Next meeting on 8/26/2025.​ Individuals with a disability requiring a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in any meeting should contact the Village of Brookfield at 708-485-7344 prior to the meeting. Wheelchair access may be gained through the police department (East) entrance of the Village Hall. Page 4 of 4