[PAGE 1]
Environment Committee
Minutes of the Meeting on
January 5, 2026
Village of Homer Glen
14240 W 151st Street, Homer Glen, IL 60491
Board Room

[PAGE 2]
Environment Committee Minutes January 5, 2026
1. Call to Order.
The meeting was called to order at 5:33pm by Chair Udarbe.
2. Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.
3. Roll Call.
Members present were Chair Taylor Udarbe, Chris Chiappetta, Bea Hiznay, Andy
Panelli, Fran Perveiler, Joe Turrise and Staff Liaison Dana Kahn.
Member Sharon Sweas was absent.
Present from the public was resident Mike McGee and a few members of Lemont’s
Environment Committee.
4. Approval of Amendments to the Agenda.
Chair Udarbe asked the committee if they wanted to move up Announcements and
Communications before Old Business so they could talk about the Tree Preservation
Ordinance.
Member Turrise made a motion to add the Tree Preservation Ordinance under New
Business. Chair Udarbe explained this item is for moving existing agenda items. They
cannot add new items not already on the agenda during the meeting because of Open
Meeting requirements. She apologized this is not make it on the agenda and explained
they could still talk about this under Old Business or Announcements but cannot
technically add it. There was no second to this motion.
The committee discussed and decided they did not need to amend the agenda. Chair
Udarbe motioned to approve the agenda as is and Member Perveiler seconded the
motion. This motion passed.
5. Minutes.
There were no minutes.
6. Public Comment.
There was no public comment.
7. Presentation
There was no presentation at this meeting.
8. Old Business.
Member Turrise explained he wanted this on the agenda so they could make a motion
on the item and said they should be able to have this Tree Preservation as a Village
Board item for longer discussion. He noted that while they are a non-binding advisory
committee, they should be heard.
Member Perveiler asked for a refresher on the take away from the last Committee of
the Whole. Chair Udarbe explained that a large variable were the costs associate with
2 | Pag e

[PAGE 3]
Environment Committee Minutes January 5, 2026
the amendments but there was support for making amendments otherwise. She
recapped some of the discussions to reduce lot sizing down to 1.5 acres, leave
commercial alone at this time, and a few smaller items like adjusting sizing of trees
subject to protection or heritage status. Staff explained the big problem now is that
with our current code, it is almost cheaper to remove trees and pay rather than
preserve or replant trees.
Member Perveiler said it was too bad that the trustees on this project, Jennifer and
Sue, are no longer trustees. Chair Udarbe agreed that it was unfortunate and
apologized that she did not have much other feedback or updates on this.
Resident McGee spoke and said he represents around 30 households along 139th Street
and they are just a small sample of the Homer Glen population but they all agree that
something needs to be done with the tree ordinance. He said the existing ordinance is
not enough and they should put pressure on the new trustees in order to get someone
on this committee so that more could be communicated. He thought the Mayor closed
down this issue and it makes people furious. He continued and asked why this does
not get more support. He asked how they will keep their status and one of the densest
tree per capita community.
Resident McGee said in the past they brought in someone from a different community
and asked if they could just adopt someone else’s ordinance. Member Turrise clarified
that this was Dave Buckley who offered to show us how this ordinance could apply to
all lots and come up with a model on how this could work.
Member Panelli asked staff to clarify the status of the tree ordinance and if the elected
officials have actually turned it down. Chair Udarbe said she has not heard other
feedback since the Committee of the Whole but there were a few topics that everyone
came to a consensus on in supporting so it is certainly not a “hard no.” She said the
ratio or calculation for payment or replanting is an outstanding topic for discussion,
which needed to go back to a Committee of the Whole before amending the ordinance
again.
Member Panelli asked if staff would categorize this project as something that they
have not gotten to yet or have been told to stop working on? Chair Udarbe confirmed
staff has not been instructed to stop working on but we have not been told when we
can get the project back to a public meeting yet. She said staff has a calculation in the
draft stage but believed the next steps would still be Committee of the Whole to
discuss with everyone.
Chair Udarbe also explained staff had been working on a public tree preservation
ordinance, specifically, to address trees not on private property for the Morton
Arboretum grant. She said it was separate but associated since staff knew the BP
pipeline was a large driver for looking at this ordinance.
Member Turrise asked what would happen if they simply were to make it so people
cannot clear cut any property in the Village but allow smaller removal amounts for
dead trees and for small developments like pools.
3 | Pag e

[PAGE 4]
Environment Committee Minutes January 5, 2026
Member Panelli said they all understood we need a better tree ordinance and they
could spend a lot of time saying they should make it simple and save trees and all
that. He said they can increase visibility and awareness to this project.
Member Turrise brought up the March petition that was going around and within a
short time there were thousands of signatures. There were also concerns that the
petition may have alienated the Mayor but they were happy when they hosted the
Committee of the Whole. Resident McGee said he was the one who started the petition
because the current ordinance is so flimsy. They need a new ordinance now or at least
amendments for now.
Member Panelli asked if any of the committee members have spoken at Village Board
meetings or reached out to trustees. There were none. He said he is of the opinion that
this is not dead, as resident McGee has said, but it is stalled. He explained it may
benefit them to show the board they are still interested in this ordinance amendments.
Member Hiznay asked why this committee does not have a trustee and asked if other
committees have trustees. Chair Udarbe said Homer Fest Committee also has a staff
member as chair and explained that over the summer after the elections, Jennifer
Consolino was not reelected so we lost our chair. She then explained that
Sue Steilen went over to Township Board shortly after. There were 2 vacancies and
that she accepted the Mayors chair appointment. Member Hiznay asked if now that
the board is full, if they could ask again to see if there is any interest in chairing the
committee because it would be nice to have that representation.
The committee discussed and came to a consensus they would like to have a trustee
on the committee with them. Member Panelli reiterated the main goal is to work on
the tree ordinance and Chair Udarbe said she would be sure to rely this information.
Member Turrise asked if the Village Arborist should be required to be on the
Environment Committee, too. Chair Udarbe explained she already is on the Parks &
Recreation Committee and she did not think it was necessary for her to be on this
committee, too but we can certainly request she attend for tree preservation talk.
Resident McGee said there is already a tree subcommittee and asked if they are able
to start that up with the arborist, too. There are so many people that want this and
they can work something out.
Member Panelli said they should look to determine what is feasible to move forward
on. The committee discussed the excel formula they were waiting for staff to produce.
Resident McGee said maybe the tree subcommittee could work on this. Chair Udarbe
explained there is a draft excel and the committee said they were interested in seeing
this.
Staff Kahn asked how a subcommittee works and Chair Udarbe explained the code
requirements for forming a subcommittee. It was unsure what happens now there is
no chair for the committee since Jennifer Consolino was the previous chair.
Member Turrise said in the past, the chair person of this committee was the one in
charge of assigning a subcommittee and said Chair Udarbe is able to appoint the
4 | Pag e

[PAGE 5]
Environment Committee Minutes January 5, 2026
subcommittee. Chair Udarbe said she would look up the code section, but she believed
this duty to be the Mayor’s still.
Resident McGee said in Illinois committee members cannot be staff and Chair Udarbe
said that as a home rule municipality Homer Glen was able to make it so by passing
ordinances. Resident McGee said while it is okay, it is unusual.
Resident McGee thanked the committee for allowing him to join on this discussion.
Chair Udarbe said the notes from this meeting will be forwarded along. The committee
clarified this was not meant to reflect poorly on staff.
a) Homer Fest
Staff Kahn explained they spoke with other staff on what the Environment
Committee can do for Homer Fest. Ideas included: having volunteers on site to
monitor bins for proper recycling, transferring recycling to the bins, providing
reusable cups, and refillable water stations. Member Perveiler asked about if they
can make the vendors not use plastics. Staff explained they had a hard time with
asking to do this when it affects their bottom line, but they could encourage this
or find other ways. They could look into some green vendor certification,
sponsoring vendor fees, or providing utensils.
Chair Udarbe said they will have to present their ideas to the Homer Fest
Committee to see what is feasible. Member Panelli liked the water station idea
and thought it would be really great.
9. New Business.
a) Public/Private Electric Vehicle Charging Stations
Staff explained they put this on the agenda due to community interest. Chair
Udarbe explained she has a permit on her desk for EV Charging Stations but
our code it making it difficult to approve it. Staff Kahn explained there is a
resident that wants to install chargers and she has been working with
businesses on potential locations. She also explained they are looking to bring
forward EV charging station code amendments.
Member Panelli said there are no superchargers in Homer Glen and this would
be a big plus. He asked if it was a commercial business with the permits and
Chair Udarbe confirmed this was the case. She said they are level 3 chargers at
the Culvers.
Member Turrise asked for clarification if the Village is paying for any EV
chargers or installations and staff confirmed the Village is not proposing
chargers, only code amendments.
Member Panelli asked if the Culver chargers would be open to the public and
Chair Udarbe said she could check.
5 | Pag e

[PAGE 6]
Environment Committee Minutes January 5, 2026
Member Panelli asked if there was a need for public support for passing
ordinance for the structures. Staff Udarbe said right now, staff is just looking
for codes to address the use and structure and clarify the requirements. She
said if the Village ever were to want to provide stations, she would say this
committee input would be important.
b) 2026 Calendar of Events & Activities
Chair Udarbe said this is just a refresher on events for this year. Member
Perveiler asked if they knew the date for Kite Fest and said they will look into
it. Member Perveiler also recommended the seedling event be around May 23rd
so it is after the last frost but before it gets too hot.
10. Announcements/Committee Member Communication.
a) Holiday String Lights Recycling at the Village Hall through January 30, 2026
Staff Kahn said they are collecting lights at Village Hall and it looked like they
had quite a bit already.
Member Turrise asked if they could look into signage for their Dark Sky
Community and Tree City USA designation. Chair Udarbe said she will look
into it, but to be by the entrance signs, she will need to talk to Janie Patch.
Member Perveiler said a lot of the neighbors have permeant lights installed that
they keep on year round. Chair Udarbe said they submit reports every year to
DarkSky and that we are code enforcement based and said they could send
photos or complaint to staff to address.
11. Adjournment.
Chair Udarbe motioned to adjourn the meeting at 7:29 pm and Member Perveiler
seconded. Motion passed.
Respectfully Submitted:
Taylor Udarbe
Committee Chair/Senior Planner
6 | Pag e