What’s really at stake with the new “Open Space District” — in plain English, with the sticker-board photo from the Village’s own in-person session.

Neighbors — on July 21, the Village Council enacted Phase One of a new “Open Space” zoning district. This isn’t just about the post office site. It would rezone every publicly owned green parcel in town — Park District parks, school grounds, the library, New Trier — so that anything other than a Village “essential public service” needs a special use permit through Village Hall.

That’s a new layer of Village control over land that our parks, schools, and library boards already govern — and that we already pay to maintain. Several boards have already weighed in to challenge, including D36, D203, and Parks. The district heads to the Plan Commission in September and back to Council in October — please come to the next VC hearing, August 18, and/or write the Council.