Title
Presentation on bird-friendly building design in unincorporated Lake County.
Staff Summary
• Staff previously presented information and regulatory options related to bird-friendly building design to the PWPT Committee on October 6, 2021. Further discussion on the topic was tabled pending the enactment of enabling state legislation.
• As a result of Lake County’s 2023 State Legislative Program initiative, legislation authorizing non-home rule counties to enact bird-friendly building design regulations (SB 1997) has passed both chambers of the Illinois General Assembly and is currently awaiting the Governor’s signature.
• In anticipation of SB 1997 becoming law, and in light of the time-lapse since previous Committee discussion, staff plans to re-engage the PBZE Committee in a two-part series of discussions on this regulatory topic, ultimately leading to development of a bird-friendly building design ordinance draft for Board action.
• First, at the Committee’s June 28 meeting, staff will re-cap research summarizing the bird-strike phenomenon, along with innovative building design solutions that mitigate bird strikes. Following the June 28 informational presentation, a second Committee presentation and discussion will be scheduled for a later date to review the PWPT Committee’s previous policy consensus on bird-friendly building design and confirm Committee direction to move forward with the ordinance drafting process.