The Village is in the process of developing Bird Strike Mitigation Guidelines for Village Board consideration before the end of 2022. The draft guidelines will be reviewed for feedback at the December 1, 2022, 7:30 p.m. Plan Commission Meeting at Skokie Village Hall, 5127 Oakton Street. The meeting is open to the public.
Birds collide with glass because they do not see glass the same way humans and other animals see glass. As a result, glass structures and surfaces result in the loss of over one billion birds annually in the US. Increasingly, communities and advocacy organizations are changing the way they plan and design buildings to keep birds safe from collisions. The proposed Village of Skokie guidelines are consistent with those implemented by the Cities of Chicago and Evanston and have been previously reviewed by the Village’s Sustainable Environmental Advisory Commission. As proposed, the guidelines will apply to all types of new construction and buildings undergoing significant renovation/rehabilitation and will not apply to detached single- or multi-family residential buildings three stories above grade or less. Projects that are not subject to the final ordinance will be encouraged to incorporate bird-friendly building design guidelines.
More information will be available at skokie.org prior to the December 1 Plan Commission meeting. Interested parties are encouraged to attend the meeting or email info@skokie.org with comments or suggestions. See more information and resources for improving bird strike collision protection at existing homes from the American Bird Conservancy.