Article Archive
- October 6, 2026
The Summer of Meadow Plaza
As the Plan Commission prepares for tonight’s public hearing on Pulte’s Meadow Plaza application, I am writing what I hope will be my final piece about how we got here.
Read article → - October 1, 2026
Evolution of Meadow Plaza Zoning Changes
In my last piece, I assessed Pulte's application through the framework our new zoning code provides for a Planned Unit Development. But that raises the question of how we ended up with those rules in place.
Read article → - September 30, 2026
Pulte’s Application Under the New Zoning Code
In September 2025, after more than two years of work, Northbrook adopted a new zoning code. The rewrite changed what could be built downtown, including at Meadow Plaza. A year later, Pulte is asking the Village to approv...
Read article → - September 15, 2026
A Short History of Downtown Planning in Northbrook
On May 5, in "What $180 Million Buys: Inside Northbrook's Annual Budget," I wrote:
Read article → - September 2, 2026
Things Have Gone Haywire
Our property-tax bill came today.
Read article → - August 4, 2026
We Are All Neighbors
In my last post, I argued that the Meadow Plaza debate raised three larger questions Northbrook had not answered: Do we really understand the health of downtown? What happens if this proposal dies and nothing gets built?...
Read article → - July 27, 2026
A Lot Has Happened Since My Last Post
A lot has happened at Village Hall in Northbrook since my last post.
Read article → - May 25, 2026
Tuesday's Village Board Meeting Looks Like a Banger
The Village Board meets nearly every other Tuesday evening at 7:30 p.m. in the Sandy Frum Board Room at Village Hall.
Read article → - May 14, 2026
No Doubt
This is Part III of the series evaluating Economic Revitalization and the Hometown Deal
Read article → - May 8, 2026
Density and Downtown Revitalization
Editor's Note - The Village Board did publish the agenda for the May 12th meeting after this was posted, and the sale of Grainger is on the agenda.
Read article → - May 6, 2026
What $180 Million Buys: Inside Northbrook's Annual Budget
There are probably easier ways to build a readership than writing about local government, let alone a local government budget, and yet here we are, taking a closer look at the budget the Northbrook Village Board approved...
Read article → - April 13, 2026
We Have a New Trustee
This is a follow-up to A Memo to Northbrook’s Next Village Trustee.
Read article → - March 31, 2026
Part III: What the Record Shows
In Part I, we traced the path that led Northbrook to its current framework.
Read article → - March 28, 2026
Affordable Housing in Northbrook: A Four-Part Series
In a previous post, we argued that affordable housing should be a critical issue for whoever is appointed to fill the vacant seat on the Northbrook Village Board. Our current plan is not working — and has not worked for ...
Read article → - March 28, 2026
Part IV: Stepping Back — and What It Means for Northbrook
In Part I, we traced the path that led Northbrook to its current framework.
Read article → - March 27, 2026
Part II: How the 2020 Framework Actually Works
In Part I, we traced the path that led Northbrook to its current framework.
Read article → - March 25, 2026
Part I: How We Got Here
Housing sits at the foundation of daily life. It provides shelter from the elements, but its role goes well beyond that. Housing is the base from which households build the rest of their lives — work, family, education, ...
Read article → - March 6, 2026
A Memo to Northbrook's Next Village Trustee
March 2026
Read article → - June 4, 2025
Just Because It's Legal Doesn’t Mean It’s Right
Last month, the Village of Northbrook took a welcome step toward greater transparency by publishing a public summary of its May 27 Board meeting—a thoughtful addition to civic communications. But notably absent from the...
Read article → - May 27, 2025
Still Divided—and Now More Partisan
On May 13, Northbrook’s Village Board was officially sworn in, marking the start of a new term and the close of a particularly contentious election season. The evening opened on a note of reflection and gratitude, as the...
Read article → - April 22, 2025
A Closer Look at the Hometown Deal
This is Part II in a two-part series where we take a closer look at the Hometown Coffee deal, what it says about our incentive process, and the trust gap it may be widening.
Read article → - April 16, 2025
Stepping Up, Standing By
A closer look at the Economic Strategy Commission, civic engagement, and what it reveals about the gap between civic participation and power in Northbrook.
Read article → - April 11, 2025
Reflections on the April 8, 2025 Northbrook Village Board Meeting
[Please note - after publication, I was reminded that the Village Board does not have direct authority over stoplight decisions. So, I added a clarifying point to that section.]
Read article → - April 6, 2025
The Forum’s Influence: A 2025 Election Retrospective
Note: I originally wrote this piece shortly before Election Day. I sat on it because a trusted reviewer felt it might be “a bit strong”—too critical of those who showed up and too easy on those who didn’t. While I unders...
Read article → - April 6, 2025
A Look at Partisanship in Northbrook’s 2025 Village Elections
In 2025, the Northbrook Caucus said the quiet part out loud.
Read article → - April 4, 2025
A Closer Look at 2025 Northbrook Village Election Results
(April 4 - Edits were made to this based on updated election results - presumably due to mail-in ballots - which did not impact the original message in this piece)
Read article → - March 30, 2025
High Standards, Realistic Expectations
This is the fourth installment in my series on Northbrook’s local politics. A common question I hear is: Why am I doing this? What does success look like?
Read article → - March 29, 2025
Northbrook’s Early Voter Turnout and What It Could Mean
If you read nothing else, read this:
Read article → - March 29, 2025
A Closer Look at Sales Tax in Northbrook
We’ve all seen what happens when local politics starts to feel like national politics: suspicion, tribalism, and personal attacks begin to replace collaboration, listening, and shared purpose. While elections often slide...
Read article → - March 26, 2025
Why I Donated to Northbrook Focused
I started Engage Northbrook because I believe more people in our village should feel informed, included, and empowered when it comes to local government. This effort isn’t about promoting a specific slate of candidates o...
Read article → - March 26, 2025
What's Moving is Worth Applauding—And Improving
Recently, the Village announced movement on several major projects: Fire Station 11, the Public Works Fleet Garage, and the Police Station. The efforts are long overdue. Built decades ago, each of the facilities now face...
Read article → - March 20, 2025
A More Engaged Northbrook is a Better Northbrook
Editor's Note: This post was originally published on March 19, raising the question of why anyone would want to get involved in village government in Northbrook given the vitriol it seems to stir. After it was published,...
Read article → - March 17, 2025
Be Part of the Solution - Early Voting Starts Today!
Early Voting - March 17-31, 2025
Read article → - March 16, 2025
Northbrook Court: A Redevelopment Stuck in Neutral
Northbrook Court is owned by Brookfield Properties, a subsidiary of Brookfield Asset Management. Brookfield is one of the largest real estate investment firms in the world, managing billions in assets across retail, offi...
Read article → - March 12, 2025
The Birth of Engage Northbrook
It’s easy to feel disconnected from local politics. Life is busy—between work, family, and everything else, who has time to sit through board meetings filled with procedural discussions and technical processes, not all o...
Read article → - March 12, 2025
Northbrook Needs “Us vs. the Problem,” Not “Us vs. Us”
In my first post, I wrote about how apathy has set in over Northbrook. Our municipal elections typically see only about 10% of registered voters participate, with the highest turnout in recent years reaching just 23.7% i...
Read article → - March 12, 2025
Our Goal Should Be Encouraging Civic Engagement, Not Limiting It
In my first post, I examined how apathy reigns in Northbrook politics. In my second, I discussed the bizarre involvement of outside political organizations in our local elections. In this post, I take a closer look at ...
Read article → - March 12, 2025
Grainger Property: Bad Timing or Poor Execution?
For seven years, the Grainger property has remained a focal point in Northbrook—an $8M investment that has yet to produce results. Nearly everyone has an opinion on it, but few can confidently explain the full timeline o...
Read article → - March 12, 2025
Affordable Housing in Northbrook
One of Northbrook’s biggest challenges is engagement. Election turnout has been consistently low, and for the past 15 years, the Northbrook Caucus endorsed candidates winning—often without opposition. When one group cont...
Read article →