Orland Park board approves 2026 tax levy, hires consultants and permits; tables Bridlewood rezoning

The Orland Park Village Board approved a 2026 property tax levy to match local property-value growth and took several administrative and land-use actions while tabling a proposed Bridlewood rezoning, Mayor Dodge said at a weekly briefing.

The vote to set the levy "to match the growth of property value in Orland Park" moves the village forward in its annual budget process; Mayor Dodge announced a public hearing on the 2026 budget for Dec. 1, with the board scheduled to consider adoption that evening.

Why it matters: the levy sets the revenue baseline for next year’s operating budget and frames decisions about services and capital projects. Mayor Dodge said many major projects "rely on coordination with other levels of government because they cost tens of millions of dollars and take years to complete," which helped explain the board’s parallel approvals to hire outside consultants and lobbyists.

The board approved two consulting firms to conduct a villagewide review of service delivery, a step officials said is intended to address morale and workplace culture concerns that surfaced in a 2023 employee engagement survey. The board also approved two firms to assist with advocacy and legislative consulting to strengthen relationships with the state and help secure funding for large projects.

On land-use items, the board granted special-use permits for Waterfall Plaza at 159th Street and Orland Brook Drive to allow a drive-through and exterior improvements to the parking lot and facade. Officials said the work is intended to revitalize a shopping center that has been underused. The board also approved a special use for a communications tower at the police training facility that will serve as a backup dispatch center and "improve digital coverage in the Southwest area of Orland Park," Mayor Dodge said.

A proposed Bridlewood residential development on 108th Avenue north of 143rd Street drew public comment and a presentation from the developer. Staff recommended rezoning the site to allow 20 homes on 10 acres; after a lengthy discussion and outstanding questions that staff will research, the board tabled the item for further information.

Other approvals included a memorandum of understanding with the village of Tinley Park and Orland Township to host the Southwest job fair in January and an announced upgrade to the village’s water utility billing system that will add text and email reminders and enhanced online tools. The board also voted to increase the potential size of boards, commissions and committees from seven to 11 members to allow broader resident participation.

The meeting record provided no roll-call tallies, mover/second details, or ordinance numbers for the actions taken; where the transcript did not specify vote counts or motions, this report notes that those details are not specified.