In his campaign’s opening salvo, mayoral candidate Jeff Boarini asked Mayor Daniel Biss to “stop and think” about the city’s rezoning process, a keystone of Biss’ Envision Evanston 2045 initiative.
With the mayoral election three months away, the statement stands as Boarini’s first press release since emerging as Biss’ sole challenger last October.
Although Boarini wrote that city officials must revise Envision Evanston’s comprehensive plan, he argued that the process is “too important” to rush rezoning efforts ahead of the election.
According to the press release, residents in public meetings have “resoundingly told Mayor Biss that his drive to deregulate rezoning before the April election is wrong and irresponsible.”
Boarini heads the ranks of Evanston residents disillusioned with Biss’ leadership. The anti-Biss fervor first manifested through the creation of the “Better than Biss” political committee in November 2023, following Biss’ initial tie-breaking vote in favor of allowing commercial events at Ryan Field.
The challenger boasts close ties to outspoken Biss critics. On his campaign website, he promotes an endorsement from the Most Livable City Association, a staunch opponent of Biss’ Ryan Field rezoning decision. His partner, Ald. Clare Kelly (1st), has long opposed Biss.
Boarini’s statement, dated Dec. 16, also condemned Envision Evanston’s rezoning plans for increased development and new, higher-density districts, citing citizens’ concerns about affordability and gentrification that often come with redevelopment. The statement did not directly name Envision Evanston, but referred to it as “the broad and poorly thought-out proposed zoning changes.”
“With our lowest cost housing suddenly available to developers, the proposed changes will do the most harm to the low-income residents they are intended to help,” the statement added.
On the other hand, Biss has championed Envision Evanston as a foundation for boosting community goals like affordable housing, climate action and local business support.
In an op-ed for the Chicago Tribune last May, Biss wrote that while local government must be “cautious and thoughtful” in making landmark decisions, the community must “build what we need for the future.”
Shun Graves contributed reporting.
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