New Lenox Village Board Approves Resident-Only Parking to Ease Late-Night Disruptions Near True Country

Village of New Lenox Meeting | May 11, 2026

Article Summary: The Village Board suspended its normal rules to immediately pass an ordinance establishing resident-only parking on segments of Oak and Hickory streets to mitigate late-night noise and parking overflow from a successful new local business.

Resident Parking Key Points:

• The ordinance amends Section 90 of the Municipal Code, establishing restricted resident parking from 6:00 p.m. to midnight.

• New parking regulations target residential areas near True Country, following neighbor complaints of loud patrons returning to their vehicles after midnight.

• Signs are expected to be installed by Wednesday, with police initially issuing warnings before transitioning to formal citations.

• The Board suspended traditional first-read rules to pass the ordinance immediately in a unanimous 5-0 vote.

The New Lenox Village Board on Monday, May 11, 2026, voted unanimously to enact resident-only parking restrictions on specific neighborhood streets to alleviate parking shortages and noise issues caused by a newly opened local business.

The ordinance, which amends Section 90 of the Municipal Code, targets sections of Oak and Hickory streets located near True Country. While the business’s arrival has been an economic boon, Mayor Tim Baldermann acknowledged the resulting friction it has caused for nearby homeowners.

“True Country has opened up and is fortunately for them incredibly successful,” Baldermann said. “It is causing some parking issues, and not only parking issues for the residents so they can find space, but when vehicles are parked there and they’re getting out at midnight or 1:00 in the morning and getting back into their cars, even if they’re just normal talking, that’s disruptive to the neighborhood.”

Baldermann called the situation a “double-edged sword” that was great for the business but tough for residents.

The new resident-only parking restrictions will be actively enforced from 6:00 p.m. to midnight. The designated zones include a specific house on the northwest side of Oak Street, as well as the stretch of Oak from the north alley down to Haven Avenue. Portions of Hickory Street will also be restricted, though specific legal parking spots belonging to a neighboring church were carved out of the ordinance.

To ensure equitable enforcement, residents—including a couple of renters on the affected blocks—must ensure their vehicle license plates are registered to their home addresses.

A group of impacted neighbors organized a petition to push the village for a resolution. Addressing the residents in attendance, Baldermann praised their patience and grassroots involvement.

“This is how good government is supposed to work,” Baldermann told the residents. “They had a real problem and handled it in a real professional way and did a lot of work behind the scenes to get that done.”

Because the situation was actively disrupting the neighborhood, the Board opted to suspend its standard rules requiring a first and second reading across multiple meetings. Following a motion by Trustee Bryan Reiser and a second by Trustee Amy Gugliuzza, the council adopted the ordinance immediately. Trustee Lindsay Scalise was absent from the meeting.

Public Works staff indicated the new parking signs should be installed by Wednesday. Once the signs are up, the New Lenox Police Department will likely issue warning citations for the first few days before transitioning to writing formal tickets for violators.