How Joliet Handles Environmental Rules: A Practical Guide

Joliet maintains 95 local ordinances across all categories, and 4 of those deal specifically with environmental rules. Here is a breakdown of what the city actually requires, what is prohibited, and where Joliet falls on the strict-to-permissive spectrum compared to other cities.

Flood Elevation Requirements

Joliet adds one foot of freeboard on top of the base flood elevation to set the flood protection elevation, and the lowest floor, including the basement, of any new or substantially improved building in the flood plain must sit at or above that line.

Key details: Freeboard added: 1 foot above base flood elevation. Fill setback beyond foundation: At least 10 feet. Fill lift depth before compaction: 1 foot maximum. Open foundation vent height limit: 1 foot above grade. Vent opening area: 1 sq in per sq ft enclosed.

Building below the required flood protection elevation is a violation of Sec. 8-509's permitting requirements, enforced the same way as any Article X violation: ten days' written notice under Sec. 8-513, then possible circuit court injunction and the general Sec. 1-8 code penalty per day of continuing violation. A variance that lessens the required protection triggers a mandatory written warning under Sec. 8-511(2) that flood insurance premiums can rise as much as $25 per $100 of coverage and that the applicant must acknowledge the added risk in writing.

This is one of the stricter rules in Joliet's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

Flood Zones

Anyone developing land in Joliet's special flood hazard area, in either the Will County or Kendall County portion of the city, must get a development permit from the city manager before starting work, under the Joliet Special Flood Hazard Areas Development Ordinance.

Key details: Permit issuer: City manager. Governing article: Ch. 8, Art. X (Sec. 8-500 et seq.). Will County FIRM date: February 15, 2019. Kendall County FIRM date: January 8, 2014. Notice before enforcement: 10 days written notice.

Sec. 8-513 makes failure to comply with a permit or variance condition a violation. After ten days' written notice, an owner who has not corrected the violation can be taken to circuit court for an injunction, and is separately subject to the general Sec. 1-8 code penalty for each offense, with each day of continuing violation counted as a separate offense. The city may also record a notice of violation against the property's title, and the city manager must warn the owner that a willful violation may cause a standard flood insurance policy to be suspended.

This is one of the stricter rules in Joliet's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

Erosion Control

Grading, filling, or excavation inside a mapped floodway in Joliet must follow the soil erosion and sedimentation control criteria in City Code Section 8-507(5)k. Natural vegetation can't be cleared more than 15 days before work starts, exposed soil needs stabilization within 15 days of reaching final grade, and sediment-control devices like filter fences and check dams must go in before major grading begins.

Key details: Scope: grading, filling, excavation in the floodway. Vegetation clearing limit: 15 days before construction. Soil stabilization deadline: 15 days after final grade. Vegetated buffer: at least 25 feet along channels. Reference standard: Illinois "Green Book" / Urban Manual.

Under Section 8-513, the city manager or designee who finds a violation must notify the owner in writing. If the owner doesn't correct it within 10 days, the city can seek a circuit court injunction, apply the general penalty set in Code Section 1-8 for each offense, and treat every additional day the violation continues as a separate offense. The city may also record a notice of violation against the property's title and warn the owner that flood insurance coverage could be suspended.

Stormwater Management

Joliet requires a detention facility with controlled release for new nonresidential construction over 5 acres, new residential development over 10 acres, and any site reaching 60 percent impervious cover. City Code Section 31-204 sizes these facilities to the 100-year storm using the rational method and caps outflow near natural, undeveloped runoff rates, with the Director of Public Works reviewing every design.

Key details: Nonresidential trigger: over 5 acres. Residential trigger: over 10 acres. Impervious-cover trigger: 60% or more. Design storm: 100-year frequency, rational method. Release cap: near natural, undeveloped runoff rate.

Section 31-204 ties compliance to the building permit: subsection (h) blocks permit issuance until the Director of Public Works confirms the design meets the detention and release standards. If an owner lets an approved facility deteriorate and it threatens public health or safety, subsection (e) authorizes the city to go to court and recover, from the owner, every dollar it spends restoring the facility to the plans the city originally approved.

The Bottom Line

Joliet is tougher than many cities when it comes to environmental rules. Out of the 4 rules covered here, 2 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in Joliet, take the time to understand these requirements before they become a problem. Most violations come with fines, and some repeat violations can escalate.

These rules come from Joliet's publicly available municipal code. For complete penalty schedules, exemption details, and answers to common questions, see the individual ordinance pages throughout this guide.