How Tinley Park Handles Landscaping Rules: A Practical Guide

Tinley Park maintains 103 local ordinances across all categories, and 6 of those deal specifically with landscaping rules. Here is a breakdown of what the city actually requires, what is prohibited, and where Tinley Park falls on the strict-to-permissive spectrum compared to other cities.

Water Restrictions

From May 15 through September 15 each year, Tinley Park limits lawn and garden sprinkling to an odd/even address schedule between 7 to 11 a.m. and 7 to 11 p.m. under Village Code Section 50.008(D), with tighter emergency tiers the village can impose on short notice.

Key details: Governing section: Village Code § 50.008(D). Standard season: May 15 to September 15. Allowed hours: 7-11 a.m. and 7-11 p.m.. Schedule basis: Odd/even by street address. Fine range: $50 to $500 per offense.

Sprinkling or irrigating outside the permitted odd/even days and 7 to 11 a.m./7 to 11 p.m. windows, or during a declared Tier I or Tier II restriction, violates Section 50.008. Section 50.999(B) fines any violator not less than $50 nor more than $500 for each offense, with each day of continued violation charged as a separate offense, a higher floor than the general Chapter 50 penalty.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Tinley Park actively enforces its water restrictions requirements.

Tree Trimming

Tinley Park requires the owner of the abutting property, or the property where a tree or shrub grows, to trim back any growth that overhangs a sidewalk or street or sits within ten feet of the street or seven feet of the sidewalk. Village Code § 100.06 also makes that owner remove any limb likely to fall onto a public way.

Key details: Street clearance: 10 feet from street pavement. Sidewalk clearance: 7 feet above sidewalk level. Responsible party: Owner of abutting or growing premises. Fall-hazard limbs: Must be removed, not just trimmed. Sightline hazard notice: 30 days to comply, § 100.07.

Failing to trim a tree or shrub encroaching within ten feet of a street or seven feet of a sidewalk, or failing to remove a limb likely to fall on a public way, is punishable under the Village's general penalty at § 10.99: a fine of $50 to $750, with each day the obstruction remains counted as a separate offense.

Weed Ordinances

Tinley Park caps grass at eight inches tall and declares weeds and overgrown grass a nuisance on any property under Village Code §§ 98.20 and 98.21. Owners get a written notice to cut, and fines start at $250 for a first offense and climb with repeat violations in the same growing season.

Key details: Max grass height: 8 inches, § 98.20. 1st violation fine: $250 minimum. 2nd violation fine: $500 minimum. 3rd+ violation fine: $750 minimum. Growing season: April 1 to November 15.

A first weed or tall grass violation in a growing season (April 1 to November 15) draws a minimum $250 fine under § 98.99(A); a second violation in the same season raises that to a $500 minimum, and a third or later violation to $750. These fines are on top of any cost the village bills the owner for cutting the property itself and liening it under § 98.37.

Artificial Turf

Tinley Park's vacant and foreclosure-property maintenance code expressly lists artificial turf or sod as acceptable ground cover for registrable properties. Village Code § 107.06(D) permits turf alongside grass, mulch, and decorative rock, while banning weeds, gravel, broken concrete, or asphalt as substitutes. The rule targets defaulted mortgage properties under Chapter 107, not every residential yard in the village.

Key details: Governing chapter: Ch. 107, defaulted mortgage property. Turf status: Expressly acceptable ground cover. Banned surfaces: Weeds, gravel, broken concrete, asphalt. Enforcement body: Code hearing officer or Village Board. Adopting ordinance: Ord. 2019-O-018, amended 2019-O-053.

Failure of a mortgagee, owner, or transferee to maintain a registrable property's yard under § 107.06 is a violation subject to a citation or notice of violation, per § 107.06(G). Section 107.10 lets the code enforcement officer temporarily secure a noncompliant property at the owner's or mortgagee's expense and bring the matter before the code enforcement hearing officer, the Village Board of Trustees, or a special magistrate. Under § 107.99, any chapter violation not otherwise addressed is declared unlawful.

Tinley Park is more permissive than most cities when it comes to artificial turf. That said, there are still limits.

Tree Removal & Heritage Trees

Cutting down or removing any tree or shrub growing in a Tinley Park street, parkway, or other public place requires a permit approved by the Director of Public Works. Village Code § 100.02 covers parkway and street trees only; it does not reach trees on private property.

Key details: Covers: Trees/shrubs in public streets, parkways, public places only. Not covered: Trees on private property. Approval authority: Director of Public Works. Planting setbacks: 3 ft from sidewalk, 10 ft from pavement, 25 ft from intersections. Species control: Must be on DPW's approved tree list.

Removing or cutting down a parkway or street tree without the Director of Public Works' approval, or injuring, cutting, or defacing a public tree or shrub under § 100.03, is punishable under the general penalty at § 10.99: a fine of $50 to $750, with each day of a continuing violation treated as a separate offense.

Composting

Tinley Park allows residential composting only inside a freestanding bin capped at 125 cubic feet and five feet tall, with no more than three bins per lot under Village Code § 96.16. Bins cannot sit in a front or corner side yard, must stay clear of odors and rodents, and are limited to landscape waste only.

Key details: Max bin size: 125 cubic feet, 5 feet tall. Bin limit: 3 bins per residential lot. Placement ban: No front yard or corner side yard. Rear yard rule: 10 feet from lot line, 50 feet from street. Penalty: $25 to $500 per offense, § 96.99.

A compost pile or bin kept outside these standards is declared a nuisance under § 96.18, in addition to any fine. Village Code § 96.99 sets a fine of $25 to $500 per offense for violating Chapter 96, and each day a noncompliant bin remains in place counts as its own separate offense, so an unresolved rodent or odor problem can add up fast.

The Bottom Line

Tinley Park's landscaping rules rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Tinley Park is broadly strict or permissive.

This guide is based on Tinley Park's current municipal code. Local rules can and do change, so check the individual ordinance pages for the latest details, penalties, and FAQs.