Schaumburg, IL Building Safety: Anti-Mansionization (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Village Code § 154.52
- Plan required
- Site, architectural, tree, grading, and utility plans
- Review body
- Plan commission public hearing required
- Tree threshold
- 4 caliper inches deciduous, 5 feet evergreen
- Sidewalk repair
- Developer pays; both sides on corner lots
- General penalty
- $100 to $50,000 per day, § 10.99
Summary
Schaumburg regulates single-family tear-downs under Village Code § 154.52: builders must file a full tear-down and replacement plan, protect trees four caliper inches or larger, and get plan commission approval at a public hearing before a new house replaces the old one on the lot.
(B)Design Guidelines: Neighborhoods which exhibit the greatest potential to experience tear downs were generally built with single-story homes. Where a tear down is two (2) stories or greater, care should be used in the design of the new house in order to coordinate with the surrounding neighborhood. Design features which visually break up the front of the house and deemphasize height should be used. Examples of break up techniques are: One-story front porches; compatible horizontal window placement; compatible roof pitch; and garage door placement and sizing which does not overwhelm the front of the house.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 56 Update 1 | Policy Manual: Supplement 20).
Full Breakdown
41 before construction can proceed. The plan must include five components: a site plan, architectural plans covering every side of the new house, a tree and landscape preservation plan, a grading plan, and a utility plan showing water and sewer lines. 135. New construction must also meet the zoning ordinance, the subdivision and land development ordinance, and the building code, though the village board can approve variations reviewed in detail and with great care to protect the surrounding neighborhood. Where a replacement home is two stories or taller, the code pushes for design features that break up the front facade and de-emphasize height, such as one-story front porches, compatible roof pitch, and garage doors sized so they don't overwhelm the front elevation.
Builders or their contractors, not the village, bear the cost of repairing any sidewalk frontage damaged during construction, including both street frontages on corner lots. Construction noise and hours must also conform to the village's separate noise ordinance provisions.
Violations & Fines
Schaumburg's Village Code has no standalone fine schedule for § 154.52; violations of the tear-down and replacement plan requirements fall under the Code's general penalty clause, § 10.99, which sets a fine of not less than $100 and up to $50,000, with each day a violation continues charged as a separate offense. The community development department can also withhold the building and demolition permits needed to start work until an approved plan is on file.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Schaumburg require a special permit to tear down and rebuild a house?
What trees does Schaumburg require builders to protect during a tear-down?
Who pays to fix a Schaumburg sidewalk damaged during a home rebuild?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Schaumburg
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Anti-Mansionization in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Cook County handle anti-mansionization.