Lake County UDO caps residential building height at 35 ft or 2.5 stories in R-1/R-2 districts. Lake Forest limits height to 30 ft in estate zones; Highland Park restricts ravine and lakefront heights to protect view corridors along Lake Michigan.
Lake County UDO Section 8.2 establishes maximum structure heights: 35 ft or 2.5 stories in R-1, R-2, and R-3 residential districts, measured from average finished grade to the midpoint of the highest pitched roof (or highest point of a flat roof). Chimneys, antennas, flagpoles, church steeples, and mechanical equipment screens may exceed the limit by up to 10 ft per UDO Section 8.2.C. Municipal standards vary: Lake Forest Code Ch. 159 limits R-3 residences to 30 ft and R-4 estate lots to 40 ft with strict ridgeline controls; Highland Park Code Ch. 150 caps R-6 at 30 ft with additional bluff-protection overlays for Lake Michigan lots; Libertyville Title 16 allows 35 ft in R-5; Gurnee permits 35 ft in R-1; Waukegan Title 10 allows 35 ft in R-5 but higher limits in commercial and downtown redevelopment zones. Height variances require Zoning Board of Appeals review under 65 ILCS 5/11-13-5.
Exceeding height limit: stop-work order. Correction requires lowering roof or securing variance approval. Fines $100-$1,500 per day of violation. Completed structures exceeding height may be ordered demolished or modified at owner expense.
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See how North Chicago's structure height limits rules stack up against other locations.
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