Landscaping Rules in Oak Park, IL (2026)
6 verified landscaping rules for Oak Park, Illinois, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Tree Trimming
Oak Park treats trees and shrubs that block sidewalks, streets, streetlights or sightlines as public nuisances. Branches overhanging a clear sight area must be trimmed to at least 7 feet, and owners get 30 days' notice before the Village trims and liens the property.
Oak Park Tree Clearance Over Sidewalks, Streets
Some RestrictionsOak Park Village Code §§ 25-1-5, 25-1-6, 25-1-8
Any tree or shrub or portion thereof whether located on Village owned property or on private property which obstructs the reasonable free passage of pedestrian or vehicular traffic or which obstructs a streetlight; ... Overhanging Branches Of Trees And Bushes: Branches of trees and bushes overhanging in the clear sight area shall be trimmed to a height of no less than seven feet (7') from the g...
Tree Removal & Heritage Trees
In the Village of Oak Park, Cook County, Illinois, no one but the Village Forester or a Village-hired contractor may cut, damage, remove, or transplant a tree on Village-owned property, including parkway trees, without written approval under Village Code Section 25-1-4. Removal of trees on private property is governed instead by the separate Zoning Ordinance, not this section.
Oak Park Parkway Tree Removal Approval
Some RestrictionsOak Park Village Code § 25-1-4
A. Scope Of Requirement: No person except the Forester, an agent of the Forester or a contractor hired by the Village, may perform any of the following acts without first obtaining written approval from the Forester: ... ... 5. Damage, cut (including roots), tap, carve or transplant any tree or shrub located on Village owned property; ... ... D. Granting Approval For Removal And Maintenance Of ...
Weed Ordinances
Oak Park caps weeds and grass at 8 inches on any lot in the Village. Owners who ignore a cutting notice face Village-ordered mowing, a weedkiller spray lien on the property, and citations from five separate Village departments.
Oak Park Weed and Grass Height Limit
Some RestrictionsOak Park Village Code § 20-7-14, § 20-7-15, § 20-7-19, § 20-7-20
20-7-14: ILLEGAL TO ALLOW GROWTH OF WEEDS: ... It is hereby declared to be illegal for the owners of real estate to refuse or neglect to cut weeds when such weeds shall have reached a height in excess of eight inches (8"). For the purpose of this article only, the term weeds shall include grass. ... 20-7-20: ... PAYMENTS TO AVOID PROSECUTION, PENALTIES: Any person may avoid prosecution for the ...
Water Restrictions
From May 15 through September 15 each year, the Village of Oak Park, Cook County, Illinois, limits outdoor watering to an odd-even schedule tied to street address, and bars lawn sprinkling from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., under Village Code Section 26-5-6. The Director of Public Works and Chief of Police enforce it, with fines under the Village's general penalty schedule.
Oak Park Odd-Even Outdoor Watering Rule
Some RestrictionsOak Park Village Code § 26-5-6
A. The outdoor use of water from and after May 15 of each year to and including September 15 of each year shall be limited on Monday through Friday of each week to real property with even numbered street addresses on even numbered days of the month and to real property with odd numbered street addresses on odd numbered days of the month. ... No person shall conduct lawn sprinkling between the h...
Native Plants
Oak Park's Property Maintenance Code exempts cultivated gardens, including beds planted or naturally recruited with native plants, from the Village's 8-inch weed height limit, as long as the bed is intentionally grown and cared for rather than left wild.
Oak Park Cultivated Garden, Native Plant Rule
Few RestrictionsOak Park Village Code § 7-13-2
Cultivated Garden. An area of land in which plants, other than turf grasses, are intentionally grown and receive care such as mulching, watering, pruning, or the removal of noxious plants. Plants within a cultivated garden may be installed or naturally recruited, as may occur with native plants. ... Section 302.4 Weeds. All premises and exterior property shall be maintained free from weeds or p...
Composting
Oak Park residents may keep a backyard compost pile for yard waste and compostable kitchen scraps under Village Code section 20-7-2, but garbage other than vegetable waste and untreated animal excreta are barred as ingredients, and an unmanaged, un-aerated pile can be declared a public nuisance subject to abatement.
Oak Park Backyard Composting Rules
Light RestrictionsOak Park Village Code § 20-7-2
COMPOST PILE: A portion of a property set aside for the purpose of encouraging the rapid decomposition of yard and vegetable waste into compost. The compost pile must show signs of active management and is not meant to store or dump waste. ... Yard and compostable kitchen waste ... may also be used in a compost pile. Garbage (excluding compostable kitchen waste) and untreated animal excrement a...
Looking for Cook County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Oak Park city rules.
Landscaping Rules in Cook County →