9 rules for unincorporated McHenry County, Illinois.
Verified from official government sources
In Crystal Lake, weeds, grass, or plants other than trees, shrubs, flowers, and ornamentals may not exceed eight inches; taller growth is deemed nuisance greenery the owner must cut. On unincorporated McHenry County land, county nuisance and health rules apply instead.
Crystal Lake Code Ch. 526 (Weeds and Nuisance Greenery Control)
It shall be unlawful for the owner of any property within the City to permit any weeds, grass, or plants, other than trees, bushes, shrubs, flowers, or other ornamental plants, to grow to a height in excess of eight inches.
The City of Crystal Lake owns and maintains all parkway trees in the grass strip between the roadway and sidewalk, so residents may not prune or remove them without Public Works approval. Trimming trees on your own private lot is generally unrestricted unless the tree is protected.
Removing a protected tree in Crystal Lake requires a tree removal permit from the Building Division under the Unified Development Ordinance's Tree Preservation standards. Small single-family lots under three acres created before 2002, nurseries, and approved-plan sites are exempt.
Crystal Lake UDO Sec. 4-300 (Tree Preservation)
It shall be unlawful for any person to cut down, destroy, remove or move, or effectively destroy through damaging, or authorize the cutting down, destroying, removing, moving or damaging of any tree, unless exempted under Section 4-300B of this article or without the appropriate permit.
Crystal Lake Chapter 526 lists noxious weeds - burdock, ragweed, thistle, poison ivy, wild mustard and others - plus any unmanaged vegetation as nuisance greenery. Owners must remove it within seven days of written notice or the City abates the property and bills them.
Crystal Lake Code Ch. 526 (Weeds and Nuisance Greenery Control)
The Director of Community Development or the Director's designee may issue a written notice for abatement of nuisance greenery to the owner of the property upon which such nuisance greenery exists requiring the removal of nuisance greenery within seven days following service of such notice.
Crystal Lake uses a color-coded water-conservation system. During a declared 'Yellow' condition, odd-numbered addresses water on odd dates and even addresses on even dates within limited morning and evening hours; 'Red' bans all outdoor use of city water. Rural well users are not covered.
Crystal Lake Code - Lawns, Watering of
No person shall use water from the City water system for the sprinkling of streets or sidewalks during condition "Yellow" or "Red."
Neither Crystal Lake nor McHenry County prohibits residential rain barrels or rainwater collection, and Illinois has no statewide ban. The McHenry County Stormwater Management Ordinance actively encourages on-site infiltration and volume control; any potable reuse must meet the Illinois Plumbing Code.
McHenry County Stormwater Management Ordinance, Art. I.B (Purpose)
Encourage development in a manner that promotes the orderly, sustainable and cost-effective utilization of land and water resources;
Illinois' Homeowners' Native Landscaping Act bars community associations from banning native-species plantings that are kept free of weeds and don't encroach on neighbors. McHenry County's stormwater buffer areas along waterways must be maintained in native vegetation.
765 ILCS 167/10(a)
An Association shall not prohibit any resident or owner from planting or growing Illinois native species on the resident's or owner's lawn so long as the area is maintained predominantly free of weeds, invasive species, and trash.
Crystal Lake and McHenry County have no ordinance specifically banning or approving residential artificial turf. Installations must still meet Unified Development Ordinance landscaping and setback standards, and large impervious projects trigger McHenry County's stormwater permit thresholds.
McHenry County Stormwater Management Ordinance, Art. IV.A
Any development that results in an additional 5,000 square feet of impervious area from the original effective date of this Ordinance; or, Any development which hydrologically disturbs 5,000 square feet or more;
Crystal Lake collects yard waste and food-scrap compost weekly at the curb from April 1 through November 30. Leaves and grass must go in biodegradable paper bags (plastic is prohibited), under 50 pounds each. Backyard composting is encouraged; open leaf burning is county-regulated.
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