Cicero, IL Environmental Rules: Stormwater Management (2026)
Key Facts
- Trigger
- Any runoff-increasing new construction or addition
- Design storm
- 100-year NWS rainfall for storage sizing
- Release cap
- Pre-development 3-year storm rate
- Small-project exemption
- Single-family under 5 acres
- Approval authority
- Town Engineer
- Default fine
- $50.00-$750.00 per day (Sec. 1-12)
Summary
New construction, building additions and any development that increases runoff in Cicero must provide stormwater detention with a controlled release rate, calculated under Metropolitan Water Reclamation District procedures. The town engineer must approve all plans before construction starts, per Town Code Sec. 38-146, with exemptions for small projects in Sec. 38-147.
(a) A combination of stormwater detention and controlled release rates for stormwater runoff is required for all new construction, additions to existing structures or appurtenances, and any additional development or change or use which will increase the volume of stormwater runoff over that which existed prior to the proposed development... (b) The release rate of stormwater runoff for new construction shall not exceed the volume of stormwater that would run off the entire subject site in its natural undeveloped state for a three-year rainfall intensity. ... Sec. 1-12(a): Whenever in this Code or in any town ordinance any act is prohibited... where no specific penalty is provided, the violation of any such provision of this Code or any ordinance shall be punished by a fine of not less than $50.00 and not more than $750.00. Each day any violation of any section of this Code or of any ordinance shall continue shall constitute a separate offense.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 121).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 38-146 requires stormwater detention and a controlled release rate for all new construction, additions to existing structures, and any development or change of use that increases stormwater runoff beyond what the site produced in its prior condition. Detention and release calculations must follow the procedures of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, as amended from time to time, and each development must discharge at the approved release rate into an existing or proposed natural stormwater outlet. The town engineer reviews and must approve all plans, calculations and specifications before any construction can begin.
The maximum release rate for new construction cannot exceed what the entire site would have shed in its natural, undeveloped state during a three-year rainfall intensity; for additions or a change of use, detention is required only for the newly developed portion adding runoff beyond the natural condition. Storage volume is sized for a 100-year frequency rainfall published by the National Weather Service. Sec. 38-147 exempts single-family residential projects under five acres, multi-family residential projects under one-third acre, and nonresidential projects under one-third acre, plus large nonresidential projects of 500,000 square feet or more if the town engineer recommends it, though the engineer can still require partial detention if outlet capacity is inadequate.
Drawings and calculations go to the town engineer in quadruplicate, and sewer connection permits are also governed by the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District's Manual of Procedures, with the stricter of the two sets of rules controlling.
Violations & Fines
Article IV sets no fine of its own, so violating Sec. 38-146 or Sec. 38-147, such as building without town engineer approval of detention plans or exceeding the approved release rate, falls under the Code's general penalty at Sec. 1-12: a fine of not less than $50.00 nor more than $750.00, with each day the violation continues counted as a separate offense, plus nuisance-abatement authority for the town.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does every new house in Cicero need stormwater detention?
Who approves stormwater plans in Cicero?
What happens if a developer skips required detention?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Cicero
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Stormwater Management in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Cook County handle stormwater management.