Mount Prospect, IL Homelessness & Encampment Rules: Sit-Lie Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Village Code § 23.101(B), items 10, 11 and 12
- Entrance rule
- Loitering, sitting or standing that unreasonably obstructs an entrance
- Public way rule
- No obstruction of any type except temporary barriers or warning signs
- Fine per item
- $100.00 in Appendix A, Division III
- General offenses range
- $100.00 to $1,500.00 for each offense (§ 23.116)
- Enforced by
- Mount Prospect Police Department
Summary
Section 23.101 of the Mount Prospect Village Code reaches sitting, standing and obstruction in three ways. It bars loitering, sitting or standing around the entrance of a church, theater, public building or other place of public assemblage so as to unreasonably obstruct it, bars hindering, annoying or molesting people on a public way, and bars placing an obstruction on a public way. Each item carries a $100.00 fine.
B. Disorderly conduct shall be committed by any person when he either: 1 ... ... 0. Hinders, annoys or molests persons passing along any street, sidewalk, crosswalk or other public way; or 11. Loiters, sits or stands around the entrance of any church, theater, public building or other place of public assemblage, in any manner so as to unreasonably obstruct such entrance; or 12. Places or erects upon any public way an obstruction of any type except temporary barriers or warning signs placed thereon for the purpose of safeguarding the public against any hazard; or
Full Breakdown
Section 23.101 opens with a general prohibition: it is unlawful for any person to disturb the peace and quiet of the Village or any portion of it by disorderly conduct. Subsection B then lists the ways disorderly conduct is committed, and three items govern who can sit, stand or place things in public space in the Village of Mount Prospect.
Item 10 covers a person who hinders, annoys or molests persons passing along any street, sidewalk, crosswalk or other public way. Item 11 covers a person who loiters, sits or stands around the entrance of any church, theater, public building or other place of public assemblage. The qualifier printed in the Code is that the conduct must be done in a manner as to unreasonably obstruct such entrance. Item 12 bars placing or erecting upon any public way an obstruction of any type. The only exception in the text is for temporary barriers or warning signs placed there for the purpose of safeguarding the public against any hazard.
The Mount Prospect Police Department enforces the section. Item 4 adds a dispersal rule: where three (3) or more persons are committing acts of disorderly conduct in the immediate vicinity, and those acts are likely to cause substantial harm or serious inconvenience, annoyance or alarm, a person who fails to observe a lawful order of dispersal from an officer commits disorderly conduct. Item 2 separately covers a person who resists or obstructs an officer in an authorized act within the officer's official capacity, and item 7 covers resisting an officer of the Village Police Department in the discharge of his duties.
Penalties are set outside the chapter text, in Appendix A, Division III of the Village Code. Each of items 10, 11 and 12 is listed there at $100.00. Section 23.116 sets the fine range for offenses under the general offenses article at not less than $100.00 nor more than $1,500.00 for each offense. The Village Board adopted the disorderly conduct text by Ord. 2218 in 1970, with amendments in 1984 and 1992.
Violations & Fines
Each of items 10, 11 and 12 of Section 23.101(B) carries a $100.00 fine in Appendix A, Division III of the Village Code. Section 23.116 sets the general-offenses range at not less than $100.00 nor more than $1,500.00 for each offense. A person who ignores an officer's lawful dispersal order, or resists or obstructs the officer, faces separate disorderly conduct charges listed at $100.00 each.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it illegal to sit on a sidewalk in Mount Prospect?
What is the fine under the Mount Prospect loitering and obstruction items?
What counts as an obstruction of a public way?
What happens if police order a group to disperse?
Sources & Official References
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