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.
Under the Homeowners' Native Landscaping Act (765 ILCS 167/10), an association cannot prohibit residents from planting Illinois native species as long as the area stays predominantly free of weeds, invasive species, and trash and does not extend onto neighboring properties, sidewalks, or streets. Associations may adopt reasonable rules but cannot impose height restrictions or block proper maintenance. Statewide, native prairie and pollinator gardens are protected. Separately, McHenry County's Stormwater Management Ordinance requires vegetated buffer areas around Waters of the United States and Isolated Waters of McHenry County - generally 30 to 100 feet - kept in native vegetation. Municipal eight-inch weed limits still apply to genuinely unmanaged growth.
Native gardens themselves are protected from association bans. However, a landscape that is not maintained - overrun with listed noxious weeds or invasive species - can still be cited as nuisance greenery under local weed ordinances.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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McHenry County Conservation District sites are open to the public only from sunrise to sunset, or as posted. No one may enter or remain in a conservation sit...
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The McHenry County UDO requires new permanent residential lighting to be positioned so the bulb or polished reflective surface cannot be seen directly throug...
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The McHenry County UDO requires new permanent commercial or industrial lighting to use a fully shielded fixture positioned so the bulb or reflector cannot be...
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Small garage-sale yard signs are exempt from permitting under the McHenry County UDO. A larger temporary structural sign is capped at one per street frontage...
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Yard signs are an exempted sign type under the McHenry County UDO and need no permit. Any exempted or temporary sign may display a noncommercial (political) ...
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McHenry County has no separate tiny-home category. A tiny home can only be a legal second dwelling if it qualifies as an ancillary dwelling unit under the UD...
See how McHenry County's native plants rules stack up against other locations.
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