Cicero, IL Landscaping Rules: Tree Removal & Heritage Trees (2026)

Sec. 102-67, titled simply "Removal," is the operative tree-removal provision in Article III of Cicero's vegetation chapter. It applies specifically to trees located on private property where felling the tree could reasonably be expected to cause it to fall upon or across town-owned property, such as a street, parkway or public right-of-way. Before that felling occurs, the property owner must deposit with the town clerk a liability insurance policy covering bodily injury and property damage, with the coverage amount set by the commissioner of forestry, the official also responsible for the town's broader urban forestry program under Sec.

102-62. This sits alongside two related provisions covering town-controlled trees: Sec. 102-63 requires the commissioner's approval before anyone removes a tree located on town-owned property itself, and Sec. 102-65 requires protective devices around nearby public trees during any building alteration, demolition or excavation work so the trunk, crown and root system are not damaged. The removal rule was part of the wholesale rewrite of Article III, Division 1 adopted by Ord. No. 19-25 on March 11, 2025, which replaced a prior division dating back to Code 1958 and a 1960 ordinance.

The insurance-deposit mechanism functions as Cicero's practical check on private tree removal near public property, shifting risk of damage to town infrastructure onto the felling property owner rather than requiring a separate removal permit fee.