Des Plaines requires property owners to maintain trees so that branches do not obstruct sidewalks, streets, or sight lines. Parkway trees between the sidewalk and curb are city-owned and must not be pruned by residents without permission.
Under Des Plaines City Code, property owners must trim private trees so branches maintain at least 8 feet of clearance over sidewalks and 14 feet over public streets. Trees obstructing traffic signs, streetlights, or driver sightlines must be pruned to restore visibility. Parkway trees in the strip between sidewalk and curb are owned and maintained by the city's Public Works Department, and residents may not prune, remove, or treat them without prior approval. Removal of healthy private trees may require a permit depending on size and species under any applicable tree preservation rules. The city responds to dead, hazardous, and storm-damaged tree complaints. Contact Public Works at (847) 391-5464.
Failure to trim trees as required may result in citations of $75 to $250 and city-ordered trimming at owner expense. Unauthorized work on parkway trees may result in fines of $100 to $1,000 plus replacement costs.
Des Plaines, IL
Des Plaines regulates amplified music under Title 6, Chapter 6 of the City Code. Amplified sound plainly audible at 75 feet during daytime, or audible at the...
Des Plaines, IL
Outdoor music in Des Plaines falls under Title 6, Chapter 6's amplified-sound provisions. Backyard gatherings with amplified music must comply with the 10 PM...
Des Plaines, IL
Des Plaines City Code Title 12 (Zoning) and Title 8 (Building) require residential driveways to be paved with approved hard-surface materials and meet width ...
Des Plaines, IL
Des Plaines prohibits feeding deer, coyotes, raccoons, and other wild animals that creates a nuisance or attracts dangerous wildlife. Bird feeding is general...
Des Plaines, IL
Des Plaines City Code prohibits keeping horses, cattle, swine, sheep, goats, and other livestock in all residential and most commercial districts. Only tradi...
Des Plaines, IL
Des Plaines is not located in any wildfire hazard zone. As a fully developed Chicago suburb in Cook County, the City has no wildland-urban interface designat...
Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Cook County.
See how other cities in Cook County handle tree trimming.
See how Des Plaines's tree trimming rules stack up against other locations.
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