Mount Prospect, IL Landscaping Rules: Tree Trimming (2026)

Section 9.712 of the Mount Prospect Village Code puts the duty on the owner of the premises where a tree or shrub grows. Any tree or shrub on private property that overhangs a sidewalk, street or other public place and impedes or interferes with traffic or travel must be trimmed so the obstruction is eliminated. Shrubs must be kept entirely clear of sidewalks. Tree limbs cannot project over the sidewalk at a height of less than eight feet (8') above the sidewalk or fourteen feet (14') above the street pavement.

Sight triangles carry a stricter clearance. Within a sight triangle, the area from three feet (3') to six feet (6') above the top of the curb, or the edge of the pavement on a street with no curbs, must stay free and clear of any obstruction, including shrubs. A single stemmed tree counts as an obstruction only if its trunk, measured six inches (6") aboveground, exceeds three inches (3") in diameter and the lowest growth from its branches is lower than six feet (6') above the top of the curb or edge of pavement.

The Village serves a notice, and the owner must correct the problem within thirty (30) days. If the owner does not, the Village reserves the right to prune or remove the vegetation and bill the owner for the cost. Subsection B applies the same thirty day approach to a tree likely to fall on or across a public way, and the Village can act immediately when the risk of injury or damage is imminent.

Trees in the street or parkway belong to the Village, and section 9.710 governs them. Pruning or removing branches from any public tree requires a permit from the director of public works. A contractor must carry liability insurance and have an arborist certified by the International Society of Arboriculture oversee the work. Topping a public tree is unlawful as a normal practice. American elm and oak trees on public property cannot be pruned during the growing season except to alleviate an imminent hazard.