Skokie, IL Landscaping Rules: Tree Trimming (2026)

Section 90-41(c) of the Village of Skokie Code addresses trees and shrubs that grow on private property but overhang public space enough to get in the way of the people using it. Any tree or shrub on private property that overhangs a parkway, sidewalk, street, alley or other public place in a way that impedes or interferes with traffic or travel on that public place must be trimmed or removed by the owner or the person in control of the premises where it grows, until the obstruction ends.

The section builds in a notice-and-cure period rather than instant enforcement: after due written notice from the Village, the owner has 10 calendar days to trim or remove the overhanging growth. Only if that 10-day window passes without compliance does the Village Manager or a designee gain the authority to do the trimming or removal directly, and the Village can then assess the cost of that work against the owner or person in control of the property. The 10-day notice period disappears entirely, however, when the overhanging tree or shrub constitutes an imminent threat to public health or safety; in that emergency situation the Village may act first and still assess the owner for the cost afterward.

Section 90-42(g)(1) reinforces the underlying duty during construction work, requiring anyone doing construction near a parkway tree to place guards around it, and Section 90-42(i) separately requires a Village Manager permit before any person may trim, cut, break or otherwise interfere with a tree or plant growing in a Village street, parkway or public place, so the removal obligation under 90-41(c) does not license unpermitted cutting beyond what is needed to clear the obstruction.