Oak Lawn enforces weed control in conjunction with the Illinois Noxious Weed Law (505 ILCS 100), requiring property owners to destroy designated noxious weeds such as ragweed, Canada thistle, and common burdock. General weed height is capped at 8 inches.
The Illinois Noxious Weed Law (505 ILCS 100) designates certain invasive and harmful plants as noxious weeds that property owners must control, including common ragweed, giant ragweed, Canada thistle, musk thistle, marijuana (cannabis), perennial sowthistle, Johnson grass, and kudzu. Oak Lawn's local property maintenance code reinforces these requirements and adds a general weed and grass height limit of 8 inches. Property owners receive a notice of violation with a short cure period (typically 7 days) to cut, pull, or chemically treat noxious weeds. If non-compliance continues, the village may contract removal at owner expense and assess fines. Wild cannabis plants must be removed promptly. Poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac on property accessible to the public must also be controlled. Contact Code Enforcement at (708) 499-7830.
Failure to destroy noxious weeds after notice results in village-contracted removal billed to the owner, typically $150 to $500, plus administrative fees. Fines of $100 to $500 per offense may also apply. Persistent wild cannabis or poison ivy violations can trigger daily accruing fines.
Oak Lawn, IL
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Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Cook County.
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