Skokie, IL Landscaping Rules: Weed Ordinances (2026)

Section 42-39 of the Skokie Village Code defines 'weeds' broadly: any volunteer herbaceous plant that is not cultivated or useful for human food or enjoyment and that exhales an unpleasant or noxious odor in blossom, or any high or bank growth that can conceal debris or become a fire hazard when dry. The definition specifically folds ordinary lawn grass into that category once it is 'permitted to attain a growth of more than 6 inches,' which is the operative height limit for every improved residential lot in the Village.

Subsection (b) declares any weeds meeting that definition a public nuisance and makes it unlawful for an owner or person in control of a plot of ground to permit their growth, extending the duty to front and rear yards, the parkway between the property line and the curb, and any strip adjacent to a public right-of-way in an alley. When an inspector finds a violation, Sec. 42-39(c) requires the Village Manager or designee to send notice by certified mail, personal service, or posting on the property, giving the owner 5 days from mailing, posting, or service to cut the growth.

If the 5-day window passes without abatement, Village crews or a contractor may enter the property, cut the weeds, and charge the cost back to the owner or person in control. Subsection (d) lets the Village record that cost as a lien against the real estate, superior to every encumbrance except tax liens, provided the notice of lien is filed with the Cook County Recorder of Deeds within 60 days of the cost being incurred, and the lien only binds a later mortgagee or judgment creditor who acquired their interest after that filing.