Skokie, IL Noise from Specific Sources: HVAC & Mechanical Noise (2026)

Skokie Village Code Sec. 118-66 governs air conditioning condensers together with electric generators. Sec. 118-66(a) requires a permit for the installation or replacement of the unit, so a homeowner cannot swap in a new condenser without Village sign-off. Sec. 118-66(b) prohibits locating the unit in a required front yard or in a side yard that faces a street, keeping condensers out of view from the public right-of-way in the most visible yard positions. For lots with a detached or two-unit multifamily residence, Sec. 118-66(c) adds two more conditions: the unit must be installed at grade level under paragraph (1), not elevated on a platform or roof mount, and it must sit at least 6 feet from any lot line under paragraph (2).

These placement rules work alongside the general obstruction rules for required yards: Sec. 118-59(d)(1) separately confirms that air conditioning condensers complying with Sec. 118-66 are a permitted obstruction in a rear yard, and Sec. 118-59(e)(1) allows them in a side yard on the same terms alongside window and through-the-wall units. Because Sec. 118-66 folds condensers and generators into one section, a single permit application covering either type of equipment must meet the shared siting rules in subsections (a) and (b) before the equipment-specific conditions in (c) apply.