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Rock Island County, IL Property Maintenance: Property Blight (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Governing section
§ 90.01, County Code
Notice required
30 days before prosecution
Maximum fine
$500, § 90.99(B)
Applies to
Unincorporated county only
Notice methods
Sheriff, Zoning Dept., or certified mail

Summary

Rock Island County makes it unlawful under § 90.01 to cause, permit, or maintain a nuisance on any property in the unincorporated county. Before prosecuting, the Sheriff, a Zoning Department officer, or certified mail must notify the owner, and the county must wait 30 days after notice before filing charges, per § 90.02.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Rock Island County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

§ 90.01 NUISANCES. It shall be unlawful for any person or corporation to cause, permit, or maintain the existence of any nuisance upon any property, public or private, under the ownership, leasehold, or control of such person or corporation in the unincorporated area of the county. ... (B) No prosecution shall be commenced until 30 days after the defendant has been notified of the existence of the violations, and directed to abate the same.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2025 S-1: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ord. 2024-12-A, passed 12-17-2024; and State legislation current through 2024 Illinois Legislative Service, Pamphlet #6).

Full Breakdown

01 bars any person or corporation from causing, permitting, or maintaining a nuisance on property they own, lease, or control in the unincorporated area, the only part of the county the county government has zoning and code authority over. 02 builds in due process before that ban can be enforced: notice of an alleged nuisance must reach the owner, lessee, or occupant either in person from the Sheriff or a deputy, in person from the Zoning and Building Department's administrative officer or a representative, or by certified mail with return receipt, and no prosecution can begin until 30 days after that notice directs the recipient to abate the condition.

04 makes overgrown weeds on parcels of five acres or less a nuisance the Health Department Administrator can order cut, with the county billing the owner and filing a lien with the Recorder of Deeds if the owner does not pay within ten days. Because these are unincorporated-area rules, they run alongside, not instead of, blight and property-maintenance codes that Rock Island, Moline, and other cities in the county enforce separately within their own limits.

Violations & Fines

Violating §§ 90.01 through 90.03 is punishable by a fine of not more than $500 under § 90.99(B), and once 30 days have passed from the notice that the nuisance continues, each additional day it persists can be prosecuted as a separate violation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can the county cite me for a blighted property without warning?
No. Section 90.02 requires notice from the Sheriff, a Zoning and Building Department representative, or certified mail before any nuisance case can proceed, and the county must wait 30 days after that notice before filing a prosecution.
What counts as a nuisance under the county's property code?
Section 90.01 covers any nuisance a person or corporation causes, permits, or maintains on property they own, lease, or control in the unincorporated county, and the same chapter separately names inoperable vehicles and overgrown weeds as specific nuisance conditions.
How much can I be fined for an unabated nuisance?
Section 90.99(B) sets a fine of not more than $500 for violating §§ 90.01 through 90.03, and once the 30-day notice period has run, each day the nuisance continues can be charged as a separate violation.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Rock Island County

All Rock Island County rules

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