Will County and municipalities (Joliet, Bolingbrook, Plainfield, Lockport) require vacant lot owners to mow weeds/grass over 8 inches, remove debris, and secure structures. Unincorporated areas enforced under Will County Land Use Ordinance; non-compliance triggers abatement with costs liened against the property under 65 ILCS 5/11-20-7.
Under 55 ILCS 5/5-12001 (county zoning) and 65 ILCS 5/11-20-7 (municipal weed abatement), Will County and its municipalities regulate vacant lots to prevent blight, harborage of vermin, and fire hazards. Joliet Code of Ordinances Chapter 17 (Property Maintenance) and Chapter 28 (Weeds/Nuisances) caps grass and rank vegetation at 8 inches; Bolingbrook Municipal Code Title 5 Chapter 18 sets a similar 8-inch limit. Plainfield Village Code §5-7 and Lockport §110-131 require removal of trash, brush, dead trees, and accumulated debris. Unincorporated parcels fall under the Will County Land Use Ordinance (LUO) enforced by Will County Land Use Department. Abandoned or open structures must be boarded per IL Abandoned Housing Rehabilitation Act (310 ILCS 50/). Municipalities provide 7-10 day written notice; on non-compliance the city mows and bills the owner, with unpaid costs recorded as a lien under 65 ILCS 5/11-20-15. Stormwater impacts from vacant lots are regulated by the Will County Stormwater Management Ordinance — erosion from bare parcels can trigger additional enforcement.
Written notice with 7-10 day compliance deadline. City abatement at owner expense ($150-$500 per mow in Joliet; $250+ in Bolingbrook/Plainfield). Administrative fines $75-$750 per offense. Unpaid costs become a lien on the property per 65 ILCS 5/11-20-15. Repeat violations may be prosecuted as ordinance violations in circuit court.
Will County, IL
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Will County, IL
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Will County, IL
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Will County, IL
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Will County, IL
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Will County, IL
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