Cicero, IL Tree Protection: Parkway Planting (2026)
Key Facts
- Approving official
- Commissioner of forestry
- Applies to
- All town-owned property incl. parkways
- Planting standard
- ANSI A300 / ANSI Z60.1
- Adopted
- Ord. No. 19-25, March 11, 2025
- Owner duty after planting
- Water, fertilize, mow parkway
Summary
Cicero requires the commissioner of forestry's approval before anyone plants, trims or removes a tree or shrub on town-owned property, including the parkway strip, and mandates ANSI nursery and pruning standards for that work.
(a)No person except the commissioner of forestry or a contractor hired by the town may perform any of the following acts without first obtaining approval from the commissioner:(1)Plant on town-owned property, spray, fertilize, prune, remove or otherwise disturb any tree or shrub located on town-owned property, except that this subsection shall not be construed to prohibit owners of property adjacent or appurtenant to town-owned property from watering without approval any tree or shrub located on such town-owned property...(b)Standards.(1)The town hereby adopts the most current edition of the American Standard for Nursery Stock (ANSI) A300 Tree Care Standards as guidelines for the planting, care, maintenance, and pruning of trees.(2)All trees shall be selected from certified nurseries and in accordance with the most recent edition of the ANSI Z60.1.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 121).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 102-63 places tree planting and maintenance on town-owned property, which includes the parkway strips fronting private lots, under the exclusive control of the commissioner of forestry, a role held by the superintendent of public works under Sec. 102-62. No person other than the commissioner or a town-hired contractor may plant, spray, fertilize, prune, remove or otherwise disturb a tree or shrub on town property without first obtaining the commissioner's approval; the rule specifically carries an exception letting adjacent property owners water a parkway tree without approval.
The same approval requirement covers placing tree wells, installing aboveground or belowground containers, and making sidewalk cuts near trees. Sec. 1 standard. Once trees are planted, day-to-day parkway upkeep shifts to the adjoining property owner: Sec. 102-64 makes the owner or person in control of property contiguous to the parkway responsible for watering and fertilizing parkway trees and for the routine care of the parkway lawn, including watering, weeding and mowing. This planting-and-maintenance framework was rewritten in its entirety by Ord. No. 19-25 on March 11, 2025, replacing the prior division dating to a 1960 ordinance.
Violations & Fines
Planting, trimming, removing or otherwise disturbing a parkway tree without the forestry commissioner's prior approval is a violation of Sec. 102-63, enforceable by the commissioner (the superintendent of public works). The code does not print a stand-alone dollar fine for this specific section; violations of this chapter's provisions are pursued through the town's general code-enforcement process, and repeat unauthorized work can result in the commissioner ordering restoration and denying future approvals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I plant a tree in the parkway in front of my Cicero house myself?
What planting standards does Cicero require for parkway trees?
Who takes care of a parkway tree after it's planted in Cicero?
Who runs Cicero's parkway tree program?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Cicero
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Parkway Planting in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Cook County handle parkway planting.