Elgin, IL Tree Protection: Parkway Planting (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit required
- Department of public works permit before planting
- Guidelines
- Parks and recreation guidelines are not mandatory
- Restoration deadline
- Sod disturbed grass within 30 days
- Guarantee deposit
- 5% of cost or $100, whichever is greater
- Penalty
- $50-$750 general fine per day, § 1.20.020
Summary
Planting a tree or any plant material in an Elgin public right-of-way, including the parkway strip between sidewalk and street, requires a permit from the department of public works first. Placement must follow the director's specifications and approval, and the parks and recreation department keeps non-mandatory planting guidelines the code cross-references throughout its zoning and landscaping sections.
It is unlawful to plant any tree or plant material in any public right-of-way without having first secured a permit from the department of public works. All trees and shrubs so planted shall be placed subject to the specifications and approval of the director of public works.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 7).
Full Breakdown
010 of the Elgin Municipal Code makes it unlawful to plant any tree or plant material in a public right-of-way, which includes the parkway between the curb and sidewalk, without first securing a permit from the department of public works; every planting must also match the specifications and receive the approval of the director of public works. 005, which the code cross-references into the zoning title's landscaping standards. 060 requires written permission from the director of public works before attaching any wire or rope to it.
070). 080 requires the person doing the work to restore the disturbed grass with sod, or seed if the city forester allows, within 30 days of final inspection, and to post a guarantee deposit of 5 percent of the estimated work cost or $100, whichever is greater, refunded once the city forester confirms the restoration; failing to restore within 5 days of written notice lets the city forester do the work and keep the deposit as liquidated damages.
Violations & Fines
Planting without a permit, or planting outside the director of public works' approved specifications, violates § 13.20.010 and is punishable under the city's general penalty ordinance, § 1.20.020, a fine of $50 to $750 with each day treated as a separate offense. Failing to restore a disturbed parkway within the 30-day window forfeits the applicant's guarantee deposit, which the city forester applies as liquidated damages, in addition to any fine assessed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to plant a tree in the parkway strip in front of my Elgin home?
Are the city's tree planting guidelines mandatory?
What happens if my contractor tears up the parkway grass while planting?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Elgin
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Parkway Planting in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle parkway planting.