Will County, IL Tree Protection: Parkway Planting (2026)
Key Facts
- Planting rate
- 1 tree per 40 ft of frontage
- Per-lot range
- Minimum 2, maximum 4 trees
- Parkway planting
- Needs Road Commissioner approval
- Applies to
- Unincorporated subdivisions only
Summary
New subdivisions in unincorporated Will County must plant one parkway or front yard tree per 40 feet of street frontage, with a minimum of two and a maximum of four trees required per lot.
(A) Parkway or front yard trees are required along all streets at a rate of one tree per 40 feet of street frontage, provided that no lot is required to have more than four parkway or street trees and all lots must have at least two parkway or front yard trees. ... (C) No trees may be planted in the parkway unless written approval has been received from the Road District Commissioner.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2025 S-25: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ordinance No. 24-100, passed 4-18-2024 and Res. 23-387, passed 11-16-2023; and State legislation approved through 2024 Pamphlet #2).
Full Breakdown
Will County Code § 154.231 requires one parkway or front-yard tree for every 40 feet of street frontage in new subdivisions, though no lot must plant more than four and every lot must plant at least two. Existing trees on the lot can count toward the requirement, as can newly planted ones. Trees cannot go in the road right-of-way (the parkway) without written approval from the Road District Commissioner, who sets the planting specifications; where parkway planting isn't approved, the required trees must go in the front yard instead. This subdivision-code requirement applies only to unincorporated Will County. Joliet, Bolingbrook, Romeoville, Plainfield and Lockport administer their own subdivision and street-tree standards.
Violations & Fines
Final plat approval and required-improvement acceptance are withheld until parkway/front yard trees are installed per § 154.231; unapproved parkway plantings can be ordered removed by the Road District Commissioner.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this apply everywhere in Will County?
Can I plant the required tree in the parkway strip?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Will County
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