Waukegan, IL Tree Protection: Protected Tree Species (2026)

Article XIX of the Waukegan Code, governing utility construction in the public rights-of-way, singles out certain trees for extra protection. Section 14-1167(c) states that 'the city may require that special measures be taken to preserve specimen trees or trees of special significance,' which 'may consist of higher poles, side arm extensions, covered wire or other means,' so an electric or telecom utility can't just trim or route around a significant tree however is cheapest. The same section requires any utility other than an electric utility to get a separate tree-trimming permit before pruning trees in the right-of-way, and bars poor pruning that leaves trees 'damaged or misshapen'; the city can cancel that permit and seek damages, calculated using 'the formula developed by the International Society of Arboriculture,' for any tree that's extensively damaged or removed without authorization.

Section 14-1167(d) separately bans any utility from spraying, injecting, or pouring chemicals on or near trees, shrubs, or vegetation in the city for growth, insect, or disease control, unless the city engineer agrees no other practical method of vegetation control exists. During construction, § 14-1166(a)(1)(e) requires that any bored facility located within the drip line of a tree the city has designated for preservation go under or around the tree's root system rather than through it, protecting the root zone even when the work itself is otherwise routine.