Cook County's Land Use Policy Plan and Chapter 102 zoning ordinance set district categories and standards for unincorporated areas, while each suburban municipality maintains its own comprehensive plan and zoning ordinance under Illinois Municipal Code authority.
Cook County Department of Planning and Development administers the Cook County Comprehensive Land Use Policies and the Chapter 102 zoning ordinance covering unincorporated residential, business, manufacturing, and open-space districts. Strategic plans like Planning for Progress, Connecting Cook County, and Fair Housing Equity Assessment guide infrastructure and equity decisions. The county zoning code applies only in unincorporated areas (about 140,000 residents). Each of roughly 130 Cook municipalities adopts its own comprehensive plan and zoning ordinance under the Illinois Municipal Code. CMAP regional plans (ON TO 2050) coordinate transportation and land use across the seven-county Chicago region.
Construction without zoning approval, in the wrong district, or contrary to comprehensive-plan policies triggers stop-work orders, permit revocation, daily fines, and required removal of nonconforming improvements through the Zoning Board of Appeals process.
See how Arlington Heights's specific plans overview rules stack up against other locations.
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