Engineering

Active Sump Pump Recommendations

Learn about different methods for handling overly active sump pumps, while still abiding by Village Code, to  find a solution that works for your property without negatively impacting your neighbors with this Active Sump Pump Recommendations Flyer.

Sump Pump Code Information 

See a Sump Pump code flyer that provides general information and Municipal Code references to homeowners about common drainage sump pump issues for single-family homes.

Public Development Construction Inspection and Systems Design
This unit is responsible for the preparation of plans, construction inspection and layout for all publicly funded municipal system projects, including flood control and road improvements; planning and administering the Village's infrastructure improvement program, including inventory, evaluation and construction; reviewing and approving all plans prepared by consulting engineers engaged by the Village in these activities; and, performing all engineering services for the Board of Local Improvements.

Private Development Construction Inspection and Systems Design
This unit is responsible for reviewing and approving all plans prepared by developers for privately funded municipal system projects and sites to be developed; inspecting the construction of these projects and sites; making bond release inspections; and responding to citizen inquiries on grading problems.

Traffic Engineering
This unit is responsible for the compilation of traffic data for proposed traffic controls; investigating and evaluating requests and needs for traffic safety measures and traffic control devices; reviewing the traffic impact of new development; coordinating the installation of street lighting systems; preparing plans for traffic signal modifications and street lighting systems; coordinating the Village's involvement with proposals for improvements by the Illinois Department of Transportation and Cook County Highway Department; and performing long and short range transportation planning.

To view the most recent traffic study map click here.

• Preparing the plans, doing construction inspection and layout for all publicly funded municipal system projects, including  
• Flood control and road improvements
• Planning and administering the Village's infrastructure improvement program, including inventory, evaluation and construction
• Reviewing and approving all plans prepared by consulting engineers engaged by the Village in these activities and performing all engineering services for the Village's Board of Local Improvements. 
• Review and approve all plans prepared by developers for privately funded municipal system projects and sites to be developed, and to inspect the construction of these projects.  
• Evaluating requests and needs for traffic safety measures and traffic control devices, including:  
• Compiling traffic data for proposed traffic controls, evaluating requests and needs for traffic safety measures, and reviewing the traffic impact of a new development.
• Coordinating the installations/modifications of street lighting systems, and coordinating the Village's involvement with proposals for improvements by the Illinois Department of Transportation and Cook County Highway Department. 
• Working in conjunction with other Departments to make the streets a safe environment for vehicular traffic, pedestrians and bicyclists through engineering solutions.

The property owner owns all of the land including the utility easements. However, utilities have a right to access that portion of land that has been designated a utility easement.

Utility easements are usually created at the time a plat for a new development is designed. Utility easements usually exist along rear lot lines, and can also exist between lots or along the front lot line.

Keeping utility easements clear helps utility companies perform routine maintenance (e.g., replace a pole, sewer maintenance), construct improvement projects (e.g., install a new sanitary sewer), and repair utility lines during emergencies (e.g., remove a tree that has fallen on a power line during a lightning storm.)

Village Code permits fences to be located in an easement with an approved Village permit. The Village encourages residents to extend the fence along the lot line and enclose the utility easement. This allows the easement to be easily accessible to the homeowner and encourage routine lawn care. Fencing off the utility easement creates a “no-mans” land that gets neglected and overgrown with weeds and shrubs. The Village is not responsible for providing lawn/landscaping service in utility easements.

Most Utilities discourage decorative landscaping within the utility right-of-way that would interfere with the utility. Any materials placed within the boundaries of the utility easement are subject to damage and are not the responsibility of the utility companies. Any replacement cost for such damages is at the discretion of the utility company.

The legal Plat of Survey that you received as part of your home purchase should show all of the easements on your property.

Utility easements are strips of land used by utility companies or municipalities to construct and maintain electric, telephone, and cable television lines, water, and sewer lines.