Glen Carbon Board Updates Ordinance on Grass, Trees, Vegetation and Weeds

By Kathy Turner

The Glen Carbon Board on Tuesday, March 8, unanimously approved Ordinance 2022-4 pertaining to grass, trees, vegetation and weeds in the Village.  On a recommendation of Stacy Jose, Building and Zoning Administrator, the ordinance will take effect immediately.

Jose told the board in written correspondence that her review of the previous ordinance found it not sufficient to properly enforce the property maintenance issues encountered by the Building and Zoning Department.

Specifically, the ordinance identifies the fire, health and safety hazards of accumulation or overgrowth of weeds, cut grasses, uncut grasses, fallen or hazardous trees, and weeds that are identified by Illinois law as noxious.

The ordinance also states that a property owner has a responsibility to maintain their property.  It identifies nuisance grass as any grass, weed or weed trees in excess of eight inches in height.  Hazardous nuisances include any vegetation that can be declared a fire, health, public welfare or safety hazard.  Accumulation is defined as a nuisance when any cutting, removal, severance and/or falling foliage is not removed from the property within 10 days of the occurrence.  Failure to do so will result in a written notice by the department.  Failure to comply within 10 days of the notice will trigger further action by the Village.

Stumps located on property must be removed below the surface of the ground so that the top of the stump does not project above the surface.  Noxious weeds, as identified by Illinois Noxious Weed Law, must be abated on the owner’s property and adjacent right-of-way, regardless of height.

Vegetative overgrowth such as uncultivated bushes, flora, flowers, greenery, herbage, herbs, plant materials, shrubs, vegetables, vines, undergrowth, verdure and other plant materials including their clippings, branches, fruit and/or fallen leaves is identified as a nuisance by the ordinance.  The owner holds responsibility to abate such identified overgrowth.  The department will issue written notices for non-compliance and owners will have seven days after notice to abate all nuisances.

Property owners not complying with written notices from the Village will face several penalties.  The Village will assume the right to correct the problem using authorized agents and employees of the Village.  Should this occur, the Village may then file a lien on the property with the County Recorder of Deeds for the identified costs to the Village to rectify the problem.

In other business, the Village Board approved an agreement with Vandevanter Engineering for the purchase of a spare pump for the Smola Lift Station.  Total cost is $34,561.

The next meeting of the Board will be held on Tuesday, March 22 at 7 p.m.