In response to numerous complaints the Village of Woodridge
has received from residents concerning the maintenance of buildings
and properties within the Village, the Village has determined that
it is appropriate to establish standards for general maintenance of
properties, buildings and structures within the Village to contribute
to the public welfare, safety and good order of its residents and
prevent the creation of blighting conditions, and in order to protect
and preserve the property within the Village of Woodridge.
Within the Village of Woodridge, the following regulations regarding
to brush, grass and weeds shall be applicable:
A. It shall be unlawful for any owner, lessee or occupant, or any agent,
servant, representative or employee thereof, having control of any
occupied or unoccupied lot or land, or any part thereof in the Village:
(1) To permit or maintain on any such lot or land any growth of weeds,
grass or other rank vegetation to a greater height than six inches.
(2) To permit any accumulation of dead weeds, grass or brush, or rotted
or dead trees or brush which have fallen or in the opinion of the
Village Code Enforcement Officer create a potential hazard of falling
if not cut back or removed.
(3) To permit or maintain on or along the sidewalks, street or alley
adjacent to such lot, or land between the property line and the curb,
or between the property line and the traveled parts of such street
or alley where there is no curb, any growth of weeds, grass or other
vegetation to a greater height than four inches.
B. It shall also be unlawful for any person to cause, suffer or allow
poison ivy, ragweed or other poisonous plants or plants detrimental
to health to grow on any such lot or land in such manner that any
part of such ivy, ragweed or other poisonous or harmful weed or plant
shall extend upon, overhang or border any public place or to allow
seed, pollen or other poisonous particles or emanations therefrom
to be carried through the air into any public place.
C. It shall be the duty of any and every owner, lessee or occupant of any lot or land to cut and remove or to kill by spraying, or to cause to be cut and removed or killed by spraying, all such weeds, grass or other rank, poisonous or harmful vegetation as often as may be necessary to comply with the provisions of Subsections
A and
B.
D. If the provisions of Subsections
A,
B and
C are not complied with, the Village, through its Code Enforcement Officer, shall serve written notice, personally or by mail, upon the owner, occupant or any person having control of any such lot or land to comply with the provisions of this chapter. Mailing by regular mail to the owner's address on file in the Village Clerk's office shall be deemed sufficient notice seven days after mailing.
[Amended 11-21-2016 by L.L. No. 5-2016]
(1) If the person upon whom the notice is served fails, neglects or refuses
to cut and remove or cause to be cut and removed such weeds, grass
or other vegetation within seven days after mailing by the Village
Clerk of such notice, the Code Enforcement Officer shall cause such
weeds, grass and other vegetation on such lot or land to be cut and
removed, and the actual cost of such cutting and removal, plus a service
charge of 50% thereof to cover the cost of supervision and administration,
shall be certified by the Code Enforcement Officer to the Village
Clerk, and such certified amount shall thereupon become and be a lien
upon the property on which said weeds, grass and other vegetation
were located and shall be added to and become and form part of the
taxes next to be assessed and levied upon such lot or land and shall
bear interest at the same rate as Village real estate taxes and shall
be collected and enforced in the same manner as such taxes.
(2) The owner, occupant or any person having control over any lot, land
or property found in violation of this provision shall be notified
in writing only once in any given six-month period for a particular
violation. Subsequent violations of a similar nature at the same location
during the same six-month period shall be corrected by the Village
or its agent without notice to the owner, occupant or person having
control of said property. After initial notification, such owner,
occupant or person having control of said property will be presumed
to have been given sufficient notice of a similar infraction for the
entire six-month period.
The following rules and regulations as to closing of retail
establishments shall apply to all retail establishments in the Village
of Woodridge:
A. The retail establishment and surrounding area, i.e., garbage and
dumpster area, shall be left broom clean.
B. Front windows shall be left clean; windows may be boarded up in accordance
with the criteria hereinafter set forth.
C. If boarded up, all openings are to be covered with plywood having
a minimum thickness of 3/8 inch. Plywood must be made to fit evenly
in window and door openings. No overlapping of scrap pieces is to
be used. All plywood is to be painted with tan or beige exterior paint.
If blinds are chosen, they are to be pulled down to the window sill
evenly. Blinds are to be in properly working order and acceptable
in appearance.
D. Except for all permanent signs, all promotional signs and the tape
used to hold these signs in place must be removed from all surfaces.
E. The owners/proprietors shall leave their telephone numbers and addresses
with the Police and Building Departments of the Village of Woodridge
so they might be promptly contacted if necessary.
F. The owners/proprietors shall make arrangements with the Code Enforcement
Officer for a store closure inspection within 10 days of closing and
receive the approval of the Department.
[Amended 4-4-1994 by L.L.
No. 3-1994]
Any person, firm or corporation violating any provision of this
chapter shall be guilty of a violation, punishable by a maximum fine
of $250 or by imprisonment for not more than 15 days, or both, for
each violation. For purposes of this section, each day shall constitute
a separate violation.