Frequently Asked Questions

The Community Development Department is responsible for administering zoning and development codes to ensure orderly development and redevelopment within the Village. The Community Development Department is divided into two divisions: Planning, and Building and Safety. Department staff reviews plans, issues permits and performs the necessary inspections to ensure adherence to proper construction and design codes. The department is further responsible for health, housing, and property maintenance inspections to protect the health and well being of residents.

The flood map is created, and designation is determined, by the Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA). Please view the FEMA Flood Map here.

No. The Village of Schiller Park on December 20, 2018 (Ordinance 18-4109) prohibited short term rental units located in residential zoning districts. This prohibits Airbnb and other similar uses in the Village.   

Ordinance 18-4109 is available here. Anyone who violates the provisions of the ordinance is subject to fines up to $750 per day. 

The Village’s Code contains provisions which specify the acceptable uses that are permitted on one’s property. The range of uses and structures allowed differ based on the zoning type, e.g. commercial versus residential zones. For more information, please search for land use and zoning provisions under each zoning classification within the Village Code of Ordinances. 

Pursuant to Section 155.2302 of the Village Code, the zoning category of a certain property can be located by using our zoning map.

If you are planning to buy or rent commercial property for your business and will operate your business in Schiller Park, it is required to obtain a business license. For more information, please visit our Business License Page. 

Pursuant to Section 155.305 of the Village Code, home-based businesses are permitted in the Village if they adhere to all of the following requirements: 

• Is operated in its entirety within the residence and only by the person or persons maintaining a dwelling therein 
• Does not have a separate entrance from outside the building 
• Does not display or create outside the building any external evidence of the operation of a home occupation 
• Does not utilize more than 20% of the gross floor area of the dwelling unit, not to exceed 300 square feet in area 
• Does not have any employees or regular assistants in the dwelling unit 
• Does not utilize mechanical or electrical equipment other than the type normally found in the single-dwelling unit 
• Does not involve the sale of commodities upon the premises

The letter should clearly state when, where, and why there is a public hearing. In most cases, it is because a neighbor has requested the Village grant a variance, conditional use, property zone change, or other request from the Zoning or Building Code for their property. For any questions, please call Community Development at 847-671-8555. 

The Zoning, Planning, and Appeals (ZPA) Commission holds public hearings for Variances, Planned Unit Developments, Text Amendments, Subdivisions, and other land use issues. The ZPA meets the second Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. on the 2nd floor of Village Hall at 9526 Irving Park Road.  

When considering a request, the ZPA considers its standards as outlined in the Village Code, the petitioner’s proposal and public input, and then makes a recommendation to the Board of Trustees. For more information about the Zoning Review Process, please visit our Zoning Review Page. 

Whether or not a certain property is located in a flood plain or flood zone can be determined by viewing our FEMA Flood Map and using the color-coded system (residences in red areas are in the new floodplain. Please drag the grey vertical bar to the left to view the new floodplain map). Alternatively, the current FEMA Flood Map can be viewed in person by visiting the Community Development Department at 4501 25th Avenue during normal business hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Please call Community Development at 847-671-8555 if you have any questions. 

All applications for building permits are submitted online via Community Core.

The fee schedule is attached: Permit Fee Schedule

The Village does not survey private property or maintain plats of survey, but you can submit a Freedom of Information Act ("FOIA") Request to see if the Village possibly possesses a plat of survey for your property.  

There is a possibility that a plat of survey was given to you when you purchased your property, so you may want to check your own personal files.  

Even if you or the Village has a Plat of Survey for your property in its files it may not be a recent plat of survey and therefore it may not be acceptable to be submitted as part of a zoning application or building permit application. 

If a recent plat of survey cannot be found, it may be necessary to call a state-licensed surveyor to undertake a new survey. 

• Department (847-671-8555/ CD@schillerparkil.us). Please note that plan review times may be impacted by staff workload or unforeseen projects.

To learn more click HERE

• Yes, a building permit is required.  Click the box on the permit application form indicating that the Homeowner is Contractor.  
• Comply with all applicable Building Codes and Village Ordinances
• Schedule and pass all required inspections

Click HERE for the building permit application page!

• Permits are reviewed by the Community Developement Department staff in the order they are received. 
• An applicant can expect either requested revisions from the Village, or for the application to be advanced to the next step in the application process through Community Core, within 7-10 business days of any submitted or updated application.

Click HERE to be taken to the building portal application page!

The Fire Department bills directly to an insurance company for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) requiring transportation to a hospital. A resident should rarely see any charges from the Fire Department, and will never be charged for any calls concerning fire-related incidents or calls for service.

When an emergency vehicle approaches with its lights and sirens on, please pull to the right and stop your vehicle, even if in the left lane, when it is safe to do so. If it is not safe to do so, stop your vehicle and wait for all emergency vehicle traffic to pass. Please do not pull into an intersection if you are at a traffic light or stop sign.

This is likely because the call was a multiple unit response, and another arriving unit radioed back to the others that their response was not necessary or did not warrant the dangers of responding with lights and sirens.

There are so many things we can all do to improve safety. A few examples are learn CPR, acquire a fire extinguisher and become familiar with its proper use, make a fire exit plan for your home and practice exit drills, know at least two ways out of every room, have a safe meeting place outside, learn first aid, and maintain a disaster supply kit. For more information, please visit our Fire Department page here.

The Fire Department offers CPR classes when a sufficient amount of residents enlist in a class. This class is $25.00 for Village residents and $35.00 for non-residents. Please call the Fire Department at 847-678-5136 to be placed on the waiting list for the next class.

Yes, they do. It is called the Schiller Park Firefighters Association (SPFA), and can be contacted through their

Yes they do - it is called the Schiller Park Fraternal Order of Police ("FOP") Lodge 170. If you receive a phone call claiming to be from the Schiller Park Police soliciting donations, and you are concerned it may not be legitimate, please contact Lodge 170 so they can verify that they were soliciting donations.

The hours of operation for the Police Records office are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Copies of reports are available, subject to the Freedom of Information and Privacy Acts. A written request must be submitted via letter, email, or you can fill out a form available at the Police Department. You may also download the request form here. The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) allows five working days to respond to the request.

Accident reports can be obtained online through LexisNexis at ecrash.lexisnexis.com. Click on “Register for an Involved Party Account” and follow the prompts. For customer assistance, please call the LexisNexis support line at 866-215-2771.

For questions regarding red light violation notices received by mail, please click here to view our Red Light Enforcement Program page. You may also call 866-562-4125.

Curfew applies to anyone under 18 years of age. The hours curfew is in effect are 10:30 p.m. to 6 a.m. on Sunday through Thursday, and from 11:30 p.m. until 6 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. Parents and guardians cannot give permission to minors to violate curfew hours. Illinois drivers' licenses for juveniles ages 17 and under are not valid after curfew.

If you see some activity you find suspicious in nature, please dial 9-1-1 as soon as possible. Please explain the problem, the location, and the description of the individuals or vehicles involved, and Schiller Park Police will respond as quickly as possible. Please be aware that you may call anonymously.

No, but the Fire Department has a qualified Child Safely Seat Technician who can assist in proper installation of your child seat. For more information, please click here.

Yes, the Village has a grant program for single-family, two-flat, and three-flat owner occupied homes to install a check valve device. This program provides a resident a grant of 50% of the cost up to a maximum of $1,500. For more information on this program, please view the program application here.

There are a number of reasons why your water bill may have increased. One would be that you used more water than in the past. Have you added people to your household? Have you filled a swimming pool or watered your lawn or plants recently? Another possibility is that you have a leak in your pipes or fixtures (primarily toilets), which may account for increased usage. While the interior pipes and fixtures are ultimately the resident's responsibility to maintain, the Village has a water leak flyer that contains helpful information and suggestions.

The minimum bill is 6,000 gallons every two months. You can see current water rates by visiting our Water Rate Information Page here.

The Department of Public Works is available to repair water main breaks 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you know of a possible water main break during business hours, please contact the Village Hall at 847-678-2550. After business hours, please call the non-emergency number for the Police Department at 847-678-4794.

One option is to conserve water within your home. This can be as simple as not running the water constantly when washing the dishes or brushing your teeth. Another option would be to water your plants/lawn less often. You can often save water by checking for and dealing with leaks by using a licensed plumber.

One simple leak checking option is to use die strips or tablets in your toilet tank (do not flush) and wait to see (maybe 10 minutes) if the color migrates into your bowl on its own. Die strips are available for free at the Village Hall, or you standard food coloring can be used instead. You can also find helpful tips in the Village's Water Leak Flyer here.

It is necessary for the Village to periodically raise water rates to account for regular increases in costs, which typically includes water rate increases that the City of Chicago imposes. The Village acquires all of its water from Chicago. The Village regrets that rate increases are necessary, but failing to increase our rates when Chicago does so would force the Village to cut services. It is important to remember that no taxes are used to operate the water system; all water fund revenue is derived from user charges.

Yes, direct debit is available of Water and Sewer Bills. This service allows customers to have their bill automatically paid electronically from their bank account on the account due date. For more information and to sign up, view our Automatic Payment Plan Packet here.

Yes. To pay your bills online, please visit our online payments page here.

Garbage collection is provided free of charge for single-family, two-unit, and three-unit residences throughout the Village. Details about this program can be found by viewing the Garbage Collection Program Brochure. Larger multi-family residential buildings (i.e. condo and apartment buildings), commercial, and industrial buildings need to secure their own pickup using a Village-licensed company. Please contact the Village at (847) 678-2550 for a list of approved contractors and for any service issues, or submit a request using Online Service Request Form here. 

Flood Brothers collects the garbage from the entire Village on Tuesdays, except in weeks where there is a one of six major holidays (New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day) that falls on a Sunday, Monday, or Tuesday, in which case the collection is made on Wednesday. Regular garbage, recyclables, and yard waste (during the season) are all collected on Tuesday but with separate trucks. Garbage and Recycling Carts need to be at the curb by 6:00 AM to ensure pickup. More details about the Village’s garbage collection program can be reviewed by clicking here to view the Garbage Program Brochure.

The Village adopted Ordinance No. 25-4480, establishing an exclusive contract with Flood Brothers Disposal Co. for the collection of refuse, recyclable materials, and yard waste from all single-family homes, small multi-family residences (2-3 units), and multifamily properties (4 units or more) Program Brochure.

Yes, the Village offers recycling of numerous varieties every week. Each residence has its own recycling cart that can loaded with all kinds of recyclable materials. This cart is smaller than the regular garbage cart and has a yellow top. It is also marked "Recycling Only." This cart can only be used for recyclable material which are defined here. Details about what materials can be recycled can be found by viewing the Garbage Collection Program Brochure or the Flood Brothers recycling page here. You can download and print out a copy of the garbage collection program brochure using that link or you may pick one up at the Village Hall.

Yes, the Village has a free program for electronics recycling with a drop off point behind the Village Hall in the rear of the Village parking lot in a cargo container. Please put your item(s) in the large cardboard boxes. The drop-off is openfrom 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM from Monday-Friday. You can find more details on this program by reviewing our electronics pickup materials here. Flood Brothers will also pickup electronics items for a fee if you do not wish to drop them off at the free Village site. If you are interested in curbside pickup of up to six items for $30.00 please contact Flood Brothers at (630) 261-0400.

Yes. Generally, Flood Brothers will pick up large "bulk" items, such as a piece of furniture, a mattress, and/or an appliance, free of charge if they are left out during garbage pickup day. It is better (but not required) for you to call Flood Brothers at least 24-48 hours ahead of time at (630) 261-0400 if you have a particularly large item (requiring at least two people to move) or a significant number of "bulk" items. If Flood Brothers does not pickup your item(s), please contact the Village at (847) 678-2550 so that we can further assist you. 

Appliances such as refrigerators, stoves, freezers, dish washers, washers, dryers, etc. are considered "white goods" and are picked up free of charge but you need to call Flood Brothers at least 24 hours in advance to schedule a pickup.

For additional information, please visit Flood Brothers website here.

Yes, Flood Brothers will take a mattress. It is preferred that you wrap it with plastic sheeting or a plastic bag before you put it out at the curb or alley but this is not required. Appropriate bags or sheeting can be obtained for a limited cost at a home improvement store or a local hardware store. You may also pickup a mattress bag for free at the Village Hall during normal business hours.

Yes, you may request an extra garbage or recycling cart for your residence by calling Flood Brothers at (630) 261-0400 and paying the required fee of $30.00 per extra cart per year.

It is illegal to put snow from your driveway onto the street. This action directly violates local ordinances and creates a hazard and interferes with the Village's snow plowing operations. Please pile your snow next to your driveway or in the parkway next to the street.

Yes, the Village has a program for seniors where the Village arranges for a private contractor to remove the snow from a senior's driveway, front walk, and/or public sidewalk after a snowfall of two inches or more. To be eligible for this program, all the following criteria must be satisfied:

- Be a senior (65 or older).

- Have a note from your doctor indicating you are not able to engage in snow removal.

- Have no one else living in the home who is physically able to engage in snow removal.

The deadline for signing up for the program is approximately mid-November each year. Please reach out early to get your application sent to you.

Please keep in mind that the hired private contractors often plow at night. The cost varies by the services requested (driveway, sidewalk, path to garage, etc.). The Village will bill you for the snow removal by mail. For interested seniors who would like to enlist in the program, please contact the Village Hall at 847-678-2550 to ask for registration materials to be mailed or emailed to you.

The Village decides whether to plow and/or salt the streets based on a variety of factors including the current weather conditions and the weather forecast. In order to plow there needs to be 1 inches or more of snow but lesser storms might result in road salt application. The Village is committed to keeping all of our streets safe and passable. Click on the link here to view complete details on the snow route regulations.

The Village sweeps all the streets in town generally twice per month during the period April - November. The sweeping is done on the second and fourth Monday and the second and fourth Wednesday of the month. On Monday the even number addressed side of the street is swept and on Wednesday the odd number addressed side of the street is swept. The only exception to this is that in July and August the streets are swept only once - on the 2nd Monday and 2nd Wednesday. Signs are posted on each block prohibiting parking on the side of the street that will be swept that day. Failure to obey these signs may result in a parking citation. The street sweeping schedule for the year is included in the free calendar available at the Village Hall to assist residents with keeping track of the schedule.

Yes, it is a violation for Village ordinances to park on the street the day a street is scheduled for street sweeping. In order to ensure the Village is able to do a good sweep of a street all vehicles need to be out of the way. All Village streets are marked with signs indicating which day the street will be swept as a warning. Please cooperate with the Village and move your cars on street sweeping day.

Piling leaves in the street would directly violate Village ordinances. Street sweepers are not designed to handle a large volume of leaves, and doing so can damage the sweeper. Additionally, piling leaves in the street would also limit the performance of our sewers, as they would clog the sewer intakes and inhibit proper drainage. To properly dispose your leaves, please follow the procedures for yard waste disposal, i.e. using garbage cans labelled "yard waste" or biodegradable paper bags on garbage pickup day.

Yard waste pickup is handled by Village garbage contractor Flood Brothers and is picked up on Tuesdays, along with residents’ regular trash and recycling pickup. Yard waste must be displayed in 32-gallon containers marked with at least two Village yard waste stickers or in biodegradable paper bags which are folded at the top. Yard waste such as branches must be in bundles that are no larger than 4 feet in length and 2 feet in diameter (individual branches cannot be greater than 3 inches in diameter). Bundles of branches must be tied with biodegradable twine may be left at the curb with your yard waste cans. Bundles of branches must be 45 pounds or less in weight.

The Village of Schiller Park’s Brush Collection Program begins at the end of March each year. Please reference the Village calendar to see the exact date. It is not necessary to call for brush collection or to create a Customer Service Request. Brush must be placed at the curb by 7:00 am every Tuesday. Any brush/branches that are not taken as part of the normal yard waste pickup by the Village garbage contractor Flood Brothers on Tuesday will be mulched by the Public Works crews starting on Wednesday morning at 7:00 am. It may take the Public Works crew more than one day to complete pick-up. Preparation •Branches are to be neatly placed curbside with the cut ends toward the street. Unorganized or tangled brush piles will not be collected and the resident will be asked to re-stack the pile. • Only branches from trees and bushes (up to eight inches in diameter at the cut end) will be eligible for pick-up. •Branches may be any length, though the ends must be cleanly cut with no attached root systems. •Items larger than eight inches in diameter, materials such as construction wood, branches with nails or spikes, wooden fence pieces/doors, firewood logs, rose bushes, poison ivy, small hedge/ evergreen trimmings, and yard rakings cannot be mulched and must be disposed of by the resident through other means. •Brush pick-up at any one residence will be limited to approximately 100 square feet of front area along the parkway (approximately six feet high by 17 feet long). •Contractor generated brush will not be collected.

Yard Waste pickup begins on the first Tuesday in April and lasts through the last Tuesday in November. Details on the specific begin and end dates can be found in the Village Calendar.

Branch Pickup begins on the first Wednesday in April and lasts until the final Wednesday in November.

Yes. The Village of Schiller Park is a partner in service with the Northeast DuPage Special Recreation Association (NEDSRA), which offers year-round recreation to adults and children with disabilities. To learn more about NEDSRA programs, please call them at 630-620-4500, or please visit their website here.

Yes, the Recreation Department has a facility for rent. The Schiller Park Activity Center, located at 9630 W. Irving Park Rd. and directly east of the Recreation Center, is available to rent for parties, meetings, and other uses. It will comfortably accommodate groups of up to 50 people. Details about the renting the activity center and a copy of the rental form can be found in the Facilities Module here.

Schiller Woods is part of the Forest Preserve District of Cook County. For more information, visit their website here.

If vandalism is seen being committed, please contact the Police Department at 847-678-4794, and please do not attempt to approach the vandals. For broken or unsafe equipment, please report it to the Recreation Department at 847-671-8580. You may also report it by submitting our Contact Us Form here.

The office hours of the Recreation Center are Monday - Friday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. However, the building is open extended hours for those using the fitness center or participating in other activities. For more information about the Recreation Center please visit the Facilities Module here.

Residents can pay $10 for a calendar year membership pass (residents only) or a $2 daily fee. Nonresidents are required to pay a $4 daily fee.

The Recreation Department offers a variety of leisure opportunities for residents of different ages and various abilities. For detailed information about programs, classes, activities, and events, please review the most recent Recreation brochure here.

The Recreation Center is located at 9638 W. Irving Park Rd, Schiller Park, IL.

Cancellations are often due to low enrollment. To help avoid this situation, please consider registering early for any program you are interested in.

Yes. Please click here to view the Village Code.

Yes, the Village has an active and vibrant Historical Commission comprised of dedicated volunteers. They are always looking for volunteers to help them with their efforts. For more information, please visit the Historic Commission Page or please call the Historical Commission at 847-671-8513.

Yes, the Village has a monthly email newsletter that can be subscribed to. To subscribe for the newsletter or view past issues, please visit our Village Newsletter Page.

Yes, credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express) are currently accepted at all Village offices. Payments are not accepted over the phone. Online payments of water bills and vehicle stickers using a credit card are now available. For more information, view our Online Payments Page.

As of the 2020 Census, 11,709 people live in Schiller Park . The next census is scheduled for 2030, and a new population number will be determined after that tally is complete.

If your street is controlled by the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) (i.e. Irving Park Road, Mannheim Road, Lawrence Avenue, or River Road), please contact IDOT at 800-452-4368. If your street is a Village street, please call the Public Works Department by calling 847-671-8554, or complete and submit a Contact Us Form.

Please call the O’Hare Noise Complaint Hotline to register your complaint at 800-435-9569. You may also register your complaint online.

Yes, permits for garage sales are required. Each garage sale is limited to three consecutive days. There is no cost for a permit, but residences are limited to two garage sales per year. If interested, please complete our Garage or Yard Sale Permit Application.

Yes, Leyden Township maintains one and offers other types of assistance as well. Please call Leyden Township at 847-455-8616 or visit their website.

Yes, heating payment assistance is available to Village residents through the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). You can access information for this program by visiting the Nicor Gas website.

The Village is not involved in setting your property tax rate, but does receive approximately eighteen percent of your property taxes. Most property tax issues are handled by the Leyden Township Assessor’s Office or the Cook County Assessor. For more information, please visit the Leyden Township Website.

The Village Hall is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday. The Village Hall is located at 9526 West Irving Park Road on the north side of the street, just east of the railroad viaduct. Our phone number is 847-678-2550.

Per our Village Code (VC 30.012), the following holidays are observed and all Village Offices will be closed: New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, Friday after Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day.

When any of the above holidays listed falls on a Saturday, the preceding Friday will be observed. When any of the above holidays falls on a Sunday, the following Monday will be observed.

The Village accepts cash, checks, and Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express credit cards. The Village Hall drop box for payments can only be used by those paying with a check. Payments are now accepted online for vehicle stickers, water bills, and parking tickets. Please note that payments with credit cards are not accepted over the phone. For payments made online, please visit our Online Payments Page.

For your safety, please leave the animal and let nature take its course. It is illegal to try to take care of the animal, as a license to care for wild animals is required.

In the event where there is still interest in helping the animal, please click here for information on rehabilitation resources that are available in this area. Leyden Animal Control will not assist in dealing with wild animals unless they are trapped in an approved cage under the Village trapping program.

Welcome to the Village of Schiller Park! The Village has welcome packets available at the Village Hall that contain a large amount of helpful information. Please visit the Village Hall to obtain one. If preferred, one can be mailed to your address for free, or please call 847-678-2550 to request one. Please be aware that it is required to purchase the appropriate amount of vehicle stickers. Please view our New Resident Welcome Letter.

Please view our Basement Flooding Handout (currently being revised - check back soon).

The Clerk's Office is the designated municipal office in the Village where the required legal notices regarding foreclosure proceedings should be sent. The address is:

Office of the Village Clerk, Foreclosure Notifications

9526 W Irving Park Road

Schiller Park, IL 60176.

Yes - the Village has a Community Map Viewer (GIS - Geographic Information System) that is available for the public to use. Click here to view the map. There are lots of tools such as aerial photography for many years, measuring tools, and links to Cook County data.

The Village does not have stamp or inspection requirements on residential property transactions. 

Most foreclosures have outstanding water bills and/or grass cutting charges. These charges need to be paid either by the seller or the buyer. Please call the Village Hall at 847-678-2550 for information before you buy the property to ensure you know what obligations you may be inheriting.

The Village does not have stamp or inspection requirements on residential property transactions. Instead, we have a move out/ final water bill form that can be filled out by the old tenant or the relator HERE.

Current and past Village Budgets are available on our Financial Transparency Page.

Yes. The last several reports, also called "audits," can be viewed by visiting our Financial Information Page.

Every owner of any residential rental property in Schiller Park is required to participate in the Village Crime Free Housing Program.

Landlords are required to attend an eight hour seminar only once. Landlords will be required to attend a 30-60 minute refresher course every three years.

Please contact Officer Anna Surtel, the Crime Free Housing Coordinator, at 847-671-8567, or send an email to: Asurtel@schillerparkil.us.

Yes. It is required to have all the property's tenants sign one copy of the Crime Free lease addendum. However, please keep those signed copies in your records. Schiller Park does no longer need the tenant-signed copies.

All pertinent documents for the Crime Free Housing Program can be found on the Crime Free Housing Program page here.