Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions2018-06-19T07:04:49-05:00

 Village of odell-FAQS

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Do I need to inform anyone when I want to do a landscape project that requires digging?2013-10-18T11:02:02-05:00

Yes. Anyone planning to do an outdoor project that requires any type of digging, regardless of depth or project size, should call JULIE at 800-892-0123 or 811 before they or their contractor begins to dig. The type of projects that require a call to JULIE include; decks/patios, fences, trees/shrubs, mailbox, swing sets, room additions, gardens, fountains, swimming pools, tents and landscaping.

If JULIE is not contacted before construction begins and you damage underground utilities you will be responsible for damages.

Who do I call to report a power outage?2013-11-05T16:56:49-06:00

Power coming into the village is maintained by ComED.  You can contact them @ 1-800-334-7661

You can also see their Power outage page for more information here

Who do I call to report a problem with a street light out or turning on and off?2016-11-25T07:36:28-06:00

Contact the Village @ 815-998-2133 or you can also email us here

What form of payment do you accept for permits?2016-11-25T07:36:28-06:00

We accept cash, a personal check made payable to the Village of Odell

If I hire a contractor to do my work, who is responsible for obtaining the permit?2013-10-17T09:09:16-05:00

The homeowner or the contractor can obtain the necessary permit(s) for the project but it is the homeowner’s responsibility that a permit is obtained.

What happens if I don’t get a permit?2013-10-17T09:07:49-05:00

If you are working without a permit, inspectors will order all work stopped and have any contractors leave the jobsite immediately. Permit fees will double and work cannot begin again until a permit is issued.

What is the cost of a permit?2018-06-19T07:12:04-05:00
  • For the first $3,000.00 of work to be done, $10.00
  • For the work involving more than $3,000.00, an additional $2.00 for each $1,000.00 over $3,000.00 to $75,000.00
  • For work involving more than $75,000.00, an additional $3.00 per $1,000.00 for each $1,000.00 over 75,000.00.
Do I have to pay the permit fees when I apply?2013-10-17T09:01:07-05:00

No. Your permit fees are due at the time the permit is issued. The village will contact you when your permit has been approved and when you can pick it up.

Can I start any of my construction project work before my permit is approved?2013-10-17T08:59:44-05:00

We require applicants to wait until the permit has been issued before starting any construction. If the project involves demolition, please contact the Building Department to request authorization to proceed under these circumstances.

When do I need a permit?2013-10-17T08:58:42-05:00

A building permit is required for all new construction including buildings, fences, sheds, decks, gazebos, pergolas, patios, sidewalks, driveways, irrigation systems, pools, and hot tubs.
A building permit is also required for existing structures where the work to be done is regulated by a code. For example, any changes or replacement of water or gas piping, wiring, heating and central air conditioning systems, or water heaters require a permit. Work that affects the structure of any wall, door or window opening, roof element, etc., as well as replacement of windows, doors and permanent exterior coverings such as roofing and siding requires a permit

If you have any questions about whether a permit is required, please contact the village.

How do I get a survey of my property?2013-10-17T08:55:32-05:00

If you do not have a plat of survey for your property you will need to contact a land surveyor to have one prepared. The Village of Odell does not provide surveys for private property.

There is water bubbling up in my yard. What should I do?2018-06-19T07:16:23-05:00

Bubbling or pooling water can indicate a service leak or a water main break. Contact the Water Department at 815.998.2133 between 7 a.m.and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. If this occurs after hours, call the non-emergency Police Department number at 311.

How long does the Plan Commission review process take?2013-10-16T20:50:41-05:00

The goal for the Planning Division is to completely process Plan Commission applications in 8 to 12 weeks. A single review letter incorporating all of staff’s comments is forwarded to the applicant approximately 4 weeks after the original submittal. If revisions are requested, the applicant should respond to staff’s comments and submit revised plans within 10 days in order to remain within the 8 to 12 week time frame. If additional revisions are required, the applicant submittal and staff review process will continue until the documents are deemed sufficient for Plan Commission consideration. Once the application documents are in order, the request is forwarded to the Plan Commission for consideration.

Do I have to get a permit when altering my property?2013-10-16T20:48:48-05:00

A building permit is required when any substantial alteration is proposed.

What if I accidentally break a CFL in my home?2013-10-16T20:40:22-05:00
1.What if I accidentally break a CFL in my home?
CFLs are made of glass and can break if dropped or roughly handled. Be careful when handling a bulb, and always screw and unscrew the bulb by its base (not the glass). Never forcefully twist a CFL into a light socket. In the event of breaking a CFL, you can clean it up through the following procedures:Note: Intact used bulbs can be recycled at most Home Depot and Ace Hardware locations. Broken CFL’s are not accepted and must be disposed of at a hazardous household waste facility.

* Do not use a vacuum cleaner to clean up the breakage. This will spread the mercury vapor and dust throughout the area and could potentially contaminate the vacuum.

* Keep people and pets away from the breakage area until the cleanup is complete.

* Ventilate the area by opening windows, and leave the area for 15 minutes before returning to begin the cleanup. Mercury vapor levels will be lower by then.

* For maximum protection and if you have them, wear rubber gloves to protect your hands from the sharp glass.

* Carefully remove the larger pieces and place them in a secure closed container, preferably a glass container with a metal screw top lid and seal like a canning jar. A glass jar with a good seal works best to contain any mercury vapors inside. Other jars that can be made of glass and also work are pickle, peanut butter and applesauce jars. Not ideal but also a good choice for containing breakage is a heavy duty No. 2 plastic container with either a screw lid or push-on lid such as a joint compound bucket or certain kitty litter-type containers.

* Next, begin collecting the smaller pieces and dust. You can use two stiff pieces of paper such as index cards or playing cards to scoop up pieces.

* Pat the area with the sticky side of duct tape, packing tape or masking tape to pick up fine particles. Wipe the area with a wet wipe or damp paper towel to pick up even finer particles.

* Put all waste and materials into the glass container, including all material used in the cleanup that may have been contaminated with mercury. Label the container as “broken lamp.”

* Remove the container with the breakage and cleanup materials from your home. This is particularly important if you do not have a glass container.

* Continue ventilating the room for several hours.

* Wash your hands and face.

* Take the glass container with to a facility that accepts household hazardous waste (Closest: Naperville Fire Station No.  4, 1971 Brookdale Road. Open every Saturday and Sunday 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. except holidays) If there is no permanent facility near your home, keep the glass container in a safe place until the next one day household hazardous waste collection occurs in your area. Do not take a broken CFL to a retail collection facility.

* When a break happens on carpeting, homeowners may consider removing throw rugs or the area of carpet where the breakage occurred as a precaution, particularly if the rug is in an area frequented by infants, small children or pregnant women.

* Finally, if the carpet is not removed, open the window to the room during the next several times you vacuum the carpet to provide good ventilation.

How high is my grass allowed to grow before I must cut it?2013-10-16T20:35:23-05:00

Grass and weeds must be kept to a maximum of eight (8″) inches in height. This would include along fence lines, in planting beds and on parkways/tree banks.

When is trash pickup?2016-11-25T07:36:28-06:00

Trash is picked up in the AM on Mondays. See our Refuse & Recycling page for complete information.

What is the earliest I am permitted to place my weekly trash for collection?2013-11-05T17:56:41-06:00

What is the earliest I am permitted to place my weekly trash for collection? Collection Cans should be placed out the night before that pickup day. All empty containers / uncollected items should be brought back up next to the house by no later than 8 p.m. that same day.

I have a car that I don’t have plates for, where can I park it?2013-10-16T20:18:06-05:00

Any vehicle that is not currently plated must be kept in a garage no matter the age or condition. Additionally, all inoperable vehicles are required to be stored off site or in the garage.

Where / when can I post my election / political campaign signs?2013-10-16T20:17:08-05:00

With the owner’s consent, election / political signs are allowed on private property only. Any election / political signs found on public property will be removed by city staff and properly disposed of.

Can I run my business out of my house or apartment?2013-10-17T09:14:48-05:00

Any resident is permitted to run a traditional home occupation as long as it does not change the residential character of the neighborhood. Home occupations are allowed as an accessory use in a primary structure and as a special use in an accessory building in residential zoning districts. There should be no outward indication of the home based business, nor shall any signage be posted. Additionally, there should be no employees other than those living at the house and the business must not cause traffic or parking problems.

There shall be no exterior display, exterior sign, no exterior storage of materials, no other exterior indication of the home occupation or variation from the residential character of the principal building or any accessory building, and no offensive noise, vibration, smoke, dust, odors, heat or glare shall be produced, nor shall such home occupation create a parking or traffic problem.

Finally, only one (1) vehicle associated with a home occupation may be parked at/in front of the residence at any one time.

What types of animals am I allowed to keep and how many?2013-10-16T20:14:38-05:00

What types of animals am I allowed to keep and how many? Any household is allowed a total of four domesticated animals. This can be any combination of cats and/or dogs. However, there are certain animals that are not permitted to be kept (i.e. potbellied pigs, horses, fowl).

 
Where am I supposed to post my address numbers?2016-11-25T07:36:28-06:00

For reasons of life safety (such as the ability of fire and police personnel to find the location of emergencies), all residential and commercial properties are required to display the assigned address numbers on the building so that they are clearly visible from the street. The numbers are to be a minimum of 5 inches in height, of contrasting color to the mounting surface and within 10 feet of the front door. Script writing (i.e. One-Twenty-Three) does not meet this requirement.

Do I need a business license in the Village of Odell?2013-10-16T20:03:45-05:00

Village code requires certain types of businesses to hold a license.  License regulations can be found in the Odell Village Code under Title XX.

What are permits and why do I need one?2018-06-19T07:10:43-05:00

What are permits and why do I need one?Permits are the way the Village of Odell regulates construction. The permit application review process and on-site inspections ensure that all construction in the Village is safe. The safety of the occupants of buildings is the primary reason for having construction codes. The Village of Odell has adopted the International Residential Code, International Building Code, International Mechanical Code, State of Illinois Plumbing Code, and the National Electrical Code. There are also federal, state and local laws that govern construction.

Obtaining the permit is just the first step toward completing your project. During this step, you may need to submit plans to the department, provide copies of your plat of survey showing proposed improvements, and the type of construction you will be doing. Please check the appropriate information above to help you through this process.

Once plans are approved the permit is issued and you will be required to build the project according to the approved plans. If any changes are made to the plans, they must be approved by the Division before the work is performed.

Obtaining a permit and passing inspections ensure that the work complies with applicable codes. If you plan to sell your home or building, the Division maintains a permit and inspection record for your property. Prospective buyers will be able to review the permit issuance and inspection records.

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