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Building Inspections and Permits
Dumpsters or containers (like storage PODs) require a permit. There are also special regulations if the dumpster or container will be obstructing the public way. Please review the Dumpster/Container Ordinance under Documents and Forms. There you can also find the Fee Schedule, Dumpster/Container Permit Application, and a list of the Dumpster/Container companies that are currently registered with the Village. Any company delivering a dumpster or container to a property in the Village of Brookfield must be registered and licensed with the Village of Brookfield. If you are ordering a dumpster or container from a company that is not on the updated list, have them contact the Building and Planning Department at (708) 485-7344 option 3.
In order to receive a permit, you must submit a complete Building Permit Application at Village Hall. You will be asked to provide detailed construction information, including drawings, details, and/or a plat of survey. All contractors and subcontractors doing work in Brookfield must be licensed and registered with the Village. Please visit the Building and Planning Forms section for Permit and Contractor License Forms.
Permits are not issued the same day they are received. Permits are reviewed in the order in which they are received. Most permits are reviewed within 3 to 7 business days of submittal. Large projects may take additional time.
Permits are required for most property improvement projects. Permits are generally required for any work that is regulated by the building, electrical, plumbing, fire, or zoning codes. Work requiring permits include, but not limited to: remodels, additions, siding, gutters and downspouts, garages, masonry repairs, roofing work, tuckpointing, porches, decks, patios, sidewalks, driveways, aprons, windows, stairs, railings, parking pads, drywall replacement, HVAC work, electrical work, plumbing work, and fences. Painting and wall covering, flooring, trim work, and minor repairs under $500 do not require building permits. For detailed information on submittal requirements for permits and related fees, please visit the Documents and Forms section.
A permit is legal authority to begin a project and provides the benefit of inspections, which help ensure a project meets accepted minimum standards for safety and durability. Inspections are performed at various stages of a project to ensure compliance with construction codes. Compliance with local codes reduces risks to a level considered acceptable by construction trade organizations, product manufacturers, and insurance companies.
General Questions
Effective January 1, 2016, Brookfield animal licenses are no longer required. Please keep in mind that you still must adhere to all vaccination requirements for your pet.
Effective January 1, 2016, a permit is no longer required for a garage sale. However, regulations for garage sales are still in place.
Garage sales are limited to three consecutive days and only two sales are allowed per person per calendar year. Sales may only be held between the hours of 9 am and 6 pm. Signs are permitted only on the private property at the address where the sale is being held. Failure to comply with garage sale regulations may result in a fine of up to $25.
Garage sales are limited to three consecutive days and only two sales are allowed per person per calendar year. Sales may only be held between the hours of 9 am and 6 pm. Signs are permitted only on the private property at the address where the sale is being held. Failure to comply with garage sale regulations may result in a fine of up to $25.
Planning and Zoning
Unfortunately, the Village does not keep copies of plats of surveys for properties in Brookfield. Check your records from when you purchased the house, or contact a land surveyor to have a new one drawn.
The Village of Brookfield Zoning Ordinance establishes land use classifications and regulates land use, intensity, and bulk in order to protect the health, safety, and general welfare of the community, and to protect neighborhood character and sustainability.
The Village’s Zoning Ordinance is available online and may be found in Chapter 62 of the Village Code. To check what zoning district a property is in, visit the Community Portal.
Police Department
Yes, you may bring the firearm to the police department if you no longer want it. An inventory receipt will be issued to you and after thirty (30) days it will be disposed according to State Statute.
Yes – for further explanation refer to the Village Code of Ordinances on the Village website, Section 54-325.
You may fill out a Freedom of Information (FOIA) request at the Police Department, or e-mail the police department a request for information you are looking for. Illinois State Statute allows five (5) business days to fulfill the request.
Five (5) unpaid tickets will cause your vehicle to be booted.
Ten (10) unpaid tickets will cause the police department to contact the Secretary of State for suspension of your driver’s license.
Unfortunately we cannot give special consideration. If a ticket is issued, contact the police department – records division for your options.
Pay the Fine – pay the initial fine within ten (10) days of issuance; after the ten days a late fee of $20.00 is assessed.
Contest the Ticket – You may contest the ticket by contacting the police department either in person or by telephone (708) 485-8131 and request a hearing date for local adjudication.
Contest the Ticket in Writing – Write a brief explanation as to why you believe the ticket should be dismissed. Include the ticket number, name, address and telephone number. A decision will then be mailed to you.
Contest the Ticket – You may contest the ticket by contacting the police department either in person or by telephone (708) 485-8131 and request a hearing date for local adjudication.
Contest the Ticket in Writing – Write a brief explanation as to why you believe the ticket should be dismissed. Include the ticket number, name, address and telephone number. A decision will then be mailed to you.
Curfew for all persons 16 years old and younger applies as follows: Sunday through Thursday 10:30pm through 6:00am. Friday and Saturday 11:30pm through 6:00am.
Call ComEd at 1-800-334-7661
Property Maintenance
The Village regularly conducts property maintenance inspections to protect the health, safety, and general welfare of the community. You may receive a “hang tag” from one of our inspectors informing you of a property maintenance violation. If you receive a “hang tag,” make arrangements to correct the code violation within the given time frame. Contact the inspector for more information or if you have questions.
If you do not correct your property maintenance violation and contact the inspector with your questions, you will receive a ticket to report to the Village’s Administrative Adjudication Hearing. An administrative hearing is a civil, not criminal, proceeding. Cases filed in adjudication are punishable by fines and can only be appealed in the 4th District Circuit Court of Cook County. You may pay your fines online or in person at Village Hall.
Stormwater
Per the 2015 Stormwater Ordinance, the Village now requires a variety of actions by developers and home builders, including but not limited to:
To complement the Village’s actions, resident are urged to take four cost-effective actions:
- Gutters and downspouts
- Inspect yearly, check that they are in good condition/not obstructed, and ensure that they are extended away from the house (e.g., 2-5 feet away, to lessen ground water saturation near the foundation of the house)
- Disconnect any gutter downspouts that are currently connected to the Village sewer system – Note that disconnections are now mandatory per ordinance, with the requirement in place to mitigate flooding
- In and around the basement,
- Use window well covers to mitigate seepage
- Seal cracks in the basement foundation
- Inspect the condition of your sump pump and consider a back-up or emergency sump pump
- Check grading of the house – Ensure that the ground immediately adjacent to the house (e.g., first several feet) is graded so that it flows away from the house to either the front yard or back yard
- Inspect the roof, particularly if you believe shingles were damaged during the winter (e.g., due to “ice dams” compromising the roof integrity)
- Obtain an inexpensive water barrel (or 2) from the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District. MWRD offers deep discounts at mwrd.org. As mentioned, the Village is working to expand this program for Village residents and offer even greater discounts.
Per the 2015 Stormwater Ordinance, the Village now requires a variety of actions by developers and home builders, including but not limited to:
- Site Grading Plans for new homes, new driveways, and other improvements
- For new improvements (e.g. patios, home improvements, etc.) in excess of 300 square feet, homeowners shall provide storage for a 3” rain event through drywells, rain gardens, infiltration trenches, or other means.
- For new developments, any impervious areas for which it is not possible to achieve positive drainage to a village right-of-way shall provide storage for a 3” rain event through drywells, rain gardens, infiltration trenches, or other means.
- Site Plans for new commercial buildings and multi-family structures and other improvements
- Storage of stormwater is required depending on the size of the construction project, e.g., projects involving 1,500-21,780 square feet (half acre) require storage for a 3″ rain event over impervious area
With powerful storms and “100 year floods” seemingly occurring every year, Brookfield residents are looking for solutions to help prevent or at least mitigate the damage caused by these storms. In response, the Village of Brookfield has recently undertaken a whole range of actions, including a new stormwater ordinance to help – over time – ensure that newly constructed homes and commercial buildings (a) do not aggravate the existing situation and (b) help prevent future property damage. Specifically, the ordinance seeks to reduce “peak flows” during a rainstorm into the combined sewer system and thereby reduce the frequency of basement backups and street flooding.
Other actions are discussed below.
Other actions are discussed below.
Utilities
You are allowed one large item per week at no charge. Please notify Groot that you will have a large item for pickup. Additional large items, or any bags of garbage that do not fit in your toter, must have a garbage sticker attached. Stickers can be purchased at the Village Hall or Tischler’s.
Please complete a Utility Bill Change Request form
Yard waste season runs from your first garbage pickup in April to your last garbage pickup in November. During this time, all yard waste materials can be left in paper bags for your regular garbage pickup day. If you prefer to designate a permanent container for yard waste, labels are available at the Village Hall.
The water charge on your bill is determined by the readings on your water meter. For a single family home, or per unit of a multi-unit building, a bimonthly minimum water charge of $78.70 covers usage up to and including 4987 gallons of water. Any usage above 4987 gallons is charged at a rate of $0.01578 per gallon.
The sewer charge is 27.1% of your water charge, with a bimonthly minimum of $19.08 for a single family home or per unit of a multi-unit building.
Garbage charges are a flat rate charged on every utility bill, which is set based on the Village’s contract with Groot. Annual yard waste fees are equally distributed throughout the year.
If you are selling your property: You will need to complete the Application for Municipal Debt Satisfaction Certificate and submit it to the Finance Department with your $10 application fee at least 7 business days prior to your closing date. Your final water bill will be included in the calculation of debt owed to the Village of Brookfield which must be paid in order to proceed with the property transfer.
If you are a Tenant: You will need to complete the Close Utility Account – Tenant form and submit it to the Finance Department. Your final bill will be calculated based on the meter reading on the final day of your lease and will be mailed to you at the forwarding address you provide.
If you are the Owner of a Rental Property: You will need to complete the Close Utility Account - Owner of Rental Property form and submit it to the Finance Department. Your final bill will be calculated based on the meter reading the day before the start date of your new tenant's lease and will be mailed to you at the forwarding address you provide.
If you are a Tenant: You will need to complete the Close Utility Account – Tenant form and submit it to the Finance Department. Your final bill will be calculated based on the meter reading on the final day of your lease and will be mailed to you at the forwarding address you provide.
If you are the Owner of a Rental Property: You will need to complete the Close Utility Account - Owner of Rental Property form and submit it to the Finance Department. Your final bill will be calculated based on the meter reading the day before the start date of your new tenant's lease and will be mailed to you at the forwarding address you provide.
A garbage brochure is available with detailed information about garbage collection services. If you still have further questions, we recommend that you contact Groot at 708-485-0900
Upon purchasing a home in Brookfield, a postcard will be left at your property on or about the date of closing to notify you that you need to sign up for water service. Tenants who are responsible for water service should receive a postcard on or about the day their lease takes effect.
The postcard will list the amount of the water deposit required to open your account as well as any garbage charges that will need to be paid at the time of signup. You will need to visit the Village Hall in order to make payment and sign a water contract. Residents who do not sign up for a water account within two weeks may have their water service interrupted.
If you do not receive a postcard, please contact us for more information about opening an account.
If you need to have one of your toters replaced, contact the Public Works Department. Be sure you have identified whether it is the garbage or recycling toter that needs to be replaced.
If payment is not received in full by the due date, a 10% penalty will be assessed. Per Village ordinance, late fees can only be waived if the bill is paid in person at the Village Hall within 10 days of the due date and all other utility bills in the preceding 12 months have been paid on time.
After late charges are assessed, delinquent notices are mailed to all utility customers with an unpaid bill. If your bill still has not been paid 14 days after the due date, your water will be scheduled for shut off and an additional fee of $45 will be assessed. The full balance must be paid in order to reinstate water service.
All utility bills are due 21 days after mailing.
To determine your garbage pickup day, refer to the Garbage Collection Map
Utility bills are issued every two months for residential billing routes. If your account number begins with a 1 or a 2, you will receive your bills in the middle of January, March, May, July, September, and November. Bills for accounts beginning with 3 are sent in February, April, June, August, October, and December.
Accounts beginning with a 4 are billed monthly.
If your garbage is not picked up on your regular garbage day, please contact Groot at (708)485-0900
Vehicle Stickers
All vehicles registered in Brookfield require a vehicle sticker. New residents have 30 days to purchase a sticker. When purchasing a new vehicle, you must buy your vehicle sticker within 10 days of purchasing the vehicle – even if you do not have permanent license plates yet. All vehicle stickers expire on June 30 each year.
During renewal season (1st week of May – June 30) stickers are issued by mail – you can mail your application form in the return envelope provided or purchase your sticker online. Please allow 10 business days for processing.
Renewals dropped off at the Village Hall will be periodically delivered to our fulfillment center; please allow up to 4 weeks for processing.
At all other times, stickers can be purchased over the counter. You will need to provide proof of residency and the registration for your vehicle.
It does take at least two weeks for your renewal to be processed. If your check has not cleared, that is a sign that your sticker has not been processed yet. The police department will not begin ticketing until all stickers have been issued. If you have not received your sticker after 3-4 weeks, you may wish to contact us to see what date we are currently processing.
You still have the option to purchase your sticker online by entering your vehicle information. Alternatively, you can bring your vehicle registration and proof of residency to the Village Hall to complete a new sticker application form.
Failure to receive a renewal form does not exempt you from sticker renewal or any late fees