Public Act 096-0462
 
HB2451 Enrolled LRB096 08498 RLJ 18618 b

    AN ACT concerning local government.
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
 
    Section 5. The Illinois Municipal Code is amended by
changing Sections 11-20-7, 11-20-8, 11-20-12, and 11-20-13 and
by adding Section 11-20-15 as follows:
 
    (65 ILCS 5/11-20-7)  (from Ch. 24, par. 11-20-7)
    Sec. 11-20-7. Cutting and removal of neglected weeds,
grass, trees, and bushes.
    (a) The corporate authorities of each municipality may
provide for the removal of nuisance greenery from any parcel of
private property within cutting of weeds or grass, the trimming
of trees or bushes, and the removal of nuisance bushes or trees
in the municipality if , when the owners of that parcel, after
reasonable notice, real estate refuse or neglect to remove the
nuisance greenery. The municipality may cut, trim, or remove
them and to collect, from the owners of that parcel, private
property the reasonable removal cost thereof.
    (b) The municipality's removal cost under this Section is a
lien upon the underlying parcel in accordance with Section
11-20-15.
    (c) For the purpose of this Section:
    "Removal of nuisance greenery" or "removal activities"
means the cutting of weeds or grass, the trimming of trees or
bushes, and the removal of nuisance bushes or trees.
    "Removal cost" means the total cost of the removal
activity.
    This cost is a lien upon the real estate affected, superior
to all other liens and encumbrances, except tax liens; provided
that within 60 days after such cost and expense is incurred the
municipality, or person performing the service by authority of
the municipality, in his or its own name, files notice of lien
in the office of the recorder in the county in which such real
estate is located or in the office of the Registrar of Titles
of such county if the real estate affected is registered under
the Torrens system. The notice shall consist of a sworn
statement setting out (1) a description of the real estate
sufficient for identification thereof, (2) the amount of money
representing the cost and expense incurred or payable for the
service, and (3) the date or dates when such cost and expense
was incurred by the municipality. However, the lien of such
municipality shall not be valid as to any purchaser whose
rights in and to such real estate have arisen subsequent to the
cutting of weeds or grass, the trimming of trees or bushes, or
the removal of nuisance bushes or trees and prior to the filing
of such notice, and the lien of such municipality shall not be
valid as to any mortgagee, judgment creditor or other lienor
whose rights in and to such real estate arise prior to the
filing of such notice. Upon payment of the cost and expense by
the owner of or persons interested in such property after
notice of lien has been filed, the lien shall be released by
the municipality or person in whose name the lien has been
filed and the release may be filed of record as in the case of
filing notice of lien.
    The cost of the cutting, trimming, or removal of weeds,
grass, trees, or bushes shall not be lien on the real estate
affected unless a notice is personally served on, or sent by
certified mail to, the person to whom was sent the tax bill for
the general taxes on the property for the last preceding year.
The notice shall be delivered or sent after the cutting,
trimming, or removal of weeds, grass, trees, or bushes on the
property. The notice shall state the substance of this Section
and the substance of any ordinance of the municipality
implementing this Section and shall identify the property, by
common description, and the location of the weeds to be cut.
(Source: P.A. 95-183, eff. 8-14-07.)
 
    (65 ILCS 5/11-20-8)  (from Ch. 24, par. 11-20-8)
    Sec. 11-20-8. Pest extermination; liens.
    (a) The corporate authorities of each municipality may
provide pest-control activities on any parcel of private
property for the extermination of pests in the municipality if,
and charge to and collect from the owners of and persons
interested in private property the reasonable cost and expense
of preventing ingress of pests to their property and of pest
extermination therein, after reasonable notice, the owners of
that parcel refuse or neglect to prevent the ingress of pests
to their property or to exterminate pests on their property.
The municipality may collect, from the owners of the underlying
parcel, the reasonable removal cost notice to such owners or
persons as provided by ordinance and failures of such owners or
persons to comply.
    (b) The municipality's removal cost under this Section is a
lien upon the underlying parcel in accordance with Section
11-20-15. This cost and expense is a lien upon the real estate
affected, superior to all other existing liens and
encumbrances, except tax liens if within 60 days after such
cost and expense is incurred the municipality, or person
performing the service by authority of the municipality, in his
or its own name, files notice of lien in the office of the
recorder in the county in which the real estate is located or
in the office of the Registrar of Titles of such county if the
real estate affected is registered under "An Act concerning
land titles", approved May 1, 1897, as amended. The notice
shall consist of a sworn statement setting out (1) a
description of the real estate sufficient for identification
thereof, (2) the amount of money representing the cost and
expense incurred or payable for the service, and (3) the date
or dates when such cost and expense was incurred by the
municipality. However, the lien of such municipality shall not
be valid as to any purchaser, mortgagee, judgment creditor, or
other lienor whose rights in and to the real estate arise
subsequent to the pest extermination and prior to the filing of
the notice of such lien in the office of the recorder, or in
the office of the Registrar of Titles, as aforesaid. Upon
payment of the cost and expense by the owner of or persons
interested in the property after notice of lien has been filed,
the lien shall be released by the municipality or person in
whose name the lien has been filed and the release may be filed
of record as in the case of filing notice of lien. The lien may
be enforced by proceedings to foreclose as in case of mortgages
or mechanics' liens. Actions to foreclose this lien shall be
commenced within one year after the date of filing notice of
lien.
    (c) For the purpose of this Section:
    "Pests", as used in this Section 11-20-8, mean undesirable
arthropods (including certain insects, spiders, mites, ticks,
and related organisms), wood infesting organisms, rats, mice,
and other obnoxious undesirable animals, but does not include a
feral cat, a "companion animal" as that term is defined in the
Humane Care for Animals Act (510 ILCS 70/), "animals" as that
term is defined in the Illinois Diseased Animals Act (510 ILCS
50/), or animals protected by the Wildlife Code (520 ILCS 5/).
    "Pest-control activity" means the extermination of pests
or the prevention of the ingress of pests.
    "Removal cost" means the total cost of the pest-control
activity.
(Source: P.A. 94-572, eff. 8-12-05.)
 
    (65 ILCS 5/11-20-12)  (from Ch. 24, par. 11-20-12)
    Sec. 11-20-12. Removal of infected trees.
    (a) The corporate authorities of each municipality may
provide for the removal of elm trees infected with Dutch elm
disease or ash trees infected with the emerald ash borer
(Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire) from any parcel of private
property within the municipality if the owners of that parcel,
after reasonable notice, refuse or neglect to remove the
infected trees. The municipality may collect, from the owners
of the parcel, not owned by the municipality or dedicated for
public use when the owner of such property refuses or neglects
to remove any such tree, and to collect from the property owner
the reasonable removal cost thereof.
    (b) The municipality's removal cost under this Section is a
lien upon the underlying parcel in accordance with Section
11-20-15.
    (c) For the purpose of this Section, "removal cost" means
the total cost of the removal of the infected trees.
    This cost is a lien upon the real estate affected, superior
to all other liens and encumbrances, except tax liens; provided
that notice has been given as hereinafter described, and
further provided that within 60 days after such cost and
expense is incurred the municipality, or person performing the
service by authority of the municipality, in his or its own
name, files notice of lien in the office of the recorder in the
county in which such real estate is located or in the office of
the Registrar of Titles of such county if the real estate
affected is registered under "An Act concerning land titles",
approved May 1, 1897, as amended. The notice shall consist of a
sworn statement setting out (1) a description of the real
estate sufficient for identification thereof, (2) the amount of
money representing the cost and expense incurred or payable for
the service, and (3) the date or dates when such cost and
expense was incurred by the municipality. However, the lien of
such municipality shall not be valid as to any purchaser whose
rights in and to such real estate have arisen subsequent to the
tree removal and prior to the filing of such notice, and the
lien of such municipality shall not be valid as to any
mortgagee, judgment creditor or other lienor whose rights in
and to such real estate arise prior to the filing of such
notice. Upon payment of the cost and expense by the owner of or
persons interested in such property after notice of lien has
been filed, the lien shall be released by the municipality or
person in whose name the lien has been filed and the release
may be filed of record as in the case of filing notice of lien.
    The cost of such tree removal shall not be a lien upon the
real estate affected unless a notice shall be personally served
or sent by registered mail to the person to whom was sent the
tax bill for the general taxes for the last preceding year on
the property, such notice to be delivered or sent not less than
30 days prior to the removal of the tree or trees located
thereon. The notice shall contain the substance of this
section, and of any ordinance of the municipality implementing
its provisions, and identify the property, by common
description, and the tree or trees affected.
(Source: P.A. 95-183, eff. 8-14-07.)
 
    (65 ILCS 5/11-20-13)  (from Ch. 24, par. 11-20-13)
    Sec. 11-20-13. Removal of garbage, debris, and graffiti.
    (a) The corporate authorities of each municipality may
provide for the removal of garbage, debris, and graffiti from
any parcel of private property within the municipality if when
the owner of that parcel such property, after reasonable
notice, refuses or neglects to remove the such garbage, debris,
and graffiti. The municipality and may collect, from the such
owner of the parcel, the reasonable removal cost thereof except
in the case of graffiti.
    (b) The municipality's removal cost under this Section is a
lien upon the underlying parcel in accordance with Section
11-20-15. This cost is a lien upon the real estate affected,
superior to all subsequent liens and encumbrances, except tax
liens, if within 60 days after such cost and expense is
incurred the municipality, or person performing the service by
authority of the municipality, in his or its own name, files
notice of lien in the office of the recorder in the county in
which such real estate is located or in the office of the
Registrar of Titles of such county if the real estate affected
is registered under "An Act concerning land titles", approved
May 1, 1897, as amended. The notice shall consist of a sworn
statement setting out (1) a description of the real estate
sufficient for identification thereof, (2) the amount of money
representing the cost and expense incurred or payable for the
service, and (3) the date or dates when such cost and expense
was incurred by the municipality. However, the lien of such
municipality shall not be valid as to any purchaser whose
rights in and to such real estate have arisen subsequent to
removal of the garbage and debris and prior to the filing of
such notice, and the lien of such municipality shall not be
valid as to any mortgagee, judgment creditor or other lienor
whose rights in and to such real estate arise prior to the
filing of such notice. Upon payment of the cost and expense by
the owner of or persons interested in such property after
notice of lien has been filed, the lien shall be released by
the municipality or person in whose name the lien has been
filed and the release may be filed of record as in the case of
filing notice of lien. The lien may be enforced by proceedings
to foreclose as in case of mortgages or mechanics' liens. An
action to foreclose this lien shall be commenced within 2 years
after the date of filing notice of lien.
    (c) This amendatory Act of 1973 does not apply to any
municipality which is a home rule unit.
    (d) For the purpose of this Section, "removal cost" means
the total cost of the removal of garbage and debris. The term
"removal cost" does not include any cost associated with the
removal of graffiti.
(Source: P.A. 90-292, eff. 1-1-98.)
 
    (65 ILCS 5/11-20-15 new)
    Sec. 11-20-15. Lien for removal costs.
    (a) If the municipality incurs a removal cost under Section
11-20-7, 11-20-8, 11-20-12, or 11-20-13 with respect to any
underlying parcel, then that cost is a lien upon that
underlying parcel. This lien is superior to all other liens and
encumbrances, except tax liens.
    (b) To perfect a lien under this Section, the municipality
must, within one year after the removal cost is incurred, file
notice of lien in the office of the recorder in the county in
which the underlying parcel is located or, if the underlying
parcel is registered under the Torrens system, in the office of
the Registrar of Titles of that county. The notice must consist
of a sworn statement setting out:
        (1) a description of the underlying parcel that
    sufficiently identifies the parcel;
        (2) the amount of the removal cost; and
        (3) the date or dates when the removal cost was
    incurred by the municipality.
    If, for any one parcel, the municipality engaged in any
removal activity on more than one occasion during the course of
one year, then the municipality may combine any or all of the
costs of each of those activities into a single notice of lien.
    (c) A lien under this Section is not valid as to: (i) any
purchaser whose rights in and to the underlying parcel arose
after the removal activity but before the filing of the notice
of lien; or (ii) any mortgagee, judgment creditor, or other
lienor whose rights in and to the underlying parcel arose
before the filing of the notice of lien.
    (d) The removal cost is not a lien on the underlying parcel
unless a notice is personally served on, or sent by certified
mail to, the person to whom was sent the tax bill for the
general taxes on the property for the taxable year immediately
preceding the removal activities. The notice must be delivered
or sent after the removal activities have been performed, and
it must: (i) state the substance of this Section and the
substance of any ordinance of the municipality implementing
this Section; (ii) identify the underlying parcel, by common
description; and (iii) describe the removal activity.
    (e) A lien under this Section may be enforced by
proceedings to foreclose as in case of mortgages or mechanics'
liens. An action to foreclose a lien under this Section must be
commenced within 2 years after the date of filing notice of
lien.
    (f) Any person who performs a removal activity by the
authority of the municipality may, in his or her own name, file
a lien and foreclose on that lien in the same manner as a
municipality under this Section.
    (g) A failure to file a foreclosure action does not, in any
way, affect the validity of the lien against the underlying
parcel.
    (h) Upon payment of the lien cost by the owner of the
underlying parcel after notice of lien has been filed, the
municipality (or its agent under subsection (f)) shall release
the lien, and the release may be filed of record by the owner
at his or her sole expense as in the case of filing notice of
lien.
    (i) For the purposes of this Section:
    "Lien cost" means the removal cost and the filing costs for
any notice of lien under subsection (b).
    "Removal activity" means any activity for which a removal
cost was incurred.
    "Removal cost" means a removal cost as defined under
Section 11-20-7, 11-20-8, 11-20-12, or 11-20-13.
    "Underlying parcel" means a parcel of private property upon
which a removal activity was performed.
    "Year" means a 365-day period.
    (j) This Section applies only to liens filed after the
effective date of this amendatory Act of the 96th General
Assembly.
 
    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.