The area located between the sidewalk and the street or a swale and the street is typically referred to as the parkway. The property owner is asked to maintain the parkway by keeping the grass trimmed and swales free from debris. It is unlawful to alter the parkway in any way.  Parking vehicles on the parkway is prohibited. Trees located in the parkway may be trimmed by the City if they pose a danger. Utility companies also have the legal right to trim trees. Additionally, the City will remove any dead or dying trees. Dead or dying trees on private property are the responsibility of the property owner. Contact the Department of Public Works to verify if a tree needs to be removed.

ComEd Tree Trimming
ComEd conducts a vegetation management plan every four years. In addition, after storms and certain power outages, ComEd may do some spot tree trimming as needed. Under the franchise agreement with ComEd, they are required to notify the City no less than seven days before such work. It states that the utility is allowed to trim trees in "such a manner that there shall be a proper clearance between the nearest wires or equipment and any portion of the trees or vegetation." This is because state statute 220 ILCS 5/8-505.1 gives them this authority. ComEd utilizes the International Society of Arboriculture’s standards for avoiding tree and utility conflicts. Information on those standards can be found at www.treesaregood.com/treecare/avoiding_conflicts.aspx. More information can also be found on ComEd's website at www.comed.com/sites/customerservice/Pages/Construction.aspx.

ComEd will notify customers of upcoming trimming work by circuit block via a post card in the mail and an ad in the local paper. Once they notify the City, information will be posted in the Hometown Happenings, the City website and on Channel 10. Residents concerned about potential trimming on or adjacent to their property can contact ComEd prior to the trimming to discuss the issue. Simply call 1-800-Edison-1 and inform the customer service representative that you wish to be contacted by a vegetation management representative before work is performed. Information about ComEd's vegetation management and/or how to resolve disputes can be found on their website here:

ComEd is a utility and is regulated by the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC). The ICC is designed to address consumer complaints with utilities, including tree trimming. Information can be found at their Consumer Services Division at this link: www.icc.illinois.gov/consumer/complaint.

Emerald Ash Borer
Although there have been no reports of this insect in Warrenville, the Illinois Department of Agriculture is preparing municipalities for infestation. The emerald ash borer is a slender, elongated, bright green beetle. Although chemical and biological controls are being researched, more aggressive containment and eradication efforts are necessary for new outbreaks. The borer kills trees relatively quickly and affects white, green, black, pumpkin, and several horticultural varieties of ash. Within several weeks, larval feeding creates S-shaped galleries in the tree’s inner bark that wind back and forth. The tree quickly declines in the second growing season and is usually dead by the third. For more information on this insect, contact the Morton Arboretum at 630/968-0074 or visit their website at www.mortonarb.org. More information can be found at www.emeraldashborer.info or by calling the national EAB hotline at 866/EAB-4512.