Village News

In 2021, the Village received a $10,000 grant from Openlands and ComEd  to implement the Village’s Landscape Playbook on the north side of Route 176 (Rockland Road) between the right-of-way and the Lake Bluff Golf Course. The purpose of the project was to rehabilitate 10 acres of high-profile hardwood savanna and wetland habitat along an important Village corridor consistent with the Village's Thematic Landscape Identity Gateway and Corridor Plan (which was developed in community partnership), in order to transform and beautify a buckthorn thicket into a high-quality habitat for pollinators.

The funding supported two phases: invasive removal and installation of new plantings. The Village retained Pizzo and Associates, Ltd. to perform the initial clearance as well as the treatment of any resprouting invasive species in 2023 and 2024. The grant also included the donation of native trees by Rotary as well as the purchase of about $10,000 in grasses, forbs, shrubs, seeds, etc., which were planted by Lake Bluff Open Lands (LBOLA) volunteers.

Special thanks to:

  • ComEd and Openlands for their financial support in this endeavor;
  • Rotary for their native tree donations; and
  • LBOLA volunteers for all their hard work in completing this project.

 

 

  LB_Logo.PNGcomed_logo_hrz_sm_pos_rgb.jpg       Lake Bluff Open Lands Logo

 

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The Village Board has approved a May 15 - September 30 seasonal ban on the use of gas-powered leaf blowers. This action follows the Village's participation in a Regional Leaf Blower Working Group formed in late 2021 to study the impacts of gas-powered leaf blowers, alternative technologies and how communities could mitigate the impacts of this equipment.

To ensure a balanced and thoughtful report, the Working Group was comprised of elected officials, appointed officials (i.e. Sustainability Commission members), professional municipal staff (municipalities and park districts), and representatives of the landscape industry.

You can view the working group's final report released in December 2022 by clicking here. If you don't perform your own lawn maintenance, talk to your contractor about this new regulation.

 

StormwaterUtilitySlideshow

Following more than two years of study and public engagement, the Village Board of Trustees has created a Stormwater Utility (effective July 1, 2023) to provide an equitable, efficient, certain and neutral revenue stream for the construction, maintenance, operation and improvement of the Village's stormwater system.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

TreeTrimming

In order to promote environmental stewardship and the health of the Village’s tree canopy, the Village has retained Lucas Landscaping and Design to prune the Village’s street trees on a four-year cycle. Lucas started pruning in areas north of the ravine and east of Glen and Moffett Avenues the first week of January 2023 (see map at right).

Trimming map for 2022-2023 SeasonUnder the supervision of trained and qualified arborists certified by the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA), Lucas will implement a maintenance program consistent with national standards and best practices published by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). The program uses a “natural” cutting method to improve tree architecture and structure; create vertical and horizontal clearance between trees and roads, buildings, and signs; promote tree health; and reduce the risk of tree hazards to the public.

  • Signs will be posted on the specific streets scheduled to be pruned between 24 hours and 7 days in advance.
  • While road width may be reduced for worker safety, road closures generally will not be required.
  • Lucas is maintaining the Village’s public trees and will not prune private trees.
  • Lucas will work between 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends and holidays.
  • Lucas’ work schedule is dependent on weather. Their contract allows work to occur through April 30, 2023.

If you have any questions regarding the Village’s tree maintenance program, you may contact Jake Terlap, Public Works Superintendent.

202205 NSWRD MuralThe North Shore Water Reclamation District (“NSWRD”) needs to build a subterranean overflow basin so that they can maintain their existing infrastructure and prevent sewage from overflowing into Lake Michigan. As part of their work, the NSWRD will be making other aesthetic and public improvements to their existing facilities, including:

  • Arborvitae hedges, raised foundation plantings, and curbed planting beds to hold native species.
  • The replacement of the asphalt parking lot with a more durable concrete plaza including decorative elements.
  • Milling and resurfacing of the service road that extends from the top bluff edge to Sunrise Beach.
  • The construction of two public bathrooms, one accessible for persons with disabilities. The restrooms will replace the portable toilets.
  • The replacement of one existing beach shower with two new overhead beach showers.

All necessary zoning reviews and approvals for this project have been issued by the Village. Construction has begun and will continue through May 2024.

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The Village of Lake Bluff is committed to providing timely, sustainable, and cost-effective waste removal by offering services like weekly landfill waste pick-up, recycling, composting, garden and e-waste removal for Village residences.