ECD FAQ

Food trucks are permitted to operate within the City with a valid business license issued by the City's Economic and Community Development Department. Certain regulations specific to mobile food vendors apply. 

• $200 annual business license
• Hours of operation limited to 7am through 10pm daily
• Permitted Locations (designated parking stalls only):
  • Sheridan Road
  • 10th Street
  • Audrey Nixon Boulevard
  • Commonwealth Avenue
  • Davis Street
  • Morrow Avenue
  • Commercial or Industrial property (with owners' written permission on file with city)
• No overnight parking
• Application Requirements:
  • Application form
  • Valid Lake County Health Department Food Permit
  • $500,000 general liability insurance with City names as additional insured
  • Vehicle registration with State of Illinois
  • Proof of registration with the Illinois Department of Revenue (for sales taxes)
    • Such as Illinois Business Tax Registration Certificate from MyTax Illinois

An ordinance addressing the use of residential properties is currently under development by city staff and is expected to introduce additional regulations and restrictions in the near future. Any residential property used as a rental must be licensed through the city's landlord license program through the Department of Economic and Community Development. Additionally, short-term rentals are subject to the city's hotel/motel tax required by City Code 5-3.

Yes, pursuant to City Code 5-14 any dwelling unit not occupied by an owner is subject to the landlord license requirements. This applies whether the space is offered for a rental fee or not. This also applies to multi-unit structures where an owner lives in one unit and other individuals, related or not, reside in the other unit(s). 

LRS is the city's residential waste collection provider. Please consult their service policies and requirements: Business, Construction & Residential Waste Services | North Chicago | LRS

Up to one large item can be collected each week per customer and you must call to schedule pickup. Landscape waste must be in approved containers. And mattresses must be wrapped in plastic to be picked up.

If you are selling a property located within North Chicago city limits, a transfer stamp from the City is required. To obtain a transfer stamp, you must contact both the City Comptroller's Office at 847-596-8600 and Department of Economic and Community Development 847-596-8650 to request an outstanding payment and lien check. All outstanding payments will be required to be made prior to obtaining the necessary transfer stamp. If the property contains a building structure, a sales inspection is also required and must be scheduled with the Department of Economic and Community Development. Once the inspection is complete, the buyers will be required to sign a Buyer's Acknowledgement form and provide it to the Comptroller's office to obtain the transfer stamp. The transfer stamp gets applied to the deed and the buyer or seller must record the deed through the Lake County Recorder's office. 

The city occasionally has surplus property for sale. Any property that the city desires to sell must be declared surplus by the City Council first. Once it has been designated as surplus, the city may utilize one of several disposal methods including auction, side lot, public interest, or appraisal. The most common disposal method is the auction method. The city posts notices regarding any upcoming property auctions on the Department of Economic and Community Development webpage. 

If you would like to inquire about a city-owned property's status, please feel free to call the ECD offices at 847-596-8650 or email permits@northchicago.org. 

Yes, the contractor who was issued the permit or the registered subcontractor who performed the applicable work (e.g. plumber, electrician, HVAC technician, etc.) must be present for the permit inspection. Failure to have the applicable contractor on site for the inspection will result in a failed inspection and a reinspection fee will apply. 

Unfortunately, no, we currently do not have any method to submit a building permit online. However, completed applications can be submitted by email to permits@northchicago.org. 

No person, firm, corporation, or other business entity shall conduct, operate, carry on or manage any business, occupation, activity, or establishment, either by himself, herself or itself, or through an agent, employee or partner, for which a license or permit is required by this code or by any other city ordinance, without first having obtained a license for such business, corporation, activity or establishment [City Code 5-1-1]. 
Pursuant to this chapter of the city code, a business license is needed for any business operations occurring within the corporate city limits of North Chicago. Home occupations also require a business license and are subject to the additional standards of Chapter 3.2.8. of the North Chicago Zoning Ordinance. There are, however, a few uncommon exemptions to the business license requirement which apply to the following professions and businesses:
 

• Architects
• Athletic Trainers
• Cemetery (Authorities, Managers, and Customer Service Employees)
• Certified Public Accountants
• Clinical Psychologists
• Clinical Social Workers and Social Workers
• Cosmetology Schools and Similar Establishments
• Professional Counselors and Clinical Professional Counselor
• Detection of Deception Examiners
• Dentists
• Dietitians and Nutrition Counselors
• Engineers (Professional and Structural)
• Funeral (Director and Embalmers)
• Geologists
• Landscape Architects
• Marriage and Family Therapists
• Nurses
• Nursing Home Administrators
• Occupational Therapists
• Optometrists
• Pharmacists
• Physical Therapists
• Physicians
• Physician Assistants
• Plumber
• Podiatrists
• Private Detectives
• Real Estate Brokers
• Respiratory Care Practitioners
• Roofer
• Shorthand Reporters
• Speech-Language Pathologists
• Veterinarians
• Wholesale Drug Distributors

Some uses for property are allowed by the zoning ordinance in certain zoning districts, but they must first go through a public hearing process and receive approval from City Council. These are called "Special Uses." Contact the Department of Economic and Community Development for more information on the application and approval process.

Property owners may receive relief from some of the standards in the zoning ordinance if the relief needed is due to the unique or extraordinary characteristics of a property. Variances may not be granted for self-imposed hardships or due to the monetary burden of adhering to the zoning ordinance. Petitioners must go through a public hearing process and receive approval from City Council. Contact the Department of Economic and Community Development for more information on the application and approval process.

A map amendment is a petition to change the current zoning district of a specific property to another. This changes which standards of the zoning ordinance apply to the property, as well as what it may and may not be used for. Contact the Department of Economic and Community Development for more information on the application and approval process.

A text amendment changes the content of the zoning ordinance via additions, deletions, or replacements of text. All text amendment petitions must first go through a public hearing process and receive approval from City Council. Contact the Department of Economic and Community Development for more information on the application and approval process.