How do I find a professional (engineer) to prepare my plans? Will the Engineering Division recommend any Engineers or Surveyors for the above work?

No. However; you may look up any professional at the web site of the State of Illinois Department of Professional Regulation. The web site is: www.dpr.state.il.us.

Once on this web site, click on "License Look-up" in the upper right corner under the "Agency Features" heading. (You will need to know the name of the individual in question beforehand. The purpose of this search feature is not to tell you who is available in your geographic area. In order to obtain names for the above search you should consult your Yellow Pages. As a public entity, the Village cannot make recommendations).

Select a professional "field" such as "Professional Engineer" or "Land Surveyor" from the arrow menu and enter the last name of the individual. The web site will give you the individuals license number, city of residence, license status, and expiration date. The site will also tell you if the individual has ever been disciplined by the State of Illinois.

Can you tell me Village Building Requirements and how much my permit fees will be?

Contact the Permit clerks in the Development Department for this information by calling 847-904-4340. You can also visit the Building Department's Web page.

Where do I obtain the various worksheets the Engineering Division requires?

The water tap, utility disconnects, street/parkway opening, and other worksheets are available at the permit desk in the Development Department.

What do I do with the worksheets requested by Engineering once they have been completed?

Once the owners/contractors portion of the applicable worksheets has been completed, return all worksheets to the permit clerk in the Development Department-- with the exception of the Sewer & Water Disconnects worksheet. The general contractor shall retain this sheet on-site until the time of Engineering Inspection for the disconnections.

Who does my utility disconnections?

After paying the street/parkway opening escrow, the plumbing contractor hired by you or your General Contractor will do the disconnections with an Engineering Inspector present. Contractor should have the Sewer & Water Disconnect Form on-site for this inspection.

What is the water and/or sanitary disconnection process for demolition and new construction in Glenview?

All work done in the Village of Glenview requires the permittee to first obtain a permit, with the exception of sanitary sewer & water disconnections. (For more information on disconnection procedures for UNINCORPORATED GLENVIEW, see question on unincorporated disconnects)

The most common examples of these disconnections in Glenview are:

  1. Utilities to be disconnected in association with the demolition of a structure and construction of a new structure; or
  2. In the case of a demolition/rebuild, also known as a "tear-down/rebuild", the water and sanitary service lines serving the home to be demolished must be disconnected at the main before the demolition & building permits will be issued (see below for information on requisite disconnection fees). The contractor for the project performs this work. The utilities must be disconnected prior to demolition so that water and sanitary material are not discharged onto the site during the process of the demolition. All fencing and tree protection must be in place before the disconnections and inspection can take place. The demolition and building permits are issued at the same time so that the construction site is not left vacant for months before new construction commences.

NOTE: IF water mains exist in both the front AND rear of a property, the new water tap shall be made on the main at the front of the property, regardless of where the old water tap is located. The old water tap on the main in the rear must still be disconnected and inspected before a new water tap is done.

While these disconnections must be done before permits will be issued and the home can be demolished; there are also fees that must be paid in accordance with these disconnections. These fees must be paid before a disconnection inspection can be scheduled and the disconnections completed. Fees are based on your site/grading plan.

The fees are assessed by the Engineering Division under the following circumstances:

  1. If you plan to do disconnections only, and install new services at a later date, a Street/Parkway Opening Escrow (amount refundable six months after the completion of construction) will be assessed. The amount will depend upon the location and size of the excavation necessary for the disconnections to be done at each main (sewer/water.) Engineering plans for the project shall clearly show the above information.

    NOTE: Permittee will be required to obtain a permit from the appropriate township if work is to be done in a right-of-way not owned by Glenview (i.e. IDOT, Cook County.) See Engineering Links for more details.

    Once this escrow has been paid, the permittee may call 847-904-4320 to schedule an inspection of the disconnections by an Engineering Inspector. The permittee must call 48 hours in advance of the desired inspection time. The Engineering Inspector will visit the site and witness the disconnections. The Inspector will complete the necessary paperwork on-site for the permittee/contractor.

    The permittee/contractor can then return to Village Hall, present the signed paperwork to the clerk, and, if no other issues remain, receive the demolition and building permits.

    NOTE: If you are only disconnecting services presently, and plan to install new services at a future date, you must immediately restore any excavation in the parkway/street to the approval of the Engineering Inspector. Later, when you install your new services, you will have to excavate new openings according to your engineering plan.

  2. If you plan to disconnect utilities, demolish your home, and install your new utility services at the same time, you will need complete approval of your plans by all departments first.

    The Village Water Department will do the new tap on the water main, your contractor will bring your new service from the tap to the home. The Water Department will not schedule this work until you provide them with proof of payment for the water tap and its various parts. Retain your receipt for water tap fees on-site for the Water Department. Note: the water tap fees are NOT refundable.

    The same applies to utility disconnections associated with upgrades in service and or meter size necessitated by new construction--usually in cases of additions to a home.

What is required for properties in unincorporated Glenview that need new water and/or sanitary service?
DISCONNECTION PROCEDURES IN UNINCORPORATED GLENVIEW:

Glenview will provide your home with water/sewer service(s) if it is located on (a) Glenview water/sewer main(s).

  1. Apply for a "Water (and Sewer) Tap Permit" with the Village. The application is available at the permit desk. Be sure the clerk knows your property is located in unincorporated Glenview.

    The Engineering Division will review your application and prepare a letter for you to give to Cook County, generally within five (5) to seven (7) business days of your application (i.e. Engineering will NOT provide you with the required letter until you have applied for a Tap Permit at Village Hall).

    During this review time, disconnections shall not be done, nor shall the home be demolished.

  2. Wait to receive the letter for Cook County from engineering staff (described below). Cook County will request a letter from the Village Engineering Division before they will approve your building & demolition (or addition) plans. The Engineering Division will complete this letter for you within five (5) to seven (7) business days of receipt of your application. The letter may be faxed to you if you provide us with a fax number, or you may pick it up at Village Hall.
  3. Submit the letter to Cook County. Make a copy of the letter for yourself BEFORE providing it to Cook County.
  4. Return to the Village with all required permits, pay fees, and receive your tap permit.
  5. Schedule an inspection with the Village for the disconnection/new tap by calling 847-904-4320.

    Disconnection of utilities shall not occur until all applicable documents have been provided to the Village of Glenview AND any and all fees for new services paid.

    Once you have paid your water/sewer tap fees, you may either:

    1. Disconnect the existing water and sanitary service AND have the Village Water Department install your new water service line stub (main to "b-box") at the same time; or,
    2. Disconnect the existingwater and sanitary service, restore the excavation, and wait until a later date to install your new water and sanitary services.

Both options A & B require your contractor to call 847-904-4320 twenty-four (24) hours in advance of any work so that an Engineering Inspector may be assigned to your project.

Remember, the Village will only do the new water tap, NOT the new sanitary main tap.

NOTE: IF water mains exist in both the front AND rear of a property, the new water tap shall be made on the main at the front of the property, regardless of where the old water tap is located. The old water tap on the main in the rear must still be disconnected and inspected before a new water tap is done.

Can I reuse my existing sanitary or water service line for my new home?

See the plan requirements in the FAQ, under "Grading and Landscaping" heading. Question to refer to is: "What should my site/grading plan include?" -and- "Who should prepare my site/grading plan?". Within this question is the additional addendum titled "Notes for Engineers, General Contractors and Homeowners." Information on re-lining is here.

New water lines must be installed for all new homes unless appropriate 'stubs' exist due to recent subdivision improvements. Building Department will determine if a new water service line is necessary based on the state plumbing code.

What does the Village consider a 'retaining wall'?

Any solid structure in excess of twelve inches (12") in height as measured from the final grade at the base of the wall to the top of the wall, and whose purpose is to contain soil and/or other materials shall be considered a retaining wall.

Retaining walls thirty inches (30") or more in height shall require a permanent fixed physical barrier at the top of the wall as per Building & Zoning Department instruction. Retaining walls thirty-six inches (36") or more in height, measured from final grade at the base to the top of the wall, must be designed and the plans dated, sealed, by an Illinois Registered Structural Engineer. Pre-manufactured walls must also conform to this requirement. Drainage and backfill conditions for all retaining walls must be detailed and noted.

Retaining walls shall not be constructed within any easement unless specifically designed and approved by the Village Engineering Division. Any retaining walls to be constructed in a utility easement shall require waiver letters from all utility companies prior to the start of construction.

Retaining walls shall not be constructed within ten feet (10') of rear or side lot lines without approval from the Engineering Division. If an easement greater than ten feet (10') is present along ANY property line, the retaining wall shall not be constructed within the easement without a variation issued by the Village.

A permit shall be required prior to any retaining wall being constructed. The following items shall be included with the permit application submittal:

  • material of the retaining wall
  • a grading plan consisting of both existing and proposed grades as described at the top of this page. Grading slopes shall be a minimum of one percent (1%) and not exceed 4:1
  • cross-sectional detail of the retaining wall, drainage system, and related work.
  • elevations at top of wall and base of wall.
  • plat of survey for the property

The property owner shall be required to sign a 'hold harmless' agreement for ownership and maintenance of the retaining wall prior to the start of construction.

Note: Hold-Harmless letters may not be faxed to homeowners for signature. For Cook County recording purposes, only the original letter on Glenview letterhead can be submitted and recorded.

Village Policy on Retaining Walls

What is a "hold-harmless agreement"?

This agreement explains to the property owner that the construction to take place on their property also encroaches on land that is either owned by the Village (the right-of-way or an easement) or has been set aside for utility companies to gain access to their service lines. This agreement is commonly used for fences, decorative brick or stone driveway work in the Village right-of-way, and driveways which encroach into a utility easement.

The agreement states that the property owner understands that the Village and/or utility companies shall have access to these areas and any damage resulting from such work shall be the responsibility of the property owner. The property owner holds the Village or Utility company "harmless" in the event of damage.

Note: Hold-Harmless letters may not be faxed to homeowners for signature. For Cook County recording purposes, only the original document on Glenview letterhead can be submitted and recorded.

Do I need a hold harmless letter for my project?

If you are proposing work within an easement or public right-of-way, you should plan to sign a hold harmless letter. Please be sure to submit a complete plat of survey showing the work to be done and make sure that the entire legal description of your property is included and legible.

Who is responsible for cleaning up after utility work is done?

The utility company doing the work is responsible for cleaning and restoring the site once they are finished. NO AREA SHALL BE LEFT UNRESTORED FOR MORE THAN THIRTY (30) DAYS FROM THE COMMENCEMENT OF WORK UNLESS OTHERWISE APPROVED BY THE VILLAGE. If this does not happen, contact the Engineering Division. We will contact the utility and have them restore the site. This is often a time-consuming process. Thank you for your patience. If you wish to take your complaint directly to a utility company, you may reach them through the Engineering Links page.

When will my escrow money be returned?

The process of returning escrow money begins upon inspection approval. Final inspection for escrows will take place six (6) months after the completion of construction or restoration of the cause for the escrow. (Note: not the date the permit was issued or construction commenced). This provides a sufficient time to evaluate restoration performance of sod or pavement patches. You may contact 847-904-4339 for more information about engineering escrow refunds.

Note that engineering fees for new water services, meters, and other various building department fees are NOT refundable.

What is the fax number for the Engineering Division?

1-847-486-0665

[please specify which person you wish to reach]