General

What is the phone number for the Garbage company?
Republic Services 847-429-7370

How do I pay a traffic or parking ticket?
Moving and seatbelt violations are paid to the Kane County Circuit Clerk, or 630-232-3413.
Parking tickets and/or vehicle sticker violations may be paid at the Village of Carpentersville Finance Department or online.

How do I get to Village Hall?
Village Hall is located just off of Route 25, behind the Meadowdale Shopping Center.  Click here for a map.

Clerk

How can I register to vote?
You can print out a registration form from the Kane County website or you may register in the Village Clerk’s office at Village Hall.

Community Development Department

Building Division / Code Enforcement Division / Planning & Zoning Division

What common types of projects do I need a permit for?
Permits are needed for fences, water heaters, furnace and air conditioning system, if you are changing the size of a window or a door larger or smaller, roofing, temporary dumpsters, siding, range hood, interior demolition and remodeling, sewer repair, patios, decks, pools over 24” in height, and temporary signage for a business.  Additional types of projects may also require permits. For a complete list of work that does or does not require a permit, click here.

How do I schedule an inspection?
Inspections must be scheduled at least 24-hours in advance and before 3:00 pm. Plumbing inspections are available in the mornings on Mondays and Fridays and all day Wednesday. Please call 847--551-3478. When you call please have your permit number with you and know what type of inspection is being requested.

If I own residential property in Carpentersville can I rent it out?
Yes, you may if you comply with the Village's Rental Licensing Program.  The program requires that all homeowners complete an application, complete a form granting the Village permission to inspect the property, complete a Crime Free Housing seminar, and pay an annual licensing fee. Once the initial application has been completed an inspection on the property must be performed. The program requires that you pay your license fee annually but follow-up inspections occur only every fourth year after your initial inspection.

What is the zoning on my property?
The Village has 12 defined zoning districts. Of the 12 districts, six of the districts are residential, three are commercial, two are manufacturing, and one is agricultural. The Village’s zoning map is located on the web site by clicking here, but if you need written confirmation of the zoning please contact 847-551-3478 and ask for Senior Planner John Svalenka, extension 295

Engineering Division

What is a 50/50 sidewalk repair program and does the Village have one?
A 50/50 program shares the replacement and repair costs of public sidewalk equality between the property owner and Village. The Village eliminated the 50/50 program around 2003. In 2004, the Village took a comprehensive look at the Village’s public sidewalk system and created and annual sidewalk replacement program that repairs failed sidewalk, trip hazards, heaves, and completes ADA upgrades at intersections. The program concentrates on a specific area of the Village each year.

Does my property go all the way to the street or back of curb?
Within the Village, the public streets are built within a public right-of-way (ROW). The ROW is wider than the street providing space for the placement public sidewalk and various utilities. Along a street, your property line is the same as the ROW line. For streets that have sidewalk, the ROW line is typically 1 foot +/- behind the back of sidewalk towards your property. For streets that have carriagewalk, the ROW line is typically 8 foot +/- behind the back of carriagewalk towards your property.

Will the Village locate my property line or property corners?
The Village does not locate property lines or corners for properties owners. The Village on occasion will locate property lines and corners as part of a reconstruction project. If available, The Village will provide any archived survey information to assist the property owner or their surveyor in locating their property lines or corners.

Do I need a permit to remove a tree?
Yes, all property owners that need to remove a tree must obtain a tree removal permit from the Engineering Division. The permit is free and can usually be obtained the next business day. The applications are available online or stop into the Engineering Division office at Village Hall.

Why was my street resurfaced when others seem to be in worse condition?
The Village has surveyed the condition of all public streets and ranked based on their condition. Typically, the worst streets are a candidate for total reconstruction. At that time, the conditions of underground utilities are reviewed as well. Streets that are in better condition are candidates for maintenance resurfacing. This prolongs the life of the street and the need for reconstruction. Maintenance resurfacing is less expensive per lane mile than reconstruction allowing the Village to upgrade streets at a reduced cost.

Is my property in a flood way or flood plain?
Most property is not located in the flood way or flood plain; however, confirmation can be obtained by contacting the Engineering Division at 847-551-3480.

Finance

Why is my water bill so high?
Everyone uses water differently, so it is difficult to compare bills because they are based on actual usage. However, if you notice an extraordinarily large increase in your water bill check to make sure you don’t have any leaks (especially toilets since they leak directly into a drain and not the floor) and consider the time of year as most people use more water during warmer months.

What is the Tank Painting Fee?
This is a flat $5 per month fee that is assessed to all water/sewer customers for a period of 12 months. The revenue collected will be used to repair and paint the Randall Rd water tower.

My water was shut-off, but I didn’t receive a bill. Why?
The Village generates and mails 5,000 to 6,000 water bills every month. Once they are sent to the Post Office they are out of our control. We document when bills are returned to us by the Post office, but have no knowledge as to why. We mail delinquent letters prior to disconnection as a reminder of outstanding balances.

Why is my 2-month water bill about the same as my 3-month water bill?
Situations vary, but water and sewer rates increased in August and the $5 per month ($10 per bill) tank painting fee was added.

I just moved to Carpentersville and need to set-up a water account. What do I need?
Welcome! If you bought your home, please bring your settlement statement / purchase papers and $50 ($40 deposit and $10 service fee). If you are renting, please bring a copy of your lease / rental agreement and $110 ($100 deposit and $10 service fee).

Property Taxes

How much of my property tax bill goes to the Village?
For tax year 2010 most Carpentersville residents paid a total tax rate of 8.0052%; the Village’s tax rate was 1.693%. Therefore, on a home with a market value of $300,000 the total tax bill would be $8,005.20; of that $1,693.00 goes to the Village.

What do I get for my money?
18% of the total amount sent to the Village is used to pay for weekly trash collection. The rest is used to fund the daily operations of the Village such as:

• Police protection
• Firefighting and Ambulance services
• Streets and park maintenance
• Snowplowing
• Tree planting
• Employee pensions and health insurance
• Debt service on bonds sold to pay for capital projects (i.e., Streets and Buildings)

Who determines how much I pay in property taxes?
Several agencies play a role in the levy, extension, and assessment of property taxes. Listed below are the steps in tax determination:

• Individual taxing bodies (school districts, towns and villages, park and library districts, townships, community colleges, and counties) submit their funding needs (tax levy) to the County Clerk’s tax extension office.
• Township assessors determine an approximate market value of your home and submit these to the County Supervisor of Assessments.
• The approximate market value of your home is multiplied by an equalization factor, currently 33.33% to determine the equalized assessed value ( EAV).
• The funding needs of all taxing bodies that provide services to your property are totaled and divided by the total assessed value of your jurisdiction to determine the tax rate.

Your tax bill is figured by applying the tax rate to every $100 of EAV.

Why do I pay my bill to the County when some of my money goes to the Village?
The County is the agency that centralizes all of the information needed to extend, collect, and distribute property taxes. The County Clerk coordinates all municipal tax levies, and the County Supervisor of Assessments oversees the application of assessed values. The County Treasurer generates the tax bills from the information provided by the Clerk and Assessor, mails the bills to residents, collects the taxes, and distributes the funds to all of the taxing bodies.

What are abatements?
An abatement is the decision by a governing body to decrease a tax levy obligation. When the Village issues General Obligation bonds to pay for capital improvements, one of the conditions of the bonds is that the repayment of the bonds are backed by the full-faith and credit of the Village. Therefore, the Village is legally bound to levy for 100% of the debt service; however, depending on the project the Village may decide to repay the bonds using other sources of revenue, such as Water and Sewer or MFT collections.

Another form of abatement occurs when an entity, other than the Village, pays the costs of maintaining a special service area. For example, when a Homeowners Association pays for the care and maintenance of a stormwater detention area.

What is an SSA?
A Special Service Area is a segregated section of the Village that benefits from and pays additional tax on a specific capital improvement. For example, water system improvements that are homeowners’ responsibility can be costly; the Village may elect to issue bonds on behalf of the homeowners to make the payment more manageable. Since the burden of repayment lies with the homeowners a separate tax is levied against the affected properties only and is not included in the Village’s regular tax rate.

Please feel free to contact the Village Finance Director with any additional questions. 847-426-3439.

Fire Department

Does the Fire Department have Paramedic service?
Yes; three paramedic ambulances who transport to St. Alexis, Sherman and Proven St. Joes Hospitals in Elgin.

Is there a charge for ambulance service?
Yes, Residents are charged $250 or $350 based on level of care provided. Non-Residents are charged $600 or $700 pay. There is also a mileage charge if you receive care on the scene but are not transported, there is no charge.

Where are the Fire stations?
Station 1 is at 213 Spring Street in old Carpentersville.
Station 2 is at 305 Lake Marian Road.
Station 3 is at 5000 Sleepy Hollow Road

I see the Carpentersville Fire apparatus in other towns, why is that?
The Carpentersville Fire Department receives and provides assistance from neighboring towns. The Carpentersville Fire Department is also a member of the Mutual Aid Box Alarm system and can be called to assist any fire department in the area that calls. This is also, why you see those other towns here. They assist Carpentersville on the initial response to our fire calls.

Why do the fire trucks sometimes turn lights off and turn around?
For any reported structure fire, there are numerous pieces of equipment that respond. If fire equipment on the scene does not need additional help, they will cancel the response of other equipment and the other trucks en-route will turn off lights and return to the station.

What are the flashing white lights on top of traffic lights when fire equipment passes?
The fire equipment and ambulances have a traffic control device on each vehicle that can change the traffic signals to green thus providing a safer and expedient response. The flashing white light indicates to responding vehicle that the light will turn green for them. The other lights on top of the other poles give a steady white light to let other equipment that may be responding from another direction know that the signal is controlled by another vehicle.

How long should I keep smoke detectors?
The detectors should be replaced after approximately ten years. Check the manufactures information on this when you purchase. REMEMBER change batteries twice a year when you change your clocks. When replacing detectors, we recommend using 110v with battery backup.

Where should I place smoke detectors?
Minimum of one per floor and outside sleeping areas. In new homes we suggest upgrading to 110v with battery backup interconnected in each bedroom, and in hallways outside bedrooms.

Should I have an escape ladder for my upper floors?
These ladders can be useful in escaping if your primary exit is blocked. Only use them if you cannot escape through the house. These ladders are different than regular ladders and you should become familiar with their use. REMEMBER to have an exit plan drawn up for the entire house and PRACTICE THE PLAN.

Does the Fire Department offer CPR classes?
Yes, please click here to view program information. 

Does the Village allow opening burning?
No. The only accepted open burning is in an approved manufactured burn pit which must have all of the safety components in place and attended by an adult

Why do so many fire apparatus respond to simple incidents?
Fire Department units are dispatched according to information received by the 9-1-1 operator. The Carpentersville Fire Department thinks proactively when they respond to citizens in need of help. In other words, the firefighters are prepared to deal with the worst that could happen. They are fast, well-trained and pleasant in their response. A computer selects the closest unit to respond to an incident. The fire department's philosophy is to get our firefighters there as soon as possible. This will be either an engine company or a ladder truck company. In preparation for the worse case scenario, an ambulance often is dispatched as well. There may be three fire department vehicles on the scene for what appears to be a "simple" incident. However, in emergency services we have learned that if we assume something is "simple," we can be horribly mistaken. Plus, we respond as fast as we can prepared to encounter the worst. The winner in these situations will always be the citizen who needs help.

How come I see fire trucks with full lights and sirens go through a red light at intersections and then, after they go through, they turn off their lights and slow down?
As explained in the previous answer, sometimes several units are dispatched to the same incident. The first unit may have arrived on the scene, surveyed the situation and informed the dispatcher that the situation was under control. All other responding units were cancelled and put back into service, ready to take another call. Most likely, when you see an emergency vehicle responding with lights and siren through an intersection and then slow down and turn the emergency lights off, they have been cancelled from the call they were going on.

Why does a Fire Engine respond when I call for an ambulance?
The Carpentersville Fire Department believes in providing the best care in the most rapid method possible. At times, an ambulance may be out of position at the hospital or on another call. Our Fire Engines are fully equipped with Paramedics and Advanced Life Support supplies to treat a patient until a transport unit arrives. We also send a Fire Engine to assist an Ambulance on calls where the information provided to the dispatcher indicates that advanced care may needed. Emergency Medicine has evolved to the point where almost everything that can be done in an Emergency Room setting can also be done in the field by Paramedics. Many of the treatments and procedures involved require more than the two personnel assigned to the Ambulance, thus warranting assistance from the Fire Engine personnel.

Why do I see firefighters cutting holes in the roof of a building on fire?
This is called "venting the roof." There are two basic reasons for this practice. Dangerous gases and dark smoke accumulate in a burning building. Unlike the movie versions of fires, it is impossible for firefighters to see in such an environment. When a hole is made in the roof because the building is "vented," the smoke and gases escape because heat and smoke rise. It makes it much easier for the firefighters in the building to see. It also reduces the possibilities of backdraft and flashover. Another reason for venting the roof is to see how far the fire has progressed. One of the fastest avenues through which fires spread is the attic. Heat and smoke rise into the attic where the fire can move quickly. Firefighters may go ahead of the fire on a roof, cut holes to access the attic and stop the fire from spreading through the attic.

How do I get a copy of my ambulance report?
You can call the administrative offices Monday-Friday 7:30 am-3:30 pm at 847-426-2131.

Police Department

Can I pay my ticket here?
Parking citations can be paid at the Finance office. Moving citations are paid at the Clerk’s office at 540 S. Randall Rd in St. Charles.

Can I show you my proof of insurance to void this ticket?
Unfortunately not, you must go to Clerks office in St. Charles, or go on your designated court date and time.

I bought my village sticker, why did I get a ticket for not having one? It’s right here.
Village stickers must be displayed on the passenger side in the lower right-hand side of your windshield or you could be cited for “No Village Sticker Displayed”.

Why did I get a ticket for “overnight parking” when all my neighbors park on the street every night?
You are allowed up to 7 days per year for street parking. This includes overnight visitors, or drive way repairs; however, you must call QuadCom 847-428-8784 and have your information added to the overnight log.

I received a ticket for overnight parking but there are no signs posted on the entire block stating so.
There is no overnight parking on any street in Carpentersville between the hours of 2:00 am - 6:00 am. It’s a Village-wide parking ban.

Please call QuadCom 847 428-8784 for the following:
• You need to file a report.
• You need an officer sent to your home.
• You have either found or lost a dog.

Traffic Court Information
Kane County Circuit Clerk’s Office
540 S. Randall Road
St. Charles, IL
630 232-3413

Public Works

Wastewater

Why must we treat wastewater?
The untreated wastewater contains pollutants and pathogenic organisms that are unsafe for people, animals, and aquatic life-forms. The wastewater is treated to a purification level set by the IEPA before it is released to the Fox River. Our facility’s treatment exceeds the level set by the IEPA. This in turn further reduces the impact on the Fox River and downstream users.

What happens to all the solids the wastewater facility receives?
The solids or Bio-solids are reused to treat the incoming wastewater. As the bio-solids increase a small portion is removed for “Digestion” and referred to as Sludge. The sludge is digested to further stabilize the organic matter to prevent rapid decomposition which creates odor, pathogenic organisms, and attracts bugs and vermin. Once the sludge is stabilized as much excess water as possible is removed and the sludge “cake” is hauled away to use as fertilizer on crops such as corn, soybean, and wheat.

Water

EPA Ground Water & Drinking Water FAQ

Do I need a water softener?
Adding a water softener would be a personal preference but not necessary. The Village already softens the water to a soft to moderately hard level (7-9 grains of harness). Water that is to soft makes it difficult to remove soap from your hands, hair and detergent from your laundry. Also soft water can be aggressive to your plumbing and fixtures. Hard water can lead to excessive scaling of pipes and fixtures.

Does The Village of Carpentersville add fluoride to the water supply?
Yes, fluoride is added so that the level in the drinking water is 0.9 to 1.20 mg/L as required by the Illinois Department of Public Health for dental health.

My water is suddenly rusty, What should I do?
If your water appears rusty all of a sudden, it is probably due to work being done in the area. They may be isolating valves to do emergency repairs, or opening a hydrant. This can stir up iron sediment in the water main. The rusty water is harmless and will clear up all by itself within a couple hours. Do not do any laundry and avoid using water if possible. Running the water in your faucet will not make this clear faster.

Who should I contact if I have a question about water pressure or a water leak?
During normal working hours, please call the Water Division at 847-551-3492. For after hours emergencies, please call Quad Com 847-428-8784 who will contact the on call person.

Water Service Connection - Property Owner's Responsibilities
The Water Department only maintains the water meter inside the home or business. All plumbing and related valves are the owner's responsibilities.

Are there any watering restrictions?
Currently The Village of Carpentersville has no water restrictions

Who should I contact if I have a question about my water bill?
The Utility Billing Office 847-551-3476 can assist you with questions about your bill and payment options.