Resident Guide

Village Board meetings are held on the 4th Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m. in the Village Hall. All residents are encouraged to attend.

There are 22 boat posts available for rent each year on a first-come, first-served basis. Rental is $20.00 per post for April 1st to October 31st. BOATS MUST BE REMOVED FROM POSTS NO LATER THAN OCT. 31st. A storage fee of $25.00 per month will be charged beginning November 1st for boats not removed. Keys to the boat launch are available to residents for $5.00. The lock on the gate is changed every year. No motors over 10.0 horsepower are allowed, with the exception of pontoon boats, which are allowed 25.0 hp. No jet skis!

BOATING RULES/POST RENTAL FORM

Our Village ordinance requires that a building permit be obtained for all changes or alteration made to a structure or property, new or existing, in the Village. For details on Village building requirements, see the the "Code of Ordinances" section. Please follow these procedures to obtain a building permit:

1. Obtain a Permit Application - these are available at the Village Office or you can request that one be mailed to you. (This is a tri-copy form, so it can not be downloaded).

2. Complete the Permit Application and return to The Office for review. You will then be notified if any additional information will be required, and the permit fee.

3. Pay for and pick up the official permit at the Village office - the amount of the permit will depend on the work being done. We accept cash, checks or credit cards at time of permit pick up.

4. Display official permit in a window or door visible to the street for the duration of the project applied for. Call The Village building inspector Trent Turner at 815-388-2780 for inspections as required.

The Village of McCullom Lake has adopted the McHenry County Burning Ordinance, which is much more restrictive than the previous Village ordinance. There is no burning allowed within 100 feet of a habitable structure or 50 feet from a non-inhabitable structure. There is absolutely no burning of leaves, grass clippings or other yard waste. There is no burning of any construction waste, or any material other than campfire logs. Campfires are restricted to a pit not more than three feet across. An adult over 18 must be present at all fires. McHenry Township has a brush drop-off point. You may call 815-385-5605 for further information.

Call Animal Control (815-459-6222). Our police do not have the facilities to pick up animals. There is a limit of four (4) dogs per residence. Dogs must be leashed if taken off your property. When walking your dog, carry a bag to clean up after your pet.

A permit is required for a Garage Sale within the Village of McCullom Lake. Garage Sale Dates must not exceed 4 consecutive days. Only two garage sales per calendar year. Signs must be removed no later than 12 hours after the sale.

GARAGE SALE PERMIT

Our waste hauler is LRS (Formally Prairieland Disposal) (847)381-9300 Please contact Prairieland for the current fee per month that is billed quarterly. Trash & recycling are picked up Tuesday mornings. Pickup after major holidays is the day following the normal pickup. Garbage cans can be put out the night before pickup and must be removed by Tuesday evening. There is unlimited garbage and recycling. One small bulk item under 4’ and no more than 50 lbs a week can be put out without a call or sticker. There is a $35.00 charge for large bulk items and appliances.  You must call at least 1 day in advance of the regularly scheduled pickup day.  It is illegal and dangerous to leave unused appliances in your yard. There is one leaf pickup in the spring and two in the fall. You put your leaves at the front of your yard and Prairieland vacuums the village. You will be notified as to the dates of the vacuuming. Yard waste season runs from April 1st to November 30th.  A 95 gallon yard waste toter is available to rent for $3.00 per month.  Prairieland yard waste toter or kraft paper bags will only be accepted.

The McCullom Lake Village Hall is available for rental to Village residents and non-residents. Round tables and chairs are available for 150 guests, with 6’ and 8’ tables available as well.

Rental Housing Requirements and Landlord Reporting in the Village of McCullom Lake

All rental property owners are required to comply with the following Village ordinances:

1. Landlords (property owners who rent to tenants) in the Village of McCullom Lake are required to submit an updated LANDLORD REPORTING FORM yearly and a signed, updated LEASE AGREEMENT to the Village office anytime there is a change in occupancy (vacancy included). Landlords are required to sign off on the yearly reporting form that Smoke Detectors and CO2 Detectors are in working order. The Landlord Form and lease may be emailed, faxed, mailed or dropped off to the Village office at anytime.

2. All rental properties must have a rental inspection every two years conducted by our Village Building Inspector. First time rental inspections are $100. After the first year, inspections are $75 and are good for two years from the inspection date, unless there is a change of tenant. If there is a change of tenant before the two year inspection period, the fee for inspection is $35 before the new tenant moves in. The inspector will check for basic health and safety requirements as indicated on the Village Inspection Form. Upon receipt of the inspection fee, the Village office will call the tenants directly to set up a date and time for the inspection.

For more information, please see the detailed ordinance on "Rental Housing Requirements" in Village of McCullom Lake Code of Ordinances..

**NOTE: Failure to comply with these Village landlord requirements, could result in a maximum sewer usage charge of $108.60 per month plus a fine of $50 - $100 until the landlord is in compliance.

Lawns must be kept mowed under 8”. It is the homeowner’s responsibility to mow their property to the edge of the road. Lawn mowers must be stored on concrete or another non-porous surface. Do not allow motors of any sort to leak fuel or oil. This can leach into the water table and poison our water supply. Ditches must be kept free of any brush, bushes or garbage to ensure drainage.

Welcome to the friendly Village of McCullom Lake! We are glad you are here. Please contact the Village Hall for important information about garbage pick-up, mandatory vehicle stickers and other important village requirements.

NEW RESIDENT FORM

The Park opens at 6 a.m. and closes at 10 p.m. No dogs, alcohol or motorized vehicles are allowed on the beach or in the park. Swimming is at your own risk.

Permit Rules: Any vehicle that needs to be parked on the street must have a permit. Permits must be applied for no less than 24 hours in advance of need. There is no charge for a Village parking permit. All vehicles to be parked along our streets must be 18” off-road. No overnight parking on the grass. Permits are now required for on-street parking. Permits must be requested 24 hours in advance from either the Police Department or the Village Office. All permits expire at midnight on their valid date. Vehicles parked on the street without a permit will be ticketed and/or towed. Please contact the Village Office or the Police Department for additional information. Riding mowers, dirt bikes, four wheelers, motorized scooters or other similar vehicles are not allowed on Village roads.

PARKING PERMIT APPLICATION

* Please return the completed form to the Village office via email, fax, mail or in person. Residents with a permit must have their guests park their vehicles on the same side of the road as the residence. No vehicle can be parked in a way that restricts road access, either to regular traffic or emergency vehicles. There is no parking at any time within twenty (20) feet of an intersection. Permits expire at 12:00 a.m. (midnight) on the valid date. Permits are only valid for residential properties within the Village. Permits are issued on a first-come, first served basis. If a permit has been issued for a residence on the same street a second permit cannot be issued. Multi-day permits may be issued for special circumstances. Multi-day permits are subject to the same rules stated above. There is no parking on the roads at any time when two (2) inches of snow or more has fallen. Any vehicle, regardless of whether covered by a permit, that parks in such a way to break any of these rules is subject to a ticket and/or towing at the owner’s expense

House Numbers are required on ALL houses and must be easily read from the road. IT MAY SAVE A LIFE!  

6-ton max. except local delivery and other, exempt vehicles. Semi trucks and trailers are forbidden by ordinance at anytime.

Monthly Bill & Information: In 2003, our village completed the public sanitary sewers. All property owners with a 'stub' to their property are assessed a monthly fee. At this time, they are as follows: $25.00 for operation and maintenance (there is routine maintenance that must be performed, as well as operating costs). If the home is connected to the sewer, there are also sewer treatment charges, which are collected and passed on to the City of McHenry per our intergovernmental agreement. Those charges are dependent on the number of people in the home. Billing is done on the 5th of each month, and is due the 25th of the same month at 4:00 pm.

Sewer: Late Fees: In order to avoid late fees, payments must be received in our office by 4:00 pm on the 25th.  Any payment received after that time is considered a late payment. If the 25th due date falls on a holiday or weekend, then the sewer bills are due at 4:00 pm on the first business day after the holiday or weekend. There is a drop box outside the front door. You can drop payments any time of day or night. A $5.00 late charge will be added to all payments received after 4:00 pm on the 25th or payment due date. This $5.00 late fee will also be added to all accounts past due on the 25th of the month after 4:00 pm.

ONLINE SEWER PAYMENT

A permit to solicit in the Village of McCullom Lake is required for all solicitations and the application form must be filled completely. The application will be denied for any misrepresentations contained in the application, fraud, false representations made in the course of conducting business and conducting business in an unlawful manner to constitute a breach in the peace or to constitute a menace to health, safety or general welfare to the public.

SOLICITOR PERMIT APPLICATION

Swimming Pools: In-ground or above ground, spas and hot tubs: owners are required to meet the Village’s barrier requirements. These requirements are similar to the County’s and will be enforced. They include specific types of fences, walls and self-closing gates. Please cooperate. THIS COULD SAVE A LIFE! Contact the Building Inspector for details

New stickers are available as of the first of the year. All vehicles housed in the Village must display a current sticker within 30 days of moving into this Village. There are no exceptions to this law. Current year vehicle stickers must be displayed by March 31st.
Sticker Fees Cars: $20.00; Trucks with B $25.00; "C" & "D" plates: $50.00; Over "D" $100.00 and with board approval only; Motorcycles: $8.00;  Handicap and Senior owned vehicles are $15.00

A late charge of $10.00 begins April 1st and increases $5.00 monthly thereafter.
NOTE: A vehicle requires a village sticker if it is in the village any 14 out of 20 days.  These days need not be consecutive days.  Regardless of where the vehicle is registered, a village sticker is required.

There are more than 300 Village Ordinances, the major ones of which can be found on our web site. You may request a copy of any ordinance by completing a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. This form can be downloaded under Forms and Permits” on the Village web site.

FOIA REQUEST FORM

The McCullom Lake Village Hall is an official voting site for the area precincts. You must bring in two (2) pieces of ID. Apply in person and sign the document in the presence of the Village Clerk.

The Village of McCullom Lake

4811 W. Orchard Drive McCullom Lake, IL 60050

Village Office:
Ph:815-385-2211 Fax: 815-385-2199
mccullomlake@comcast.net

Village Office Hours
Monday - Thursday: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm

Evening/Clerk’s Hours
Wednesday: 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm

Building Inspector Hours
By appointment only

Village President:
Marilyn Shepit

Trustees:
Denise Bogacz
Mike “Froggy” Fritz
Chad Thompson
Joe Zakrocky
Adam Vick
Michael Walter

Village Staff:
Clerk: Sherri Messina
Treasurer: Ellen Benson
Deputy Clerk: Lori Prehn
Administrative Assistant: Andrea Buzek
Office Assistant: Shirley Leader

Police Department:
Chief of Police: Zachary Beatty
Sgt. Frank Beatty
Officer Greg McCulloch
Officer Christopher Robert
Officer Rich Svejcar
Officer Pam Mason
Officer Jerry Dalton
Officer Aleksandr Budnik
Officer Syed Abulullah

Building Inspector:
Trent Turner, 815-388-2780

Plumbing Inspector:
John Bertram

Public Works/Maintenance:
Paul Vick, 815-385-2211