The Love/Hate Relationship with Residential Ordinances

You know them, you hold to them, and depending on your perspective, you love or hate them. Town ordinances are found in nearly every town on the North Shore, and are used around the country to maintain the “aesthetics” of the community. As much as I appreciate the charm of rusty car parts in my neighbor’s yard, these covenants are a huge part in maintaining property value in the face of broken window theory and your neighbor’s dogged devotion to recreational vehicles.

Evanston is unique to the North Shore in that there is a higher renter’s population than the towns that surround it. Town ordinances here are fairly basic, with limits on grass length, types of outdoor furniture, and permissible vehicles to be parked outside. While it isn’t Coral Gables (one of the oldest and most stringent planned communities in the country), Evanston maintains the aesthetics of a traditional North Shore community. Check out the highlights of Evanston city ordinances.

1140 ASBURY Ave
EVANSTON, IL 60202
Price: $1,175,000
Beds: 4 On Redfin: 146 days
Baths: 4.1 Year Built: 1990

1715 GREENWOOD St
EVANSTON, IL 60201
Price: $290,000
Beds: 3 On Redfin: 25 days
Baths: 2 Year Built: 1892

1100 GROVE St #1W
EVANSTON, IL 60201
Price: $389,000
Beds: 2 On Redfin: 120 days
Baths: 2 Year Built: 1920