Frequently Asked Questions

The City has both electrical and plumbing inspectors on staff.  They are contracted employees, so please contact Building & Zoning to set up an appointment to discuss your project. 

It can take up to 10 working days, depending on several factors such as other scheduled jobs, weather and ground conditions.  A permit is required and your electrical work must have been inspected and passed before requesting a work order to be submitted.  For further information, contact the Department of Light and Power at 618-654-7511.

Setback requirements help prevent overcrowding, provide for open space and privacy, lessen the risk of fire, and account for future developments. 

State regulations allow the owner of the property to do their own roofing work and they do not have to be a licensed roofer.  However, if you hire someone to do the work, then the person hired is required to be licensed by the State of Illinois.

A permit is required for roofing and the City of Highland does perform inspections of roofing work.  

The City of Highland does not enforce subdivision covenants or deed restrictions placed on the subdivision by the developer.  As subdivision covenants vary from one development to another, City enforcement is not feasible.  We enforce the City's building & zoning regulations in all subdivisions. 

Building permits are required for anything that is not cosmetic. For example,  permits are not required for following instances:  putting on siding, replacing windows or doors (still required to meet energy code regulations), painting (interior or exterior), installing a satellite TV dish, and installing playground equipment.  Permits are required for most other work, including the following instances: installing or replacing plumbing, mechanical and electrical system, installing swimming pools (in ground or above ground), decks, re-roofing, all demolitions, storage sheds and patios.

If your lot is a standard lot (is not a corner or through lot), there is no associated fee or required inspection. The fence must be in compliance with Section 90-208 of our Municipal Code. 

If your lot is a corner or through lot, you will need to submit a Corner or Through Lot Fence Application. There is a $50 application fee and a zoning inspection is required.

Building & Zoning handles  property maintenance complaints such as high grass, junk in yard, derelict buildings, etc. To report an issue, you may submit a Complaint Form or email/call our office.

The Police Department handles complaints regarding noise, animals, and vehicles on the right-of-way.

Public Works handles drainage complaints.

If you are interested in operating a business from your home, please submit a Home Business Questionnaire. This will allow us to assess whether a Special Use Permit will be required.

Garage sale, real estate, advertisement, fundraising, etc. signs must adhere to the following restrictions:

Signs may not be larger than 4 square feet

Signs may not be displayed longer than 3 days

Signage Location Regulations

• All signage must be placed on private property with the consent of the property owner
• No signage is allowed to be placed on the City or State Right-of-Way, utility poles, street signs, mailboxes, within a roundabout or the adjacent splitter islands, or on City property
• The City considers the Right-of-Way to be 10 ft behind the edge of the street or curb if there is no sidewalk or behind the sidewalk if one is present
• The State considers the Right-of-Way to be from the edge of the roadway to the utility poles