Don't get attached to a vehicle … or a catamount … in East Dundee
From now on in East Dundee, if you let your trash pile up, neglect your garden -- or water it on the wrong day -- ride atop a moving vehicle or smoke inside a public building, you face new fines.
The village board last week amended its fee schedule in the best interest of the health, safety and welfare of its residents, according to the new ordinance.
The village added several new fines and fees that were not previously included.
"We did this to reflect the village's ordinances," Village President Dan O'Leary said.
That includes adding a new liquor license for restaurants that offer beer and wine only. A liquor license will now cost those establishments $1,000 per year.
The current fee for restaurants with a bar (Class E) is $2,500 a year, and the fee for restaurants without a bar (Class E-1) is $1,500 a year.
The restaurant classification was created to accommodate a pizza/Italian restaurant planned for River Street, across from the Depot.
Meanwhile, if you are caught using water outside on the wrong day, the village could slap you with a $50 fine.
So remember, if the street address of your home or business is an even number, you can only water your garden or wash your car on even-numbered days.
Which means if your street address is an odd number, outside water use is restricted to odd-numbered days.
O'Leary added that some traffic violations that were previously overlooked are now included in the amended fee schedule.
The village code also states: "Any person riding upon any bicycle, motorcycle, coaster, sled, roller skates or any moving vehicle, shall not attach the same or himself or herself to any moving vehicle upon any roadway. No person shall ride on the running board, fender, hood, roof, trunk or outside step of any vehicle."
If you're caught committing any one of the acts aforementioned in the previous paragraph, you face a $100 fine.
Furthermore, the village prohibits the use of roller skates or similar devices on the roadway, except when crossing the street. Some streets are set aside as play streets, which allow the use of skates, etc.
But if you in-line skate on the wrong street, you could be $50 poorer.
If you're planning to keep exotic animals any time soon, think again.
It is unlawful "to keep or harbor in the village any bear, lion, wildcat, catamount, orangutan, chimpanzee, tiger, poisonous or other dangerous reptile or any other animal which is free by nature or wild by nature in the eyes of the law and dangerous to humankind," the village code states.
Those who keep such animals face a $30 fine, and each day an animal is kept constitutes a separate offense.
Though the village late last year repealed an ordinance requiring every dog in the village to be licensed, a new leash law was established.
Dogs must be leashed on any public sidewalk or right-of-way.
And, dog owners -- or anyone handling a dog -- must remove dog waste immediately.
The fine for violating these ordinances is the cost of removal and a $30 fine.
These are just a few of the village's new fines and fees.
The village code is at amlegal.com/east_dundee_il.
• Larissa Chinwah covers Carpentersville, East Dundee and West Dundee. To reach her, call (847) 931-5722, or e-mail lchinwah@dailyherald.com.