Vernon Hills considering regulations for donation boxes

Rules covering the placement and operation of donation boxes, which officials say can become a public nuisance if not properly maintained, are being considered in Vernon Hills.

A change in village code to provide oversight of the location, number, aesthetics and maintenance of charitable donation boxes is on the village board agenda for its 7 p.m. meeting today at village hall, 290 Evergreen Drive.

"We haven't done an exact count but we know they kind of show up," said Mike Atkinson, building commissioner and acting director of community development. "This gives us the ability to allow them but have some reasonable regulation and to set standards."

Atkinson said there was no specific complaint that triggered the proposed rule change, but it follows a request from Trustee Jim Schultz to check options.

Schultz said donation boxes get placed on commercial properties without the landlords' knowledge and retailers mistakenly think the village approved them. The proposed change will make the landowner responsible to get a village permit and give them the option of removing them.

It's hard for the village to regulate donation boxes, Schultz added, because in many cases they are protected by free speech or religious rights.

Landowners can ban someone from dumping on their property, and if landowners are responsible for registration, they may decide more quickly to prohibit or remove the donation boxes, according to Schultz.

Village board members during an informal review of proposed changes Oct. 2 were told they couldn't legally require a license and impose a fee. After further review, it was determined property owners can be required to register the boxes at no cost. That would be required within 30 days after a box is placed on a property. Existing boxes would have to be registered within 60 days or be removed.

Registration would include the legal name and address of the organization; name, address and phone of the person responsible for the box; a drawing depicting its location on the property; and the dimensions.

No container could be larger than 6-feet, 6-inches or 20 square feet, and they would have to be regularly checked and kept in good working order, according the ordinance.

Failure to register would be a Class A misdemeanor and subject to a fine.