Frequently Asked Questions, Streamwood, Illinois (IL)

Frequently Asked Questions

Clerk
Community Development
Finance
Fire Department
Personnel
Police
Public Works

Clerk

I would like to prevent solicitors from coming to my door, how can I stop them?
Commercial and charitable solicitors are required to register and obtain a permit card from the Village Clerk's Office. Solicitors may not approach a residence displaying a "no solicitors" decal. These decals are available at the Village Clerk's Office. Residents are encouraged to report violations to the Police Department by calling 911.

I have some reusable household goods such as clothing, small appliances, and furniture I no longer want. What can I do with them?
The Salvation Army will collect reusable household goods. Their truck is in Streamwood on Tuesdays. You must call (toll free) the Salvation Army to arrange for a pickup at (888) 574-2587.

I am having a garage sale. Can I place signs on utility poles?
No, signs are strictly prohibited on utility poles and in the public rights-of-way. A garage sale permit must also be acquired before a garage sale can be conducted; there is a $1.00 charge for the permit. You can print a permit from the Forms and Applications page in our website. Garage sales are permitted between the hours of 9:00 am and 5:00 pm. You may post signs on the property conducting the garage sale and/or on other property with that property owner's permission.

Community Development

How to I obtain a Building Permit?
You can obtain a Building Permit from the Community Development Department, or you print one from the Forms and Applications page in our website. Submit the completed application and either fax or deliver the application to our Department. Most permits require 36-48 hours to process. No fee is charged until the permit application has been approved.

Can I pay by credit card?
At this time, we cannot accept payment by e-mail or by credit card. Personal checks are accepted.

What are the regulations and specifications for construction projects?
Most typical building projects homeowners may choose to perform will require permits. The majority of requests for information are in regard to the following construction activities. Clicking on any of the following projects will take you to more information in the Community Development section of our website:

Please note that some subdivisions have certain restrictions on such items as fences, sheds or decks. If applicable, please check with your Homeowners Association or Homeowners Declarations for specific details.

As a quick reference and service to the public, the Department maintains handouts on all construction projects and types at its service counter. The individual handouts are made available to the public upon request at no cost.

What are your hours of operation?
The Community Development Department is, generally, open from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday. However, during Daylight Savings Time (April – October), the Department is open on Thursday evening until 7:00 pm

What is your fax number?
The Department fax number is (630) 837-5690. We will accept building permit applications and contractor licensing information by fax transmittal.

Where are you located?
We are located in Village Hall, 301 E. Irving Park Road, Streamwood, Illinois 60107

Finance

How do I sign up for Water and Sewer service?
As a residential property owner, you will automatically be billed for water and sewer services, based on consumption. Tenant and Commercial applications for water and sewer service can be printed from the Forms and Applications page of our website, or you can obtain an application from the Cashiers’ Counter in the Village Hall. Completed applications can be turned in personally or via mail or the dropbox located in the Village Hall parking lot. The dropbox is available 24 hours a day.

How often is the Water and Sewer bill due?
Bills are mailed out and are due monthly.

How do I sign up for garbage service?
The Village contracts with Veolia Environmental Services for all curbside residential service. Please contact Veolia at (630) 587-8282.

Who should I call if I have questions or concerns regarding my garbage service?
Call Veolia Environmental Services at (630) 587-8282.

What information do I need to purchase a Streamwood Vehicle Sticker?
Residents are no longer required to purchase vehicle stickers in Streamwood.

What do I need to do in order to have a Garage Sale?
Applications, along with an informational sheet of instructions and restrictions regarding signage, etc., are available at the Cashiers Counter in the Village Hall. (Or you can print an application from our website in the Forms and Applications page.) Garage Sales are limited to two per year, each for a maximum of two consecutive days. Garage Sale may not begin earlier than 9:00 am or end later than 5:00 pm. The fee for a Garage Sale Permit is $1.00.

When selling my home, what information do I need to purchase a Transfer Stamp?
If you are selling your home, before you or your representative come into Village Hall to purchase your stamp, please call the Finance Department at (630) 736-3810, to make arrangements for your final Water and Sewer bill. At this time, we will verify that you have no outstanding obligations due to the Village. For standard sales transactions, we require a copy of the State of Illinois Real Estate Transfer Declaration and completion of the Village’s Real Estate Transfer Declaration. Exempt transactions may require further documentation. Please call the Finance Department at (630) 736-3800 Ext. 3813 or 3814 for further information.

Fire Department

What services do you provide?

The Streamwood Fire Department provides fire, rescue, and emergency medical, confined space and technical rescue response to emergencies. In addition, we offer customer service programs to the community. These include fire safety education in the schools, CPR and First Aid classes, senior safety programs, fire prevention inspection services, home safety inspections, station tours and open house.

What if I need help, but it may not be an emergency?
We are dedicated to customer service and will gladly assist you with just about anything related to the safety and well being of you and your family. Examples of this may be furnace problems, leaking water, elderly assistance or help with lifting a person. You may contact us at the Administrative Offices (630) 736-3650. If there is no answer, dial 911. Our trained dispatch center operators will arrange to have us come out.

What should I do if my carbon monoxide detector goes off or beeps?
Call us right away. Use 911! Even if you may not think there is a problem, carbon monoxide can be serious. Do not call our non-emergency lines. We may not be in the station all the time to help you. Our dispatch center is always staffed and can help you right away. Don’t worry about tying up an operator. We can prioritize calls to be sure everyone gets helped.

What if my smoke detector makes a beeping noise?
Usually, this means the sensor has a low battery. If you need help or are unsure about this, call us on 911. We will send someone over to help you.

What should I do if the power goes off at home?
Each year during bad weather, we get thousands of calls asking about the status of power outages. As you may imagine, this type of situation can put a strain on our operation center. Your best information is usually obtained directly from Commonwealth Edison at 1-800-EDISON-1. If lines fall down, do not go near them, call us on 911 and we will get someone to check for hazards. If someone in your home depends on their power to operate a life support machine, call us on 911 and we will come to assist that person.

What should I do if I hear the storm siren?
Each month, on the first Tuesday at 10:00 am, these sirens are tested. You can usually ignore this in periods of calm weather. All other times, take immediate cover! Do not call 911! Go to a designated safe area and utilize the Emergency Broadcast System on your local TV or radio station. This will provide the most up to date information about the threat and let you know when the threat has passed. You jeopardize your safety and that of others if you call our 911 center to ask questions when the storm siren has sounded! Be smart, take cover. For more information on warning sirens, see the Emergency Warning System section under Fire Department, Safety Programs.

Personnel

How are Village jobs filled?
Most Village positions are filled through a competitive testing process. Police Officer and Firefighter/Paramedic positions are filled through a Board of Fire and Police Commissioners testing process. Most other positions are filled through a Civil Service Commission testing process. The Commissions test, interview and create eligible lists for each position. Vacant positions are filled from these eligible lists for two year time periods.

How are Village testing opportunities advertised?
Testing opportunities are advertised in the Help Wanted sections of the Streamwood Examiner and the Sunday Daily Herald. They are also listed on the informational sign in front of the Police Department and on the Government Access Channel on Streamwood Cable Television (Channel 14 on WideOpenWest Cable and Channel 17 on Comcast Cable). You can also learn more about Job Announcements in the Personnel section of our website.

Where can I get a Village job application form?
Village application forms are available at the Cashiers counter in the Village Hall. They are also available to print from our website by going to the Forms and Applications page.

Where should I return the application form?
Village application forms should be returned at the Cashiers counter in the Village Hall.

Who should I call if I have a question concerning a job announcement, job application, scheduled test or any other Personnel related matter?
Contact Personnel Director Scott Ratter at (630) 736-3800, extension 3805.

Police

Does the Village of Streamwood allow overnight parking?
The Village of Streamwood has a Village Ordinance that prohibits parking on any Village street, for any vehicles, between the hours of 1:00 am and 5:00 am. The Village has a program in place to allow for exceptions such as out-of-town visitors or unforeseen circumstances. Each household is allowed to obtain five (5) 3-night parking permits, in a calendar year, for situations where a vehicle cannot be parked in the driveway of the home. The permits are free of charge. To obtain a permit, the homeowner must come into the Police Station with identification proving he/she lives at the requested address. Only the homeowner, not the visitor, may obtain the permit.

How can I contest a parking ticket?
Bring the parking ticket down to our front desk and ask the Desk Clerk for a Request for review of citation Form. When completed, this form will be reviewed by a committee and a decision will be made as to the validity of your complaint. You will be notified of the decision by mail. The cost of the ticket will not increase while your complaint is being reviewed.

Where do I pay a parking ticket?
The Streamwood Village Hall. You can pay inside during normal work hours at the main window or you can drop off your payment in the envelope provided in the green/yellow mail type box behind Village hall.

I have been receiving harassing telephone calls, what can I do?
Dial 911 and an Officer will come by and fill out a report and give you the information you will need to contact the phone company.

Was my dog picked up by the Police?
Please call the Police Department main number (630) 736-3700, and they will tell you if your dog was picked up and how to retrieve your dog.

How can I get a copy of an incident or accident report?
Contact our Records Division at (630) 736-3700. In most cases you will need to file a freedom of information request form. There is a nominal fee for copies of reports. You can print a copy of the Request for Records form from our Forms and Applications page.

I need to be finger printed for a job application or a professional license, will the police department do this?
Yes. Please come to the Police Department Main Desk and explain what you need. Please bring the print card you were given with you because we might not have the right one on hand.

I received a telephone call from a person soliciting money for the Streamwood Police Department. Is it legitimate?
The call is not legitimate; it was not from the Streamwood Police Department. The Streamwood Police Department does not conduct telephone solicitation campaigns and does not authorize any other organization to solicit funds.

How do I apply for a position with the Streamwood Police Department?
If you are interested in becoming a police officer, call our Personnel Department (630) 736-3800. ext. 3805 and they will let you know when we will be accepting applications and explain the hiring process. If you seek a civilian position, you would also call the Personnel Department at (630) 736-3800, ext. 3805.

I'm going on vacation. Will the police watch my house?
Yes. If you are a resident of Streamwood, all you have to do is come into our station and fill out a "Security Check Report". The information will be given to the patrol officers that patrol your neighborhood. Be prepared to list who will have your keys (if anyone) and who to contact in the event of an emergency.

Don't the police have better things to do rather than writing tickets?
Traffic enforcement is a very important part of the law enforcement function. There is a direct correlation between the number of traffic tickets issued and the number of traffic accidents that occur. And it is not just the property damage loss we are concerned about. We know that by enforcing Illinois traffic laws we are preventing injury and loss of life. After all, if we did not write tickets, who would?

I have to go to court. Where is it?
All misdemeanor, felony or traffic court hearings are held at the 3^rd District Court in Rolling Meadows. You can find a map to the courthouse in the Court Hearings page in Police Department’s Field Services section of our website.

What do I do if I am in an accident?
It depends on what kind of traffic accident you’ve been involved in. For more specific instructions, look in the Traffic Safety page in the Police Department’s Field Services section of our website.

Uh-oh. Blue lights are flashing in the rearview mirror...Now what to do?
The following is an article written by Linda S. Forst

Coping With The Traffic Stop
Getting pulled over by a police officer can be intimidating, frustrating and even dangerous for the motorist and the police officer. However, remembering some simple steps will help make your traffic stop as safe and as pleasant as possible.

Respond to the blue lights, and signal your intentions. The safest thing to do is to pull as far to the right as possible-using turn indicators to let the officer and other motorists know what you plan to do. If the roadway is clear and the officer doesn't pass you, assume that your vehicle is the one being pulled over. Drive slowly on the right until you find a suitable and safe place to stop. Drive defensively.

Choose a safe location to pull off the road where you won't impede the flow of traffic. You may also pull off the roadway onto the shoulder if the ground is firm. The officer will understand if you drive slowly looking for a suitable location.

Be aware that the violation may have occurred one or two miles before the traffic stop. This delay is due to the fact that most departments have developed strict procedures for officers to follow to ensure your safety and theirs. They're required to give the location, vehicle and occupant description, and license plate to the dispatcher. The officer is also trying to locate the safest place to initiate the stop.

Remain in the vehicle unless the officer instructs otherwise. Distracted motorists have been known to leave the roadway and strike vehicles or individuals at a traffic stop, causing injury or even death.

Listen to the officer and comply with instructions. Drivers often assume they're being stopped for a routine traffic matter, but the officer may be stopping you because your vehicle is similar to one just seen leaving the scene of a crime. Additionally, many people have warrants out for their arrest, are mentally unbalanced, or simply don't like police officers. Many officers have experienced verbal and physical confrontations as a result of traffic stops. Consequently, the officer may initially be acting under the assumption that you're a safety threat. Control over the situation can be accomplished by keeping yourself and your passengers in the vehicle with your hands visible.

If it's a case of mistaken identity, you'll be on your way as soon as it's cleared up. If it's a traffic stop, the officer will request your driver's license, registration and insurance card. The officer may allow you to explain your actions; if so, you should speak calmly. If the officer saw you commit the violation, your statement isn't necessary.

If your complaint is about the validity of the citation, then it must be handled through the courts. If the contact was unprofessional, complain to the police department. Police departments have procedures for lodging complaints against officers. Departments want to know if there's a problem with an officer.

If you comply with the rationale behind an officer's actions by following these steps, a traffic stop can be a pleasant experience!

Public Works/Water

Do I need to fill out an application for water service?
Residential property owners are automatically billed for water and sewer, based on consumption. Residential tenants and commercial owners and tenants need to turn in a written application. You can print an application from the Forms and Applications page in our website.

Do I have to pay a water deposit?
Yes, but only if you own a business or are a tenant within the Village. Owners do not pay a deposit.

What do I do when I'm going to move?
If you are moving, you must call (630) 736-3800, ext. 3810 for a final reading. If you are a tenant and your deposit has not been refunded, it will be applied against your final bill.

Why is my tap water cloudy?
This is caused by air in the water main and has no effect upon the quality of the water. The water is tested on a weekly basis by certified water plant operators and meets all the E.P.A. standards for water quality.

My water meter is leaking. What should I do?
The Village is responsible for the water meter and the couplings on either side of it. If you detect a leak in this area, call the Department at (630) 736-3850. The Village is not responsible for the shut-off valve. That is the homeowner's responsibility. You should call a plumber to have it corrected as soon as possible. A leaking water meter can result in higher water bills.

My water bill seems high. Could there be a leak?
The Village will be happy to check for leaks at your residence at no cost to you. Some common causes of high water bills are leaking faucets, toilets or hoses left dripping in the yard.

How do I get a permit to water my new sod?
Watering permits must be obtained in person at 565 S. Bartlett Road at the Public Works facility. This permit is free of charge.

Who do I contact in case of an emergency?
All main breaks and leaking hydrants should be called into (630) 736-3850 between 8:00 am and 4:30 pm and (630) 736-3700 after hours.

Village of Streamwood
301 E. Irving Park Road
Streamwood, IL 60107-3096
(630) 736-3800

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