Originally settled as a resort town where the affluent and many tourists came to relax, Lake Villa today is a vibrant, diverse community with a growing business community. This website is designed to put residents, businesses, and visitors in touch with the information and services they need.

Lake Villa is a non-home rule community governed by a Village Mayor, six Trustees, and a Village Clerk. These positions are elected at large with four-year staggered terms. The Mayor, with the advice and consent of the Board of Trustees, appoints an Administrator, Chief of Police, and Treasurer. By adoption of local ordinance, the Administrator is empowered to conduct certain day-to-day operations of the community and serves as administrative head of each Village department.

The purpose of the Board of Trustees is to maintain and enhance Lake Villa by providing quality services to residents in a cost-effective manner. Feel free to email individual board members from the links below.

To e-mail the entire Village Board, click here.

Village Mayor

James McDonald

Village Trustee

Jeff Nielsen

Village Trustee

Allena Barbato

Village Trustee

Jake Cramond

Village Clerk

Village Trustee

Village Trustee

Village Trustee

Helpful Links

View the Village Code
Access Public Meeting information

Meeting Dates and Times

The Village Board of Trustees meetings are held at 7:00 pm on the 1st and 3rd Monday of each month at Village Hall.

The Administration Department coordinates the development and implementation of Village Board policies, maintains records, manages the front office, and provides friendly service to residents and customers. It also provides professional management of the Village's financial resources by maintaining financial records, preparing reports, and working with consultants to identify, and develop fiscal strategies, policies, and practices.

Departmental Oversight

Oversee daily operations of the Finance Department, Building Department, Public Works Department, and the Police Department
Assist in setting and achieving operational goals.
Coordinate all personnel functions including hiring, employee discipline, employee evaluation, evaluations of employee salaries and benefits.

Public Relations

Answer public inquiries, prepares newsletter articles and press releases, participates in community organizations and events and updates the Village's website.

Budget

Prepare annual budget, oversees financial condition and long-range capital program, recommend policies, solicit grants and guide financial consultants.
Prepare annual five year financial forecast of revenues and expenses.

Economic Development

Develop and implement programs to retain and attract businesses.
Coordinate public and private development projects.
Work with the Economic Development Commission to develop economic development strategies.
Administer Economic Incentive Programs.
Land Use Planning

Risk Management

Oversee the Village's liability and workman's compensation insurance program.

Intergovernmental Relations

Represent the Village at intergovernmental meetings, and participates in monthly meetings with other local government administrators.

ADA Coordination

Coordinate ADA accessibility at Village facilities. Contact the Village Hall with any questions (847) 356-6100

Franchise Agreements

Manage the Village’s franchise agreements with cable, natural gas, and electricity providers.

Documents

Public Meetings

The Building Department monitors and enforces the Village’s building and zoning regulations on existing property and performs compliance reviews and inspections on new construction. The office also issues permits for any building or property changes including fences, decks, yard sheds, windows, roof replacements etc. Please consult with the Building Department before making any interior or exterior changes to your property by calling (847) 356-6100.

The Lake Villa Police Department would like to say hello, and welcome to Lake Villa.

The mission of the Lake Villa Police Department is to serve and protect the community and make a positive difference in the lives of our residents through proactive and community based law enforcement efforts. Members of the department will remain responsive to the needs of all citizens and seek solutions to problems through the fostering of cooperation, positive contact with the public, and proactive methods as we come together in the fight against criminal activity.

Our office is located at 65 Cedar Avenue, and the non-emergency phone number is (847) 356-6106. The Village's 911 dispatching services are provided through a contract served by FoxComm E911 Communication Center which is located at: 301 S. Rt. 59 in Fox Lake, IL 60020. Contact 847-587-3100 for information. The Village is a member of the Lake County Emergency Telephone System Board (ETSB).

Our friendly officers are always ready to help in any emergency or problem. Please report anything that looks suspicious because, you are the eyes and ears of our community.

Thank You for your cooperation,

Rochelle Tisinai

Chief of Police

RTisinai@Lake-Villa.org

Squad

The Public Works Department maintains village buildings, parks, water facilities, sewer facilities, stormwater systems, street, and right-of-ways with in the Village of Lake Villa.

Responsibilities:

Maintain and operate more than 39 miles of sanitary sewers.
Maintain and operate 11 wastewater pumping stations.
Maintain and operate over 41 miles of water mains.
Maintain and operate 590 fire hydrants.
Operate 2 elevated water storage tanks. One 150,000 gallon tank and another tank storing 400,000 gallons.
Operate 2 ground storage tanks. One is 1 million gallons and another tank storing 1.5 million gallons.
Maintain 6 water supply well houses and 10 wells for the delivery of 215 million gallons of drinking water per year.
Maintain 3,581 b-box valves and water meters.
Maintain and snowplow 59 miles of streets.
Maintain 209 Village-owned streetlights
Maintain 11 parks and Tot Lots
Maintain and operate 1,161 valves.

Dear Resident,

On Behalf of the Village of Lake Villa, I want to welcome you to our new village website. The intent of the site is to provide information about the community, available services, and contact numbers. It also affords opportunities to interact directly with the village.

For those of you who have already chosen Lake Villa as your residence you are aware of the generations old "home town" qualities which make it a very special place to reside and raise a family. For those just browsing, our goal is to reinforce the small town centennial atmosphere with big town amenities such as the Metra/RTA commuter train and shopping possibilities.

Lake Villa has the finest schools, the two cleanest lakes in the Midwest, hundreds of acres of forest preserve, youth sports programs and an excellent library facility. Our dedicated community oriented Police and Public Works Departments are well equipped and staffed to meet all of your needs. Fire and Rescue services are provided by exceptionally well trained individuals of the Lake Villa Fire Department committed to serve their community.

We have an active Historical Society preserving the areas heritage who is currently remodeling the original Rescue Building on Lake Street for their new home. Lake Villa also has some of the finest parks and recreation areas for our citizenry of all ages.

The experienced village staff is at the ready to help you enjoy your Lake Villa experience as a resident or guest. Please call if you have any questions or suggestions.

Respectfully,

James McDonald
Mayor

Welcome to the Resident Services page. Below are “Request a Service” items that you can select and their associated forms. To the right, underneath “In This Department” are more helpful pieces of information to better serve you.

Request a Service

Lake Villa is a business friendly setting located north of Chicago. We are just seven miles west of I-94 with easy access to both O'Hare and Milwaukee airports. Our Metra station provides commuter service to downtown Chicago and O'Hare airport.

For a list of Lake Villa businesses, visit the Business Directory
For a list of chamber members, visit the Chamber of Commerce website
Click here for more information about the Downtown Plan

Mission Statement

The Lake Villa Historical Society, a public emissary and educational resource, serves its community by collecting and preserving documents and artifacts that reflect the richness of Lake Villa’s history; by facilitating discovery and understanding of our shared history; and by taking a responsible role in the continued preservation and historical development of the community.

Our Purpose

The objectives of the Lake Villa Historical Society are to collect, preserve, study, interpret, and exhibit significant materials relating to the Lake Villa area and to provide related educational services for the purpose of increasing and enriching public knowledge. The acts of acquisition, accession and deaccession shall reflect the stated purposes.

Criteria for Collection

Too often, when someone with Lake Villa ties moves away or dies, valuable artifacts about the history of Lake Villa are discarded. Before throwing these items away, please contact the Lake Villa Historical Society. The society is always looking to expand its collection of historical artifacts. Items relating to people or places in Lake Villa will be considered for acquisition.

Items include

Prints/photographs of Lake Villa residents/scenes; costumes/textiles created or owned by Lake Villa residents; sound recordings, films, videotapes of Lake Villa residents and events; archives of Lake Villa businesses, clubs, organizations, institutions, residents; paintings, sculpture, artwork of Lake Villa artists; objects from Lake Villa businesses and households; original manuscripts, documents, including letters/diaries relating to Lake Villa; other published materials, such as newspaper clippings/brochures/etc. relating to Lake Villa.

The Lake Villa Historical Society welcomes people to volunteer their time and to donate their money to help the society develop a strong financial base. We invite you to become more involved in your community by helping preserve history firsthand.

Take a look at our past in this photo gallery

What is a TIF District?

TIF Districts use the incremental increase in property taxes to pay for land acquisition, building rehabilitation, public improvements, job training and site improvements. The term lasts for 23 years after the creation of the TIF district at which time all taxing bodies receive all of the property taxes generated by the area. TIF districts do not create any additional tax to any property owner.

How does a TIF District work?

During the TIF period, the incremental increase in property tax can be used for TIF eligible expenses as an economic incentive tool.
Taxing bodies continue to receive the same property taxes from the area as they did when the TIF district was created.
At the conclusion of the TIF (23 years), all taxing bodies will receive the full amount of property taxes generated by the area, as described in the chart below.

TIF Diagram

What is the boundary of the proposed TIF District?

Includes 243 properties; 68 commercial, 4 farm, 10 industrial and 161 residential.
Includes 195 acres
Equalized Assessed Value (EAV) of area is $8,998,684
Currently, $1.15 million in property taxes is being generated in the proposed TIF area for all taxing bodies.
- View the TIF District Boundaries here

How does an area become eligible for TIF Funding?

Illinois TIF law specifies a number of requirements that must be satisfied for an area to qualify as a TIF district, beginning with identifying the district and the physical and economic deficiencies that need to be cured. The TIF area must be blighted, or 50% of the structures must be older than 35 years and have some blighted condition, or there must be a relatively high level of unemployment.

How does a project become eligible for TIF Funding?

Each redevelopment agreement is examined to determine if the “but for” criteria is met. "But for" the incentive provided by the TIF, the development would not occur in the designated area. Evidence that the district satisfies the “but for” test must be provided in all redevelopment agreements. An example of this is listed below:

SAMPLE TIF DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL

	With TIF	Without TIF
Private Equity Investment	$5.4 m	$5.4 m
Private Loan	$15.9 m	$22.4 m
TIF Investment	$6.5 m	0
Net Operating Income in Year 11	$1.1m	$320,088
Internal Rate of Return	14.0%	(12%)

Who should I call for more information?

For more information regarding the Village of Lake Villa's proposed TIF District, please contact the Village at webmaster@lake-villa.org or at (847)356-6100.

This is a thrilling time for Lake Villa. The Village continues to look for renewed opportunities for growth. Steadfast in maintaining the character of our village, we are happy to offer economic incentives to help with the business improvements you want to make. We are determined to enhance our business community and provide financial incentives for our current Village businesses. Every improvement the Village assists with keeps this thought in mind. We are encouraged and excited for what the future holds for Lake Villa. We want to reach out to our business owners and share these opportunities with you.

Whether you take advantage of the Village of Lake Villa’s Business District, TIF District, or the Local Incentive Program, the Village is committed to your growth and success as a business. The Village is steadfast in fostering a thriving and growing business environment. A healthy business sector is a necessity for any healthy community. We are committed to your success.

Economic Incentive Options

Downtown TIF District: A TIF district allocates future increases in property taxes from a designated area to pay for improvements within that area. Funds created in the TIF District can be used to construct public improvements, purchase property, to rehabilitate buildings, professional services, borrowing costs, etc. For example, a $75,000 renovation, or development project, could potentially generate $3,250 in new property taxes. This new property tax increment could allow for $65,000 in available TIF Incentives over a 20 year period.

Business District: A business district uses the additional sales tax generated from the district for public and private improvements to that area. Improvements include enhancements to private buildings, public infrastructure upgrades, and beautification to that area. As an example, a business that generates sales taxes could qualify for sales tax incentive grants from the Business District. This incentive would be available for interior and exterior improvements to your business.

Local Incentive Program: The local incentive program provides financial assistance for business relocation or retention. This public/private partnership is designed to provide incentives and assistance to encourage building improvements that preserve the character of the Village, retain jobs, and or relocate jobs to Lake Villa. Grants between $2,000 and $50,000 for local businesses are available for job creation, job retention, which are tied to building facade improvements.

Depending on the type of economic incentive you take advantage of, examples of qualifying projects include:

Interior and Exterior Building Renovations	Public Improvements	Land Assembly	Site Development and Building Demolition
Job Training and Professional Services	Borrowing Interest Fees	Landscaping & Sign Improvements	New Building Construction

Additional Information

View the Village of Lake Villa's Economic Development Incentive Brochure here.

Certain minor improvements including residential re-roofing, re-siding, fences, freestanding gazebos or screen rooms, air conditioners, pergolas less than 200 sq. ft., sheds less than 200 sq. ft., water heaters and window replacements are eligible, subject to certain standards and restrictions, for registration instead of the traditional permitting process.

Air Conditioner Replacement Registration Information

Fence Registration Information

Freestanding Gazebo or Screen Room Registration Information

Pergola Less than 200 sq. ft. Registration Information

Re-roofing Registration Information

Re-siding Registration Information

Sheds 200 sq. ft. or Less Registration Information

Water Heater Registration Information

Window Replacement Registration Information

To apply for a Building Registration within the Village of Lake Villa, click here.

Description	Opening Date	Closing Date/Time
RFQ - 209 Cedar Avenue Mixed-Use Redevelopment Project	February 10, 2025	April 4, 2025 / 4:00 p.m.

News
Events
Related
Pages
Services

Village to Acquire Former Pleviak School for Transformative Redevelopment
The Village of Lake Villa is excited to share that it will be acquiring the former Pleviak Elementary School property, along with several nearby parcels of land, from Lake Villa School District 41.
2025 Water Quality Report
Approved FY26 Budget Document
At the April 21, 2025 Village Board meeting, the FY26 Budget was formally approved. You can view the budget document here.
Total Budgeted Compensation for FY26
209 Cedar Avenue Mixed-Use Redevelopment Project