Des Plaines, Illinois Government: City Structure and Services
Des Plaines is a home-rule municipality of approximately 58,000 residents located in Cook County, Illinois, operating under a council-manager form of government that separates elected policy-making from professional city administration. This page covers the city's structural framework, the roles of its elected and appointed officials, the core services it delivers, and the boundaries that distinguish Des Plaines municipal authority from county, state, and regional jurisdictions. Residents, property owners, and businesses operating within Des Plaines benefit from understanding which government body handles which function — and where Des Plaines authority ends and Cook County or Illinois state authority begins.
Definition and scope
Des Plaines is an incorporated municipality under Illinois law, specifically governed by the Illinois Municipal Code (65 ILCS 5), which grants home-rule powers to municipalities with populations exceeding 25,000. Home-rule status — a designation examined further at Chicago Home Rule Authority — gives Des Plaines the authority to tax, regulate, and act beyond the specific grants enumerated in state statute, except where the Illinois General Assembly has explicitly preempted local action.
The city covers approximately 15.6 square miles in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, bordered by O'Hare International Airport to the south and east, and lying within the boundaries of Maine, Elk Grove, and Wheeling townships for township-level functions such as general assistance and road maintenance outside municipal limits.
Scope and coverage: This page addresses the government of the City of Des Plaines, Illinois only. It does not address:
- Cook County government functions (assessments, court administration, public health), which are covered at Cook County Government
- Regional transit governance (CTA, Metra, Pace), addressed at Regional Transportation Authority and Pace Suburban Bus Governance
- Chicago municipal services, which are outside Des Plaines jurisdiction entirely
- Illinois state agency operations within Des Plaines geography
For broader context on how Des Plaines fits within the Chicago metropolitan area's governance network, the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning coordinates regional land use and transportation policy that affects Des Plaines alongside more than 280 other municipalities.
How it works
Des Plaines operates under a council-manager structure, one of two dominant municipal government forms in Illinois — the other being the mayor-council (strong-mayor) model used by Chicago. The distinction is significant: under the council-manager form, the elected City Council sets policy and appoints a professional City Manager who administers daily operations, whereas under a strong-mayor model, the mayor holds direct executive authority over departments.
The Des Plaines City Council consists of 8 alderpersons elected from 4 geographic wards (2 alderpersons per ward) and a mayor elected at-large, for a total of 9 voting members (City of Des Plaines Municipal Code). Terms for alderpersons are 4 years, staggered so that one seat per ward appears on the ballot every 2 years. The mayor serves a 4-year term.
The City Manager, appointed by and accountable to the Council, oversees the following primary city departments:
- Community and Economic Development — zoning, building permits, business licensing, and planning
- Finance — budget preparation, accounts payable, utility billing, and treasury functions
- Fire Department — fire suppression, emergency medical services (EMS), and hazardous materials response
- Police Department — law enforcement serving the city's 15.6 square miles
- Public Works and Engineering — street maintenance, water and sewer systems, and capital infrastructure
- Parks and Recreation — park facilities, athletic programs, and the Des Plaines History Center
- City Clerk's Office — official records, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, and election administration
The Finance Department prepares an annual budget submitted to the City Council, a process structurally similar to — though far smaller in scale than — the Chicago Budget Process.
Common scenarios
Residents and property owners in Des Plaines most frequently interact with city government in the following contexts:
Building and zoning: Homeowners adding a deck, garage, or accessory structure must obtain a building permit from the Community and Economic Development Department. Commercial developers must navigate both the city's zoning ordinance and, for projects near O'Hare, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) height restrictions under 14 CFR Part 77.
Property tax: Des Plaines levies a property tax, but the actual assessment of property value is performed by the Cook County Assessor, not the city. Des Plaines sets its tax rate (levy); the county calculates and bills. This division of function confuses many property owners who contact the city about assessment disputes — those disputes go to the Cook County Assessor or the Cook County Board of Review.
Water and sewer service: Des Plaines operates its own water distribution system drawing from Lake Michigan through a wholesale arrangement with the Northwest Water Commission, which in turn contracts with the City of Evanston's water treatment plant. Sewer service connects to the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District, a separate regional special district that treats wastewater.
Business licensing: New businesses operating within city limits obtain licenses through the Finance or Community Development department depending on business type. Businesses in industries with state-level licensing (contractors, food service) must hold both the state credential and the local Des Plaines license.
Decision boundaries
Understanding which government handles which problem prevents misdirected requests and delays.
| Issue | Responsible Authority |
|---|---|
| Property assessment appeal | Cook County Assessor / Board of Review |
| Zoning variance or building permit | City of Des Plaines (Community & Economic Development) |
| Water bill dispute | City of Des Plaines (Public Works) |
| Road maintenance (city streets) | City of Des Plaines (Public Works) |
| Road maintenance (state routes, e.g., Rt. 83) | Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) |
| Criminal prosecution | Cook County State's Attorney (Cook County State's Attorney) |
| General assistance (township) | Maine Township or Elk Grove Township (depending on address) |
| Regional transit complaints | Pace Suburban Bus or Metra, not the city |
| Forest preserve access | Cook County Forest Preserves |
The governance structure of Des Plaines reflects a deliberate layering: the municipality handles local land use, utilities, public safety, and service delivery; Cook County handles courts, corrections, and property records; special districts handle water reclamation and transit; and Illinois state agencies regulate what preemption doctrines reserve to Springfield.
For a wider map of suburban municipal governance in the Chicago metro, the Collar Counties Chicago Metro page provides comparative context. The /index for this reference network lists all covered jurisdictions and topics across the Chicago metropolitan area.
References
- City of Des Plaines — Official Government Website
- Illinois Municipal Code, 65 ILCS 5 — Illinois General Assembly
- Illinois Home Rule Powers — Illinois Constitution, Article VII, §6
- Cook County Assessor — Property Assessment Information
- Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago
- Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP)
- Federal Aviation Administration, 14 CFR Part 77 — Safe, Efficient Use and Preservation of the Navigable Airspace
- Northwest Water Commission