The Den

Illinois laws require drivers to stop and yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within a crosswalk. Now that school back in session, crosswalk safety is even important, especially around school zones. Both drivers and pedestrians must be vigilant to keep everyone safe on our streets.  

Changing the culture from motorist-focused to more pedestrian-friendly involves everyone promoting awareness of crosswalk safety. Please share the following tips with your friends, family, and children.  

Safety Tips for Drivers 

The City does not ban parking on city streets overnight for most vehicles. There are, however, restrictions on parking Recreational and Commercial vehicles overnight. 

Which vehicles are allowed to park on City streets overnight? 

One passenger car or a truck with a “B” license plate, such as a pickup truck. 

How long can allowed vehicles be parked on the street? 

No longer than 24 hours. 

Which vehicles are not allowed to park overnight? 

This summer, the City began construction on Phase 1 of the 7th Avenue Creek Master Plan.  The overall master plan addresses large-scale flooding along 7th Avenue Creek, from Tyler Road to the Fox River.   Phase 1 construction began in March and is on schedule to be finished this fall.   

Phase 1 improvements include: 

Our friends at the West Chicago Police Department didn’t make it easy, but our St. Charles Fire and Police won the Battle of the Badges on Sept. 12, with a final score of 17-16.  

We had so much fun and raised over $1,000 for the Special Olympics Illinois! Thank you to St Charles District 303 for hosting this event at St. Charles East High School, Fully Promoted of St. Charles for sponsoring softball shirts, and the food trucks Puffy Houzz and Culinary Gangster for donating a portion of their sales back to Special Olympics Illinois.

Richard Balla was sworn in as Alderman of Ward 1 at the Aug. 2, 2021, City Council Meeting. Balla will serve the remaining two years in the term following former Alderman Dan Stellato’s retirement June 21, 2021. 

 Balla is a life-long resident of St. Charles and has been a resident of the 1st Ward since 1997. He is a graduate of St. Charles High School and Iowa State University and is the Vice President of Accounting at Tour Edge Golf in Batavia, Ill. 

A floodplain is any land area susceptible to being inundated by floodwaters from any source. When left in a natural state, floodplain systems store and dissipate floods without adverse impacts to residents, buildings, roads, and other infrastructure. Natural floodplains provide multiple benefits for the community including flood protection, erosion control, improved water quality, recharged aquifers, enhanced wildlife habitats, and recreational opportunities.

Thank you to everyone who donated their $20 Utility Bill Rebate to the City’s Neighbors in Need program. 100% of donations help St. Charles residents struggling to pay their utility bills. The events from last year hit some people particularly hard. I am so grateful for the rebate donations from generous St. Charles residents and businesses. I am incredibly proud of how our community supports each other.  

If you would like to donate your $20 rebate, contact Utility Billing at 630.377.4426 or utilitybilling@stcharlesil.gov. 

The St. Charles Police Department once again has been awarded National Accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA). CALEA maintains professional standards for public safety to improve the delivery of services by participating law enforcement agencies. The St. Charles Police Department first achieved its accredited status in 1989, when it became one of the first agencies in the State of Illinois to become Nationally Accredited.

The City began a road improvement project on Production Drive, a fundamental business corridor roadway. Crews are working along Production Drive from west to east, from Tyler Rd. to Kirk Road. Short-term road closures may be required intermittently. Traffic control will be in place to notify motorists. 

Estimated Completion: August 2021  

Work includes: