What's the difference between being in the city vs township? Example DG Township vs City of Downers Grove (Evanston: renting)

[doodlemagic]

I was just curious if someone can tell me what the difference is between the city and a township. Wikipedia says there's 9 townships in Illinois but doesn't really elaborate on what it means to be in a township.

Looking for places for a family member moving to the area and wanted to know what if anything is different living in a township?

Can you still use the library without a fee? I believe the lots have city water and sewage not well or septic. Are taxes lower?

I guess I'm just kind of a confused, is a township a totally seperate entity than the city or is it just a division within the city. If you live in downers grove township are you still a resident of the city of downers grove? Do you still have to follow zoning rules?

Any input you can provide would be appreciated.

[damba]

Originally Posted by doodlemagic

I was just curious if someone can tell me what the difference is between the city and a township. Wikipedia says there's 9 townships in Illinois but doesn't really elaborate on what it means to be in a township.

Looking for places for a family member moving to the area and wanted to know what if anything is different living in a township?

Can you still use the library without a fee? I believe the lots have city water and sewage not well or septic. Are taxes lower?

I guess I'm just kind of a confused, is a township a totally seperate entity than the city or is it just a division within the city. If you live in downers grove township are you still a resident of the city of downers grove? Do you still have to follow zoning rules?

Any input you can provide would be appreciated.

You got something mixed up in the process. The state of IL has an incredibly high number of townships- probably closer to 1500 if I recall. A township can be a small geographic region , or an actual distinct unit of local government (civil township). These can overlap with cities and offer separate services. YMMV.

Check the actual location in question to see what services are included with the taxes paid at that particular street address. Things like park district/library access can differ depending on which area you are referring to.

Unincorporated areas are where you typically see slightly lower tax bills. YMMV.

[northshorenative]

A township is a totally different entity than a City and can span more than 1 city or a City can be part of more than 1 township. Townships were set up long ago. Here is a an article about them:
https://www.toi.org/About-Us/History

"By law, Illinois townships are charged with three basic functions: 1) general assistance for the indigent; 2) the assessment of real property for the basis of local taxation; and 3) maintenance of all roads and bridges outside federal, state, and other local jurisdiction."

Some people believe that the townships in Illinois have outlived their usefulness and should be abolished.
Illinois House Passes Bill on Fate of Townships - theYOUjournal News

To further answer you question, If you live in Downers Grove City, you might also live in DG Township, but I don't know what the exact boundaries are there. If you live in the Township but NOT the City, you live in a "unincorporated area" and will not be subject to the zoning laws of the City but are subject to the zoning laws of the County (I don't think Townships have zoning laws).

Libraries can either be "City" libraries where membership and taxing is determined by the boundaries of the City, or "District" libraries, where the membership and taxing is determined by another set of boundaries, (similar to a school district) - It might not coincide with the boundaries of a City. For instance, Schaumberg Township Library District covers all residents who live in Schaumberg Township, including some who might live in Schaumberg City. Same with Ela Township Library District and Cook Memorial Library District. But Glencoe Public Library is a City library, as is Deerfield and Northbrook.

If your home belongs within a City or District library boundary, you are a member of the library and can use it without additional fees. If you live outside such a district, you will need to pay fees to the closest library to use it. You can find out by looking at the tax bill for the property to see if taxes are being paid to any library. If you cannot see the tax bill because you are renting, then just call the nearest library and they can look it up for you.

[RJA29]

If it's just Downers Grove you're wondering about, you'll find the information here:

Government | Village of Downers Grove

[chet everett]

Downers Grove TOWNSHIP is rather large and covers all the incorporated municipalities of Hinsdale, Clarendon Hills, Willowbrook, Westmont, parts of Darien, Woodridge and Downers Grove. The relative "savings" by living in an unincorporated part of the DG Township would have to be weighed against what SCHOOL DISTRICT you'd be in, as that is where MOST of your taxes are going, as well as trade-offs like potential lack of services that could mean longer response time from Country Sheriff vs municipal police / road clearing / fire protection district...

Unlikely that there is going to be any big push to eliminate this layer of government with the kinds of stupidity that still reigns supreme in Springpatch.

[damba]

Originally Posted by chet everett

Unlikely that there is going to be any big push to eliminate this layer of government with the kinds of stupidity that still reigns supreme in Springpatch.

Agreed. Although some of the redundancy has actually been eliminated in expensive high tax areas that truly needed it, such as Evanston. They finally stopped drinking the Kool Aid