Park Forest was planned from scratch. American Community Builders announced it in 1946 as a town for returning veterans, the planner Elbert Peets laid out part of it, and it was named an All-America City in 1954 and 1976. Planned towns tend to have planned rules, and Park Forest’s on dead cars are clear. If you want to know how we work before the local detail, read how Junk My Car Inc buys junk cars.
Out of public view
Section 66-107 of the village code defines a “damaged, inoperable or junk vehicle” as one that can’t be driven under its own power for at least seven days because the engine, wheels or other parts are altered or in disrepair. Such a vehicle may not be stored or parked anywhere open to public view, on public or private property. It has to be kept in a garage or similar enclosed structure.
If the village gives written notice, the property owner must move the car into a closed garage by the deadline. If that doesn’t happen, the village can tow and impound it. And every vehicle, running or not, must be parked on an improved surface.
The street isn’t a parking lot
Two more rules close off the street as a holding spot:
- 72 hours: no vehicle may stay at the same street location for more than 72 hours in a row, and police supervisors can tow one left longer, at the owner’s cost.
- Registration: no parking on any village roadway without current state registration, and no cleaning, repairing or servicing a vehicle on the roadway.
Courts, townhouses and towers
Close to a quarter of Park Forest homes are townhouses or other attached single-family homes. The village also has larger buildings, including the ten-story Juniper Tower and Garden House. For any shared lot, the association or manager needs to be on board with a tow truck coming in. Sort that, tell us where the car is, and request your offer.
Timing a pickup after heavy rain
The Orchard Drive underpass beneath the Canadian National tracks floods and becomes impassable in heavy rain, and the single road into Thorn Creek Estates crosses a culvert that can flood. If you’re in either spot and a storm is coming, we’ll schedule around it.
Park Forest cross streets
The village is roughly bounded by US 30 (Lincoln Highway) on the north, Western Avenue on the east, Central Park Avenue on the west and Thorn Creek on the south, with the Eastgate subdivision east of Western. Orchard Drive is the main north-south road. The nearest Metra Electric stations are Richton Park, 211th Street and Matteson.
Before you decide
If you’re weighing a repair, a scrap yard or a sale, our guide to what to do with a junk car lays the options out. University Park, on the village’s southern border, started out as Park Forest South, and we buy junk cars in University Park on the same terms. To the north are Flossmoor and Homewood, and to the northeast Glenwood. See all of our pickup towns.