FAQ

No, the village ordinances do not allow for homeowners to have chickens or any type of livestock. The village ordinances limit homeowners to no more than four (4) pets and one of those may be a potbellied pig.

The village does allow for the burning of yard waste and landscape waste such at leaves, limbs and other vegetation. The village does not allow the burning of garbage, trash, plastics, furniture, mattresses or any other items that should be collected by our garbage contractor. The burning of items other than landscape waste can lead to fines from the village and from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. The use of small recreational fire pits is allowed as long as the materials being burnt comply with the items mentioned above.

The village may require a fence permit depending on the type of fence and the location on your property. If you are planning to install a fence, please contact the village prior to installation. Doing so could save you time and cost in the design and installation of your fence should it not meet code or location requirements.

If you own a pet and it is not on your property, then the pet must be on a leash and in control by its handler. Village ordinances require pets be restrained on the owner’s property (fenced, chained or other means as to which the animal is restrained to the property). Pets are not allowed to freely run in the community.

Our water is sourced from an aquafer which contains a natural level of methane that is dissolved in the water. When you pour it in a glass or use it, the methane quickly evaporates out of the water. This is a common occurrence in many aquafer water sources and is not harmful or dangerous.

The village does have a building code and may require building permits depending on the type of construction. If you are planning any type of remodeling, building or major updates to your property please contact the village office for more information.

The village will first contact the person or persons who are believed to be causing the violation to try to educate and have the violation corrected. If this is unsuccessful, then the issue will be turned over to the Downs Police Department for enforcement and possible fines and other legal action.

The village does have an ordinance which allows for golf carts to be driven on village streets.

• A yearly inspection and registration sticker from the village is required before a golf cart is permitted to be driven on village streets.
• Four wheelers and other ATVs are not allowed on village streets and do not qualify under the definition of unlicensed vehicles that are allowed on village streets and right of ways.
• Failure to register a cart and present a current sticker will result in fines.

The Arrowsmith Community Center houses the village offices and is utilized for several community events including the annual Easter Egg hunt, Veterans Breakfast, and Halloween Trunk or Treat. In addition, the center can be rented by the public and has been utilized for events such as birthday parties, family gatherings, graduations, and many other events. Our community center contains a gymnasium, warming kitchen, and gathering rooms that can be rented for different rates. Rentals can be arranged by contacting the village office.

Yes, as a small community we need our citizens to be involved in the community and help us as we strive to do things to improve our village and to bring new ideas and opportunities for our citizens. Small communities need volunteers as we do not have large budgets to employ full time administrators and other staff to plan projects and other types of events. One example of this is the village beautification committee that plants flowers and trees and takes on other projects throughout the year for decorating and other village property upgrades. This committee has done a lot over the past few years to improve some of the areas in our parks and throughout town. Another area is our village EMA (Emergency Management Association) area that contains volunteers who perform storm spotter duties and manage other emergency planning for the village. This group works closely with the Mclean County EMA and local law enforcement and plays a large part in keeping our community safe.

In addition, our fire district is always in need of volunteer fire fighters and EMS personnel as those departments fully rely on volunteers for their staffing. These departments have some of the latest equipment, vehicles, and facilities. Volunteer and training opportunities are plentiful in our community, and we would be happy to discuss these with anyone who has an interest.

The village maintains an intergovernmental agreement with the Arrowsmith Township to remove snow from village streets. Many village streets are narrow, and we ask our citizens to provide as much room as possible prior to snow events by moving vehicles off the road as far as they can. This makes it easier for the plow drivers to remove as much snow as possible from our roadways.

Arrowsmith is part of the Golden Prairie Public Library District which contracts with the Bloomington Public Library. You are eligible for a Bloomington Public Library card and have access to all locations and materials the library offers. The Bookmobile stops in Arrowsmith in front of the Water Department every third Saturday. Schedules and times are available at the Post Office, Water Department, and the Community Center.