What kind of mailbox post is allowed in Barrington?

Under § 7-1-9E1, breakaway material — a 4x4 or a USPS-approved premanufactured support — buried at least 24 inches, with the box 42 inches above the road and 8 to 12 inches from the back of curb. Masonry columns, wagon wheels, oversize lumber and steel pipes are not allowed.

Will Cuba Township replace a mailbox its plow knocks down?

With a standard mailbox and post only, and only if the plow struck it; the township says most boxes come down from the weight of the snow off the blade, and offers no reimbursement for decorative posts.

Is South Barrington responsible for a damaged mailbox?

Not if it was in poor condition: § 7-3-3 says the village and its snow plowing contractors are not responsible for such a box damaged during normal plowing. Cuba Township repairs boxes its plows hit. Masonry boxes need $1,000,000 liability insurance naming the village.

Mailboxes

Mailboxes and the Plow

Three villages write the post into their codes, two townships publish who pays when it comes down, and the answer in almost every case is the homeowner. Here are the specs and the policies.

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Ordinances are summarized from each village’s published code and pages, with the section cited. A summary is not the code; confirm any rule with the village before relying on it. Work arranged through this site is done by an independent operator, not by this site.

The Specs

Breakaway, 42 Inches, No Masonry — Three Villages Write It Down

Mailbox requirements in the codes of Barrington, South Barrington and Lake Barrington
Village	Post	Placement	Banned	If it is hit
Barrington § 7-1-9E1	“Breakaway material, either four inch by four inch or a USPS approved premanufactured support,” buried at least 24 inches	No part closer than 8 inches to the back of curb or edge of pavement; box face no farther than 12 inches; 42 inches from road surface to the bottom of the box	Brick, block, stone or concrete masonry columns, wagon wheels, lumber over 4×4, steel pipes; non-conforming boxes replaced within 12 months of notice	Village repairs boxes “physically struck by Village snowplows,” temporary box within 24 hours, (847) 381-7903; anyone with a permitted improvement in the right-of-way waives claims for damage from “snow and ice removal on village rights-of-way”
South Barrington § 7-3-3	Wood posts no larger than 6×6; “all other mailbox support posts must be a break away design”	Per permit	Masonry requires indemnification and $1,000,000 liability insurance naming the village	“The village or its snow plowing contractors shall not be responsible to replace or repair any mailbox in poor condition that is damaged during normal snow plowing activities”; village not responsible for bricks or pavers in the right-of-way (§ 7-3-1); Cuba repairs boxes its plows hit, standard box if unrepairable, 847-381-7510
Lake Barrington § 6-2-15	Single wood or hollow metal post no more than 6 inches, or plastic no more than 18 inches	Box face no closer than 12 inches to the edge of pavement; post no closer than 18 inches	Metal beams, solid metal posts, concrete or concrete-filled posts, brick or stone structures; the village may remove a box that is a risk to “village snow removal operations” after 10 days’ notice	No reimbursement language; owner bears all cost

The Townships

“Not Due to Our Driver Striking the Mailbox”

Cuba Township (Lake Barrington, South Barrington, Tower Lakes)

“It is the resident’s responsibility to maintain the mailbox.” “Typically when a mailbox comes down during a snow event it’s due to the weight of the snow coming off the plow and not due to our driver striking the mailbox.” A box the plow does hit is replaced “with a standard mailbox and post. We do not offer a reimbursement program for those who choose a more expensive and decorative option.”

Ela Township (Deer Park)

“Replacement of mailbox and/or post will only occur by Ela Highway Department if it is hit by the plow, not by flying snow.” Standards: 42 inches to the bottom of the box, 12 inches from the road edge, a 4×4 wood or 2-inch steel pipe post. Repairs happen “in the spring, weather permitting.”

McHenry County, on Barrington Hills’ western edge, repairs a box a county plow knocks down “per our snow and ice policy.” Barrington Hills’ own current policy was not published; its expired 2010 township agreement required “replacement of knocked down mail boxes using like-kind mail boxes and posts,” and the fire district asks that the mailbox and the fire grid sign be kept clear of snow.

What It Means

The Post Is the Homeowner’s Problem, and Usually the Contractor’s Too

Three things follow. A masonry mailbox is prohibited in Barrington and Lake Barrington and needs a million dollars of insurance in South Barrington, so anyone thinking of building one on a plowed road should not. The public plow will replace almost nothing but a standard box it actually struck, so a decorative post on a Cuba or Ela route is uninsured by anyone but the owner. And a private operator plowing a driveway passes the mailbox twice a visit: the contract should say the post is staked, the blade stays off it, and who pays if it does not. On a Barrington Hills lane with a long frontage, the same goes for the fire grid sign.

Common Questions

What People Ask About This

What kind of mailbox post is allowed in Barrington?: Under § 7-1-9E1, breakaway material — a 4x4 or a USPS-approved premanufactured support — buried at least 24 inches, with the box 42 inches above the road and 8 to 12 inches from the back of curb. Masonry columns, wagon wheels, oversize lumber and steel pipes are not allowed.
Will Cuba Township replace a mailbox its plow knocks down?: With a standard mailbox and post only, and only if the plow struck it; the township says most boxes come down from the weight of the snow off the blade, and offers no reimbursement for decorative posts.
Is South Barrington responsible for a damaged mailbox?: Not if it was in poor condition: § 7-3-3 says the village and its snow plowing contractors are not responsible for such a box damaged during normal plowing. Cuba Township repairs boxes its plows hit. Masonry boxes need $1,000,000 liability insurance naming the village.