Officials in Cary and Fox River Grove continue recovery efforts with cleanup and tree replacement after a sudden and strong thunderstorm hit the area last month.

The thunderstorm pounded McHenry County on Aug. 16 with heavy rainfall, winds exceeding 70 mph and hail, leaving damaged buildings, downed trees and extensive power outages.

Cary Mayor Mark Kownick declared a state of emergency that day. This week, representatives from the McHenry County Emergency Management Agency, the Illinois Emergency Management Agency, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Small Business Administration were out conducting damage assessments.

Cary

To help residents recover from any damage to their homes, village trustees on Tuesday unanimously agreed to waive building permit fees.

Permit fees for exterior work on roofs, siding and utility connections are usually $100 to cover for staff reviews and inspections, according to village documents.

From a street survey, village staff estimates 100 structures sustained exterior damage in Cary, according to village documents. Community Development Director Brian Simmons said he estimates $30,000 in permits could be coming to the village.

On average, each inspection is about $40, a cost that the village would absorb, Simmons said.

To be eligible for the waiver, residents must provide documentation that the damage is from the storm and obtain the permits by May 1, 2026.

“I personally think that it’s a sign of good faith,” Trustee Ellen McAlpine said.

Waived permits will be for repair work only to restore the property to “pre-storm conditions,” according to village documents. Waivers will not be granted for alterations that modify buildings and require substantial reviews and inspections.

Kownick said it may be possible that federal funding could help with recovery costs, but those dollars will only come if the the storm produced over $25 million in damage across the state.

Cary trustees also approved a $40,000 “emergency purchase agreement” with the Davey Tree Expert Co. for storm debris-grinding services. The agreement is on an hourly-rate basis with an estimated 16 hours of grinding work needed, according to village documents.

Fox River Grove

Fox River Grove announced Wednesday that it will add $20,000 to its tree-replacement program after the storm downed numerous trees in the village.

The village will reimburse residents 75% of the cost for a new tree and planting up to $400. The program is set up on a first-come, first-served basis until the $20,000 is used up or until June 1, 2026. Funding is available for one tree per home, according to a village news release.

“The August storms caused substantial tree damage in the majority of the Fox River Grove community,” Village President Marc McLaughlin said in the release. “Our board wanted to respond with a financial incentive for our residents to help us replace as many trees as possible.”

More details and a list of approved and preferred trees can be found here: foxrivergrove.org/treeprogram.