Topo d'Oro Landscape Design
(847) 387-9509
Our Home City

Landscape Design & Build in Evanston, Illinois

Call (847) 387-9509Request a Design Consultation
Landscape design and build project by Topo d'Oro in Evanston, Illinois

Topo d'Oro is based in Evanston — our studio is at 1329 Dodge Ave. We design and build landscapes across the city, from the historic districts along the lake to the postwar streets on the west side. Working in Evanston means working inside a specific set of rules: the city's Tree Canopy Preservation Ordinance, its residential fence restrictions, and Certificate of Appropriateness review on landmark and historic district properties. We handle all of it as part of the project, because we work here every week.

Services

What we build in Evanston

  • Landscape Design

    Custom landscape design for Evanston, Wilmette, Winnetka and Chicago's North Shore. AutoCAD site plans, 3D renderings, planting design and full build documentation.

  • Hardscaping

    Natural stone patios, walkways, driveways, retaining walls and stone fireplaces built for Chicago freeze-thaw. Serving Evanston, Wilmette, Winnetka and Chicagoland.

  • Decks & Pergolas

    Custom cedar and ipe decks, pergolas, railings, fences and privacy screens built in-house. Iron and woodwork for Evanston, Wilmette, Winnetka and Chicagoland.

  • Outdoor Living

    Custom outdoor kitchens, fireplaces, fire pits and rooftop terraces designed and built for Evanston, Wilmette, Winnetka and Chicago's North Shore.

  • Lighting & Water

    Low-voltage LED landscape lighting, color-changing systems, fountains and ponds designed and installed for Evanston, Wilmette, Winnetka and Chicago's North Shore.

  • Artificial Turf

    Professional artificial turf installation for lawns, pet areas, putting greens and rooftops in Evanston, Wilmette, Winnetka and Chicagoland. Built on a drained base.

  • Commercial Landscaping

    Commercial and association landscaping across Evanston, Wilmette, Winnetka and Chicago's North Shore. Grounds care, hardscape restoration, drainage and entrance work for property managers and condo boards. Call (847) 387-9509.

  • Snow & Ice Management

    Snow plowing, sidewalk clearing and ice management for residential and commercial property across Evanston, Wilmette, Winnetka and Chicago's North Shore. Seasonal contracts. Call (847) 387-9509.

Evanston houses, and what they ask of a landscape

Evanston's east side is largely a 1890–1930 city. American Craftsman, Tudor Revival and Colonial Revival dominate the Northeast district; the Lakeshore district runs to Italianate, Queen Anne, Tudor Revival and Georgian Revival; the Ridge district holds Italianate, Queen Anne and Prairie School work, most of it built between 1860 and 1930. Oakton is later — 1913 to 1940 — with Tudor Revival, Colonial Revival and Craftsman.

Landscapes on houses like these fail when they are designed against the architecture instead of with it. A hundred-year-old Tudor does not want a paver patio in a contemporary large-format grey. It wants stone with variation, proportions that answer the elevation, and a material palette that looks like it could have been there since the house was built. That judgment is the first thing we bring to an Evanston property.

The Ridge, the lake, and the ground underneath

The Ridge Avenue corridor sits on a glacial ridge — an elevated spine running north to south through the city. Properties on and near it deal with grade in a way that flat lots do not, which means retaining walls, terracing and drainage design rather than a simple level patio.

East of the ridge, lots run toward the lake with mature canopy overhead and clay underneath. Evanston adopted the first municipal zoning law in the country in 1921, restricting large areas to single-family use, and that decision produced the deep lots, consistent setbacks and street tree canopy that still define the east side today. Those trees are an asset and a constraint at the same time — they shade the yard and they sit directly on top of where you want to excavate.

Working inside Evanston's rules

Evanston's Tree Canopy Preservation Ordinance took effect June 1, 2024, and it is stricter than most people expect. A permit is required for any construction or other activity within 25 feet of any tree, public or private — and that radius counts the trunk, the branches and the roots. On a typical Evanston lot with mature parkway trees and neighboring canopy, that means most exterior projects need one. Permit fees run $80 to $100, with additional per-tree charges possible when several trees are significantly impacted, and the permit holder may be responsible for replacement plantings or a fee in lieu.

Fences have their own rules. Under the zoning ordinance, fences are not permitted in the front yard or the street-side yard of any lot in a residential district; they are permitted in rear and interior side yards up to six feet. Corner lots are restricted on both street-facing sides. On landmark properties and in the four local historic districts, a Certificate of Appropriateness is required for alteration, construction, relocation and demolition when a permit is required and the work is visible from the public way.

None of this stops good work from happening. It just means the drawings have to be right before anything is submitted, and it means the tree protection plan is part of the design rather than an afterthought.

Local detail

Local conditions and village requirements

Tree Canopy Preservation Ordinance
In effect since June 1, 2024. A permit is required for any construction or activity within 25 feet of any public or private tree — trunk, branches or roots. Fees run $80–$100.
Residential fence rules
Not permitted in front or street-side yards in residential districts; permitted in rear and interior side yards up to six feet. Corner lots are restricted on both street-facing sides.
Historic district review
A Certificate of Appropriateness is required on landmark properties and in the four local historic districts when a permit is required and the work is visible from the public way.
Four local historic districts
Lakeshore, Ridge, Northeast and Oakton — each with its own contributing building inventory.
Glacial ridge terrain
The Ridge Avenue corridor sits on an elevated spine, which puts grade, retaining and drainage design at the center of many projects.
Where we work

Neighborhoods and areas we serve

  • Northeast Evanston
  • Lakeshore Historic District
  • Ridge Historic District
  • Oakton Historic District
  • Northwest Evanston
  • Central Street
  • Dempster–Main
  • West Evanston
  • Southeast Evanston
Questions

Frequently asked in Evanston

Do I need a permit to build a patio in Evanston?

Almost certainly you will need a tree permit. Since June 1, 2024, the city requires a permit for any construction or other activity within 25 feet of any tree, public or private — including its roots. On a typical Evanston lot with parkway trees and neighboring canopy, very few exterior projects fall outside that radius. Other permits depend on scope. We identify everything required for your address before we start.

Can I put a fence in my front yard in Evanston?

No. Under the zoning ordinance, fences are not permitted in the front yard or the street-side yard of any lot in a residential zoning district. Rear and interior side yards allow fences up to six feet. Corner lots are restricted on both street-facing sides. A fence variation process exists if there is a genuine case for one.

My house is in a historic district — does that limit what I can do outside?

It can. A Certificate of Appropriateness is required for alteration, construction, relocation and demolition on landmark properties and in the local historic districts when a permit is required and the work is visible from the public way. Whether a specific site element triggers review is a question for the city's Preservation Planner, and we get that answer in writing early rather than late.

Are you actually based in Evanston?

Yes. Our studio is at 1329 Dodge Ave. Evanston is not a service area we drive to — it is where we work from.

How do you protect mature trees during construction?

Tree protection is designed in, not improvised. That means a protection plan with fencing at the correct radius, hand excavation inside root zones, root pruning done properly rather than torn, and utility routing that goes around root systems instead of through them. In Evanston it is also a permit requirement, which is a good thing — it forces the conversation to happen at the drawing stage.

Nearby communities

We also work in

  • Lincolnwood

    Landscape design, hardscaping, decks, outdoor living and lighting in Lincolnwood, IL — built for tight city-edge lots, combined sewers and the Village's stormwater and grading rules.

  • Wilmette

    Landscape design, hardscaping, decks, outdoor living and lighting for Wilmette, IL — from Indian Hill Estates to the lakefront and the postwar streets west of Ridge.

  • Skokie

    Landscape design, hardscaping, decks, outdoor living, lighting and turf in Skokie, IL — built for bungalow lots, postwar yards and heavy clay drainage.

  • Chicago

    Rooftop decks, courtyards, terraces and city garden design for Lincoln Park, Lake View, Edgewater, Uptown and the Gold Coast. Chicago-licensed and insured landscape build.

Begin your golden sanctuary.

Tell us about the property and how you want to use it. We will walk the site, scope the work and put it in writing.

Call (847) 387-9509Request a Design Consultation